Well, folks, it’s about to go down, and not just because of the typhoons and earthquakes in Japan. We’re talking about the kind of earth-shaking, ground-breaking action that even Mother Nature would tune in for. The one and only Mercedes Mone, who apparently collects titles like they’re rare Pokémon cards, is gearing up for another epic title defense—this time for her NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship. But hold onto your hats, because her challenger isn’t backing down, and she’s bringing all the intensity of a summer storm.
Enter Momo Watanabe, a woman who knows how to make an entrance and, more importantly, how to issue a challenge. Fresh off a match at STARDOM’s recent event at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Momo is ready to ditch Japan’s extreme weather and head straight to Washington, D.C., where the only thing hotter than the weather will be the action in the ring.
“Rather than fighting in Japan where it’s so hot, there have been earthquakes and typhoons, I’ll fight in America. Apparently, Mone watched my fight in June and said she wanted to fight me someday. Mercedes Mone has a good eye for this. I’ll fight Mone in Washington. Just wait for me,” Watanabe declared, making it clear she’s more than ready to throw down with “The CEO.”
Momo may have hit a rough patch in STARDOM’s 5Star Grand Prix, with four straight losses leaving her on the outside looking in, but that just means her schedule’s wide open for a little pay-per-view action in the U.S. of A. And let’s not forget, this isn’t her first rodeo on an international stage. She’s already made an appearance at AEW and NJPW’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view, and though she didn’t come out on top, she’s got some new gold back home, having recently captured the Goddesses of STARDOM Championships with her Oedo Tai stablemate Thekla.
So, what’s next? Only the hottest showdown of the summer, folks—Capital Collision on August 30, where Momo Watanabe and Mercedes Mone will collide like two forces of nature, and if you blink, you might just miss it.