Mercedes Mone’ fought through a lot at the most recent NJPW competition at the 2023 Battle In The Valley in San Jose, CA : ring rust, a strange bustier that is evidence that Mikaze has lost his touch, and Joshi veteran Kairi Sane for the IWGP title – where many came to the foregone conclusion that the Cali native would not succeed in this exhibition style match; especially after a questionable return to the ring with botches noticed by many top critics as she cut her first promo for this Battle In The Valley. Both competing in blue, the competitors felt each other out and Mone’ was cocky as ever locking in a swift Bank Statement throwing up a sign that look like she started crippin’ through her Uncle Snoop but was really telling Kairi that her time as champ was limited.
Sane was on fire with Spears and reversing a failed Three Amigos into a DDT. Plenty of submission attempts targeting Mone’s arms and knees (which have been known to have undergone surgery and intensive rehabilitative therapy) while Mone’ was more focused on injuring Sane’s elbow to prevent Sane from pulling off a Macho Man. When Mone’ took off the goofy bustier and leg warmers (fully, since she comedically threw one at Sane earlier in the match) that signaled the second and better half of the match. Reversals for pins, Banks having to hit the ropes after having her knees marked for damage in a cross lock that was countered with another Bank Statement – these were all signs that the rust was fully off.
Sane started to show some color, and slapped the taste out of Mone’ mouth for a receipt then after a solid powerbomb from Sane, Mone’ performed a Bayley to Belly to pay respect for being in the native city of her past tag partner. This led to some exchanges and the ref getting knocked out, so the fight spilled to the outside where Mone’ sold excellently getting powerbombed through a table and being kicked around the ramp on top of the bills that she through around earlier with such a catty of a character that could only be a member of the same aristocracy that gave birth to The Million Dollar Man.
Sane was able to get the battered Mone’ back into the ring and perform her own Bank Statement when the ref suddenly woke up, fighting out of her signature turned against her, Mone’ performed a new finisher which looked like something of a sit-out powerbomb followed by an axe kick and was crowned the new IWGP champion as the ref raised her hand in victory and Sane fastened the strap around the new champ.
The critics (including myself) had it wrong – no matter the moniker or time away from the ring, Mone’ can still put on an entertaining show. Sure there were a few botches like the Tree of Woe spot and Mone’ being bouncing of the ring post with less force than could be believed, but it was like when Mone’ took off that stupid booster she might as well have been Clark Kent stepping out of the phone booth. As IWGP champion Mone’ now has even more time to develop her name and skills outside of WWE, and have people pay trumped up ticket prices just to see her live go against the likes of Maika or Miyu Yamashita.
I didn’t care about the card. I didn’t care about Kairi. I cared about Mone’ and even with the ticket prices being more than I ever paid for a WWE event expecting to see Mone’, the only reason I decided not to put my money to a “Battle In The Valley” ticket was for the sheer fact that Mone’ has been a notorious no-show to shows that I have bought tickets for where she was either rumored or on the bill set to appear (“SummerSlam 34” anyone?); but given her performance on the playback of this program I am disappointed that I wasn’t there to see Mone’ get a fresh bouquet of roses from one of the most respectable wrestling promotions worldwide.
If ticket prices continue to be the same to see Mone’ tote her new championship in the future, I can only be led to believe that she is seeing a considerable cut and won’t be cutting of any of her scheduled appearances anytime soon. With a reinvigorated vigor for the ring and a brand new deadly finisher, it’s safe to say that Mone’ is on the mind of the pro- wrestling world and that pinching pennies for her IWGP title defense, (wherever it will be) will be at the forefront on the brains of the faithful who enjoy watching a few female’s catch a friendly fade for fetti.
Score : 3.5/5
New Japan Pro Wrestling aired its NJPW Battle in the Valley event on February 18 from the San Jose Civic Center in San Jose, CA. The event aired on FITE TV.
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