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Jim Ross Heaps Praise On Mercedes Moné Following AEW Full Gear

Good Ol' JR says we saw the best version of Mercedes Mone in AEW thus far at Full Gear.
Rick Ucchino|
Mercedes Moné after defeating Kris Statlander at Full Gear
Mercedes Moné after defeating Kris Statlander at Full Gear | Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

Rave reviews continue to pour in for both Mercedes Moné and Kris Statlander following their TBS Championship Match at AEW Full Gear.

Both women put on a nearly 20-minute clinic, the longest run time for a women's match in AEW history, that reportedly received high praise backstage and is now getting some public adulation as well.

Speaking on the most recent episode of Grilling JR, All Elite Wrestling commentator Jim Ross gave Moné a special tip of the cowboy hat.

"Without a doubt, best match that Mercedes Moné has had, in my opinion, since coming to AEW," JR said. "I’ve been waiting on that match."

Mercedes defeated Kris Statlander to retain the TBS Championship at Full Gear and found a new gear in the process. Having offered some misconstrued constructive criticism in the past, Good Ol' JR was thrilled to see Moné take her game to a higher level that he was confident she could reach.

"All I was ever saying was, we haven’t seen the best of her yet. Meaning that there’s a significant upside to this young lady, who has a great look, great presence, and then all of sudden, on Saturday night, we saw the best of Mercedes Moné. It was very impressive."

There's no denying that 'The CEO' put on a show at Full Gear, but it takes two to tango. Kris Statlander turned in a performance that was equally as impressive this past weekend. Arguably to best of her AEW career. The extra effort put forth by these ladies, both during and prior to this match, paid off in a big way.

The reigning TBS Champion spoke to The Takedown on SI prior to Full Gear and Moné said she made sure to get in the ring for a few training sessions in preparation for Statlander. Knowing all too well that facing an opponent with a discernible size advantage provided her a golden opportunity to have, what some now say, was her best match in AEW.

More: There's Nothing Anyone Can Say To Waver The Confidence Of Mercedes Moné [Exclusive]

"I have such amazing matches with stronger people and people who are bigger than me because I love doing high flying stuff," Mercedes told The Takedown. "I love when I can have a good base to try out these cool new moves that I have imagined in my head."

Our entire interview with Mercedes Moné is now available on The Takedown on SI YouTube Channel. Make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss out on more of our exclusive content.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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