Mercedes Moné‘s return to AEW television was supposed to be one of the company’s biggest stories of the year.
Instead, the comeback has sparked criticism from former WWE commentator Jonathan Coachman, who believes the promotion failed to present the moment with the significance it deserved.
Moné returned on the June 3 episode of AEW Dynamite as the mystery wild card entrant in the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament.
She immediately advanced by defeating Alex Windsor via submission with the Statement Maker, marking her first AEW match of 2026.
Jonathan Coachman questions AEW’s presentation of Mercedes Moné
Speaking on 2 Count Tuesday, Coachman argued that AEW missed an opportunity by not bringing Moné back at Double or Nothing, which drew a large crowd and received widespread praise.
“Mercedes came back on Dynamite on Wednesday. I think everybody expected her to be in the tournaments when Willow went down with injury… Why didn’t you do it at Double or Nothing in front of 14,000 people?”
Coachman went further, claiming the timing of the return hurt both Moné’s comeback and the tournament itself.
“Not only did you ruin Mercedes’ comeback and return, but you made the tournament basically irrelevant because we all know who’s going to win the tournament.”
He also questioned why Moné remained off television for months before resurfacing in June.
“What happened between her and Tony Khan?”
According to Coachman, the larger issue was the lack of storytelling surrounding Moné’s return. He noted that AEW did not provide promotional packages, character updates, or explanations regarding her absence.
“I don’t know why you bring her back with no fanfare. You bring her back with no vignettes.”
Coachman added, “What’s the character? Where is she going? Who is she? Why do I have to cheer her now? Tell me why. They didn’t.”
The criticism comes as Moné continues to move forward in the Owen Hart Tournament. Meanwhile, on the June 10 edition of Dynamite, she claimed the AEW women’s division declined during her absence, signaling that her return story may only be beginning.
Whether fans agree with Coachman’s assessment or not, AEW now has an opportunity to further define Moné’s direction as one of the company’s biggest stars moves deeper into the tournament spotlight.
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