The latest on Kazuchika Okada & Mercedes Mone

In the new edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer shared the latest news he’s heard regarding pro wrestling’s two hottest free agents.

Meltzer writes that the belief from AEW is that Kazuchika Okada and Mercedes Mone will both be starting with them soon. Meltzer notes that nothing is a lock with Mone unless a contract is signed. On Okada, Meltzer writes that the latest update he heard was that Okada hasn’t made up his mind between AEW and WWE yet. People within AEW range from hopeful to confident that Okada will be coming in.

Regarding Kazuchika Okada and Mercedes Mone, the belief from this side [AEW] is that both will be starting soon. Mone was doing acting work but there is talk her debut will be played up extremely big and that announcement could be soon. She has been back training to return to the ring. Her coming to AEW was expected for months, even before they showed her at Wembley. But she did negotiate with WWE after that and while they were far apart on money, unless the contract is signed nothing is a lock. For Okada, the last word was that he had not made up his mind. I know people here range from hopeful to I’d perceive as confident he will be coming. If he was to sign, the likely arrival would be around the Greensboro show with his final New Japan date on 2/24. If it was WWE, I could see them holding off until WrestleMania. But we do know that Tony Khan has been especially enthusiastic about 2024, between new signings and returns over the next few months of MJF, Adam Cole, Kenny Omega (hopefully), Bandido, Rey Fenix, Pac and Britt Baker.

Okada recently announced that he’ll be leaving NJPW when his contract expires at the end of January. Okada is still set to work three NJPW shows after that, appearing at the New Beginning in Osaka on Sunday, February 11 and the New Beginning in Sapporo on Friday, February 23 and Saturday, February 24.

Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi has been made official for the New Beginning in Osaka.

Earlier this week, Okada vacated the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team titles after a successful defense against Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita. Okada, Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii had been champions together.

Mone hasn’t wrestled since suffering an ankle injury while facing Willow Nightingale at NJPW Resurgence in May 2023.