Omaha, Nebraska—where the snow falls hard, but Mercedes Moné falls harder onto her opponents. The “CEO” of AEW’s TBS Championship made another “hostile takeover” on AEW Dynamite, locking in a submission victory over Billie Starkz and proving once again that the Moné never sleeps—especially when it’s defending gold.
A Business Meeting Gone Wrong for Starkz
The 20-year-old Starkz came in looking for an upset and started strong, flying through the ropes with two dives that probably made Warren Buffett consider investing in human flight. After a near-fall off a top-rope senton, Starkz let her confidence get the best of her, and Moné—a woman who has a Ph.D. in Capitalizing on Mistakes—dropped her with a backstabber that nearly closed the deal.
During the commercial break, Moné turned the match into a corporate restructuring of pain, grounding Starkz with slams, holds, and the kind of dominance only seen in boardroom mergers. But credit where it’s due—Starkz found her second wind with a Tilterwhirl Head Scissors and a Brainbuster that rattled the Nebraska state line.
The Market Crashes for Starkz
Momentum swung back and forth like a volatile stock market, with near-falls piling up faster than Moné’s endorsement deals. Starkz even hit an Alabama Slam that sent Moné into the turnbuckles like a bad investment hitting rock bottom. The young challenger had the biggest moment of her career lined up—a top-rope senton on the apron—but, much like people who buy Dogecoin at its peak, she learned the hard way about bad risk management.
Moné dodged the impact, dragged her opponent back into the ring, and locked in the Statement Maker submission, forcing Starkz to tap out like an intern who realized their job is unpaid. And in true CEO fashion, Moné refused to let go immediately, making sure Starkz understood that being close to the top doesn’t mean you get a promotion.
What’s Next? Another “Moné Move” on the Roster?
With her 16th consecutive TBS title defense, Moné is proving that AEW’s midcard scene is just her personal investment portfolio. The question now is: Who’s brave enough to try and bankrupt the CEO?