Mercedes Moné made sure she looked the part at AEW Worlds End.
All Elite Wrestling’s final pay-per-view of the year took place at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. Moné and Athena challenged the Babes of Wrath, Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron, for the AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship.
Mercedes Moné used the opportunity to wear Chicago Bulls-themed gear for her match, coming to the ring in a white, red and black outfit that featured fur panels. Not all fans liked the look, but some enjoyed the Bulls nod.
Michael Jordan is the first Bulls player that fans think of, but Mercedes reminded fans of another notable basketball star who called Chicago home. As some fans noticed, Mercedes’ outfit featured several 1s on it. Some took this as a tribute to Derrick Rose, who played for the Bulls from 2008-2016. Rose was drafted as the number 1 overall pick by the Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft. Rose went on to win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2011, but serious knee injuries in 2012 ultimately derailed the trajectory of his career.
It’s unclear if Moné intentionally paid tribute to Rose (or if she was simply calling herself number one), but it was still nice to see Rose’s name come up during the show. Despite being hampered by injuries and becoming one of basketball’s biggest “what ifs”, Derrick Rose continues to be a popular figure in the sport.
Moné and Athena were unsuccessful in their bid to become Tag Team Champions, as Willow rolled Moné up to retain. Despite being opponents, Willow’s partner, Harley Cameron, recently credited Moné as being a vital part of her wrestling career.
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