Yahoo! Sports Writers name their Women's Wrestler of the Year:
Women’s Wrestler of the Year
Prashad: Mercedes Moné
When I spoke to Mercedes last year, she talked about taking the AEW women’s division to new heights and how she felt like this is what she was born to do — to lead the charge, to be the best in the ring, and to bring the women’s division along with her.
Across the board, that’s all Moné has done over the past six months is elevate talent, show up everywhere, and be an incredible steward for AEW. She continues to have one of the better runs of her career as "The Belt Collector" and has handed the spotlight left and right to emerging talent. Now, she’s set up for the biggest moment in AEW’s women’s division at All In against “Timeless” Toni Storm, which projects to be one of the better matches in the promotion’s history.
Sulla-Heffinger: Mercedes Moné
There’s an excellent case to be made for Moné’s All In Texas opponent Toni Storm here, but I’m giving the edge to the CEO. So far in 2025, Moné has put on Match of the Year performances against Athena, Jamie Hayter and Momo Watanabe, and still has maybe the biggest women’s match in AEW history looming against Storm. As much as this roundtable/award is meant to be focused on 2025, I can’t help but think about how strong Moné’s entire AEW run has been (it’s only been a shade over 13 months since she made her in-ring debut). Are there moments where her promo work doesn’t quite land? Sure, but that can be said about almost anyone. Moné is the total package and is thriving in AEW as she lifts the division — and promotion itself — to higher levels.
"The Belt Collector" is after another one in 2025.
(MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images via Getty Images)
Jackman: Toni Storm
In case
her consistent podium finishes in our power rankings slipped your attention, I’m a big fan of Toni Storm, who has consistently proven herself to be one of the most creative forces in the entire history of women’s wrestling. Roll back the calendar six months and the dethroned former champ was still rocking her rookie gimmick, somehow convincing us all (well, sort of) that she was suffering from a chronic bout of amnesia that had led her to forget her entire AEW backstory. In time, though, the ruse would be revealed and Storm would go on to execute perhaps the most stunning moment of her career to date, banishing her long-term nemesis Mariah May with that immortal “Hollywood Ending” at Revolution. There’s a good reason people compare her to Mick Foley: The woman is a bonafide genius.
Riggs: Mercedes Moné
A part of me really leans toward Iyo Sky or even Stephanie Vaquer for this one. Both have gotten over as all hell and are tremendous in the ring. They're two of the very best in the world, if not the best.
Unfortunately, both have lost steam in recent months, specifically Sky, who has suddenly hit a booking standstill despite her champion status. Therefore, that leaves "The Belt Collector" Mercedes Moné, who, similarly to Ospreay, can't seem to miss a beat at the frequency she wrestles. Overall, you could even argue she's better than Ospreay, depending on how you feel about the latter's promo work. Either way, Mercedes is money.
