VIDEO: Mercedes Mone talks wrestling KAIRI at NJPW Battle in the Valley

Mercedes Mone spoke to NJPW ahead of her match with KAIRI next month at Battle in the Valley.

During the interview, which you can see below, Mone said that she had come to Japan because KAIRI had something that she wanted, the IWGP Women’s Championship. The two will meet at New Japan’s upcoming event in San Jose on February 18.

“I’ve never been more excited, more nervous, which I never get nervous,” she said. “But I’m so ready for this. I’ve been dreaming of this. And for it to be in the United States, in San Jose? I have so much history there. I’ve had the greatest matches there. So February 18 is going to be the same. I’m going to make sure that is the greatest women’s match of all time and when I hold up my championship, oh, cute little KAIRI. I’m about to send KAIRI back to Japan and she can go back to Stardom. I’m about to take that title everywhere. Not just New Japan, everywhere.”

Mone said that she got hooked on Japanese wrestling when she was around 12 or 13 years old, watching tapes of such stars as Manami Toyota and Aja Kong.

“WWE was amazing growing up, that got me hooked. But the Japanese women’s wrestling told myself that I could do this.”

She also put over her history with KAIRI, noting in the past she has also faced top women’s wrestlers in Japan such as Kana (Asuka) and Io (IYO SKY).

“I have a long history with KAIRI,” she said. “And I am here to take what’s mine, and that is global recognition of who I am. And you can bank on mone.”

Mone, the former Sasha Banks, made her debut on January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 17 by attacking KAIRI after she successfully defended the IWGP Women’s Championship against Tam Nakano. It was there she issued the challenge for Battle in the Valley on February 18.