Mercedes Moné Celebrates AEW Milestone, New Tournament, Hiroshi Tanahashi Returns

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PWMania.com Staff
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Mercedes Moné has officially completed one full year as the reigning AEW TBS Champion. Moné captured the title from Willow Nightingale at AEW Double or Nothing 2024, and since then, has established herself as one of the most dominant champions in company history.

Over the past 12 months, Moné has successfully defended the TBS Championship 17 times, racking up wins over major names including Kris Statlander, Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker, Stephanie Vaquer, Anna Jay, and many more. Additionally, she remains undefeated in singles competition since arriving in AEW.

Adding to her growing legacy, Moné captured another major accolade at AEW Double or Nothing 2025, winning the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament by defeating Jamie Hayter in the finals.

Meanwhile, chaos unfolded elsewhere on the card, as The Don Callis Family — Josh Alexander, Kyle Fletcher, and Konosuke Takeshita — picked up a major win over Paragon’s Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong, and Adam Cole in trios action. Fletcher sealed the win with a vicious Brainbuster on O’Reilly.

Following the match, a massive post-match brawl broke out. Lance Archer, Rocky Romero, and Trent Beretta stormed the ring and launched an assault on Paragon. That led to a surprising twist — the arrival of Brody King, Tomohiro Ishii, and the shocking return of NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi, who cleared the ring to a thunderous ovation.

Tanahashi’s return is especially significant as he heads toward retirement, scheduled for January 4, 2026, at AEW Wrestle Kingdom. While his last U.S. match has already taken place, fans may get one final in-ring moment as AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door arrives in London this year.

Also announced during the post-show media scrum, Kenny Omega will defend the AEW International Championship in a fatal four-way match at AEW Fyter Fest on June 4.

The three challengers will be decided in upcoming singles bouts:

  • May 28: Brody King vs. Josh Alexander

  • May 31: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Komander

  • May 31: Hechicero vs. Mascara Dorada

The winners of each match will earn a spot in the four-way title match against Omega.

Stay tuned to PWMania.com for full results, fallout, and exclusive updates from AEW Double or Nothing 2025, and watch the full post-event media scrum below.

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