Mercedes Moné facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mercedes Moné
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Moné in 2024
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| Born |
Mercedes Justine Kaestner Varnado
January 26, 1992 Fairfield, California, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Spouse(s) |
Sarath Ton
(m. 2016; div. 2024) |
| Partner(s) | The Beast Mortos (2025–present) |
| Relatives | Snoop Dogg (cousin) Brandy Norwood (cousin) Ray J (cousin) Daz Dillinger (cousin) |
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Professional wrestling career
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| Ring name(s) |
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| Billed height | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) |
| Billed weight | 114 lb (52 kg) |
| Billed from | Boston, Massachusetts Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Trained by |
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| Debut | August 8, 2010 |
| YouTube information | |
| Years active | 2023–present |
| Genre | Podcasting |
| Subscribers | 41.4 thousand |
| Total views | 2.43 million |
| Subscriber and view counts updated as of June 28, 2025. | |
Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado (born January 26, 1992) is an American professional wrestler and actress. She is known by her ring name Mercedes Moné (pronounced muh-NAY). As of July 2025, she works for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and is the current AEW TBS Champion.
Before joining AEW, she was a big star in WWE from 2012 to 2022, where she was known as Sasha Banks. Mercedes Moné has also won championships in other wrestling companies. She was a champion in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and World Wonder Ring Stardom. She also holds titles in Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro), Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), and the European Wrestling Association (EWA). She is the only woman to have won championships in WWE, AEW, NJPW, and CMLL.
Mercedes Moné is considered one of the best female professional wrestlers ever. Outside of wrestling, she acts in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, playing the character Koska Reeves.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado was born on January 26, 1992, in Fairfield, California. Her mother is of German background, and her father was African American. Her family moved around the United States, including Minnesota, to find good schools and hospitals for her brother, who has autism. They eventually settled in Boston, where Mercedes started her wrestling journey. She loved wrestling from a young age and watched Japanese women's wrestling. She also attended online school.
Starting Her Wrestling Journey (2010–2012)
Mercedes Moné began training in 2008 at Chaotic Wrestling in Woburn, Massachusetts. Her trainers included Todd Smith, who is now known as Ivar in WWE. She made her wrestling debut on August 8, 2010, using the name "Mercedes KV". Her first match was a tag-team match in Quincy, Massachusetts, in front of about 70 people.
For the next two years, she wrestled for various independent companies like Chaotic Wrestling. She was very hard on herself and always wanted to be the best. In December 2011, she won the Chaotic Wrestling Women's Championship. She held the title for 378 days, giving it up in December 2012 when she signed with WWE.
WWE Career (2012–2022)
Becoming Sasha Banks in NXT (2012–2014)
In June 2012, Mercedes Moné joined WWE and was sent to NXT, which is like a training ground for new wrestlers. She started using the ring name Sasha Banks. Her first TV match was on December 12, where she lost to Paige.
Sasha Banks later joined a group called The Beautiful, Fierce Females (BFFs) with Summer Rae and Charlotte. She developed a new character called "The Boss." The BFFs had many matches, but eventually, the group broke up in July 2014.
NXT Women's Champion (2015)
Sasha Banks became the NXT Women's Champion on February 11, 2015, at NXT TakeOver: Rival. She won a four-way match against Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Bayley. She successfully defended her title several times.
At NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn on August 22, Sasha Banks lost the NXT Women's Championship to Bayley. This match was highly praised by fans and critics. They had another famous match at NXT TakeOver: Respect on October 7. It was the first 30-minute Iron Woman match in WWE history, where the winner is decided by who gets the most "falls" (pins or submissions) in a set time. This was her last match in NXT.
Joining the Main Roster (2015–2016)
Sasha Banks officially joined WWE's main roster on July 13, 2015. She teamed up with Naomi and Tamina to form a group called Team B.A.D. (Beautiful and Dangerous). She had many matches against other teams, including Team Bella.
In January 2016, Sasha Banks decided to go her own way, leaving Team B.A.D. This made her a fan favorite. At WrestleMania 32 in April, she competed for the new WWE Women's Championship, but she did not win.
Raw Women's Champion (2016–2017)
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On July 25, 2016, Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte to win the WWE Women's Championship for the first time. The title was later renamed the WWE Raw Women's Championship. She and Charlotte had a big rivalry, trading the championship back and forth.
They made history at Hell in a Cell on October 30, 2016. They were the first women to compete in a Hell in a Cell match, which is a very tough match inside a steel cage. It was also the first time women were in the main event (the last match) of a WWE pay-per-view. Sasha Banks won the Raw Women's Championship a record-tying third time in November 2016.
The Boss 'n' Hug Connection (2017–2019)
In 2018, Sasha Banks and Bayley, who had been rivals, became friends again and formed a tag team called "The Boss 'n' Hug Connection." They worked together and even went to counseling sessions as part of their storyline to fix their friendship.
On February 17, 2019, at Elimination Chamber, Sasha Banks and Bayley made history again by winning the first-ever WWE Women's Tag Team Championship. They held the titles for 49 days before losing them at WrestleMania 35.
SmackDown Women's Champion (2020–2021)
After a short break, Sasha Banks returned and teamed up with Bayley again. They won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship for a second time on June 5, 2020. They also held singles titles at the same time, making them the first female tag team to do so.
On September 4, 2020, Bayley attacked Sasha Banks, ending their friendship and turning Sasha into a fan favorite. Their rivalry led to another Hell in a Cell match, where Sasha Banks defeated Bayley to win the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship for the first time. With this win, she became a WWE Women's Grand Slam Champion and WWE Women's Triple Crown Champion, meaning she had won almost all the major women's titles in WWE.
At WrestleMania 37 in April 2021, Sasha Banks main-evented Night 1 against Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women's Championship. This was a historic match as they were the first two African American women to headline WrestleMania, WWE's biggest event. Sasha Banks lost the title to Belair.
Leaving WWE (2022)
In January 2022, Sasha Banks got injured but returned soon after. She teamed up with Naomi again, and they won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 38. However, in May 2022, Sasha Banks and Naomi reportedly left WWE due to disagreements about their storylines. They were suspended, and their titles were taken away. In December 2022, it was confirmed that Sasha Banks had left WWE.
New Adventures: Mercedes Moné (2023–Present)
New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Stardom (2023–Present)
After leaving WWE, Mercedes Varnado started wrestling under a new name: Mercedes Moné. She debuted for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) on January 4, 2023, at Wrestle Kingdom 17. She challenged and defeated Kairi to win the IWGP Women's Championship on February 18. She held the title for 64 days before losing it to Mayu Iwatani.
On June 30, 2024, Mercedes Moné won the Strong Women's Championship at Forbidden Door. She successfully defended this title multiple times. On January 5, 2025, she won the Undisputed British Women's Championship at Wrestle Dynasty, making her a champion in three different companies at once (with her AEW title). She lost the Strong Women's Championship on May 9, 2025.
All Elite Wrestling (2024–Present)
Mercedes Moné officially joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on March 13, 2024, at a special show called Dynamite: Big Business in her adopted hometown of Boston. She quickly made an impact.
On May 26, 2024, at Double or Nothing, Mercedes Moné won the AEW TBS Championship in her very first match in AEW. She has successfully defended her TBS Championship against many top wrestlers, including Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, and Kris Statlander. In March 2025, she entered the Owen Hart Cup tournament, which she won on May 25, 2025, earning a shot at the AEW Women's World Championship. On July 12, 2025, she challenged "Timeless" Toni Storm for the AEW Women's World Championship at All In, but she was defeated. This was her first singles loss in AEW.
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2024–Present)
Mercedes Moné also started wrestling in Mexico for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). On June 18, 2025, she defeated Zeuxis to win the CMLL World Women's Championship. She successfully defended this title two days later.
Independent Circuit (2025–Present)
Mercedes Moné has also appeared for other wrestling promotions. On April 20, 2025, she defended her Undisputed British Women's Championship for Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro). On June 6, 2025, she won the EWA Women's Championship in Austria.
Other Activities
Video Games
As Sasha Banks, Mercedes Varnado has been a character in many video games, including WWE 2K17 and later versions like WWE 2K22. She also appeared in mobile games like WWE SuperCard.
Television and Film
Mercedes Varnado made her acting debut in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian in 2020. She plays Koska Reeves, a character who is part of a group of warriors called Mandalorians. She appeared in five episodes of the show. She also appeared in the 2023 action film The Collective.
Music and Other Appearances
A song called "Song for Sasha Banks" was written about her childhood and wrestling career. In 2021, she was the honorary starter for the 2021 Daytona 500 car race. In September 2022, she also made her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week.
Personal Life
Mercedes Varnado is the first cousin of famous rapper Snoop Dogg, who helped her create her wrestling character. She is a big fan of anime, especially Sailor Moon, and also enjoys K-pop music.
She has spoken openly about her mental health. She once said she would cry after almost every match early in her career because she felt she wasn't good enough. She also talked about dealing with sadness after accidentally injuring another wrestler. She supports other wrestlers who share their mental health struggles.
Her favorite wrestler and inspiration is Eddie Guerrero. She attended his memorial show in 2005, not knowing he had passed away until she arrived.
Mercedes Varnado was married to Sarath Ton, a retired wrestler and WWE costume designer, from 2016 to 2024. They separated in late 2020 and officially divorced in August 2024. In June 2025, she announced she was in a relationship with fellow wrestler The Beast Mortos.
Championships and Achievements
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- All Elite Wrestling
- AEW TBS Championship (1 time, current)
- Women's Owen Hart Cup (2025)
- Chaotic Wrestling
- Chaotic Wrestling Women's Championship (1 time)
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
- CMLL World Women's Championship (1 time, current)
- European Wrestling Association
- EWA Women's Championship (1 time, current)
- New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- IWGP Women's Championship (1 time)
- Strong Women's Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Match of the Year (2015) – vs. Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Respect
- Woman of the Year (2015)
- Feud of the Year (2016) – vs. Charlotte Flair
- Feud of the Year (2020) – vs. Bayley
- Tag Team of the Year (2020) – with Bayley
- Revolution Pro Wrestling
- Undisputed British Women's Championship (1 time, current)
- Sports Illustrated
- Wrestler of the Year (2020)
- Women's Match of the Year (2024) – vs. Hazuki at Strong Style Evolved
- WWE
- WWE Raw Women's Championship (5 times)
- WWE SmackDown Women's Championship (1 time)
- NXT Women's Championship (1 time)
- WWE Women's Tag Team Championship (3 times, inaugural) – with Bayley (2), and Naomi (1)
- Fourth WWE Women's Triple Crown Champion
- Third WWE Women's Grand Slam Champion
- NXT Year-End Award (1 time)
- Match of the Year (2015) – vs. Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn
- Slammy Award (2 times)
- Female Superstar of the Year (2020)
- Double-Cross of the Year (2020) – Bayley attacks Sasha Banks on SmackDown (September 4)
- Bumpy Award (2 times)
- Tag Team of the Half-Year (2020) – with Bayley
- Best Match of the Half-Year (2021) – vs. Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 37
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
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| 2017 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Female Athlete | N/A | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Female Sports Star | N/A | Nominated |
See also
In Spanish: Mercedes Moné para niños
