Jim Ross doesn’t think Mercedes Mone has been utilized up to her potential since joining AEW.
But that doesn’t mean he thinks she lacks talent.
The WWE Hall of Fame legend and AEW commentator clarified his recent comments about “The CEO” during the latest episode of his Grilling J.R. podcast.
“One thing that’s on my mind that I want to clear up,” Ross began. “I said something regarding Mercedes Mone, that she had not rung my bell shall we say. That was no disrespect meant to her. It’s all depending on how you’re booked and who you’re working with and the scenario, the storyline. I think she’s been short of storyline, therefore I haven’t got to feel that grit and that aggression. She’s very athletic and she’s a beautiful woman, but golly, I just, she could be used a lot more efficiently I think. I’m not knocking the company. But she’s a significant investment and when she gets — I’m anxious to see how it all works out when she gets into a scenario where at some point in time, she’s got to lose and lose one of those belts. We’re lucky to have her. I don’t want to to take it back, but I’m just saying.”
Ross continued, “I like her. She’s very personable. She’s takes a lot of pride in what she wears and you know, her music and all of those things that a lot of those talents just take for granted and move on about their business. Not her, she pays attention. I’m just saying that how she has been booked and the opponents that she’s worked with, she’s done a series of one-offs. That’s hard to get over when you’re doing a series of one-offs, you don’t have time to sink your teeth into a personal issue. If you don’t have a personal issue, in my world, personal issues are everything. I’m a big fan of her work, I just think she could be even more effective. I agree with you, the best has yet to come for her.”
(H/T: Fightful.com for transcribing the above quotes.)