Mercedes Moné has made no secret of the respect she holds for the history of women’s wrestling, and she has now put a specific name at the top of her personal dream-match list: Aja Kong.
The reigning AEW Women’s World Champion shared her aspiration on social media, writing, “My wrestle dream is to wrestle @ajakonguraken 🤑” The statement was short, but it connected one of the most prominent champions in AEW with one of the most celebrated and physically imposing figures in the long history of Japanese women’s professional wrestling.
For Moné, a match with Kong would represent far more than a high-profile attraction. Kong’s career stretches back decades and includes championship success across multiple promotions, while her reputation as a hard-hitting, unmistakably charismatic competitor has made her a lasting point of reference for generations of wrestlers and fans. Moné has followed Kong’s career for a long time and has previously discussed wanting the opportunity to wrestle her.
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There is no announced match between the two, and Moné’s post does not establish whether any promotion has discussed making the contest happen. Still, the champion’s message has once again placed the possibility in the conversation at a time when Moné is preparing for a major defense of the AEW Women’s World Championship.
For more background on this topic, read Willow Nightingale Details How She Pushes Through Imposter Syndrome on AEW’s Biggest Stages.
Moné’s Immediate Focus Is WrestleDream
Before any potential meeting with Kong could become reality, Moné has a title defense scheduled for AEW WrestleDream. She is set to put the AEW Women’s World Championship on the line against Thekla at the event.
Thekla presents a very different kind of challenge from the legendary opponent Moné named online. A championship defense requires Moné to stay focused on the current AEW women’s division and on the opponent directly in front of her. Her WrestleDream match will be the immediate test of her championship reign, while the Aja Kong dream match remains an ambition rather than a confirmed destination.
That contrast is part of what makes Moné’s comment notable. Wrestlers often speak about the opponents they hope to face someday, particularly when discussing icons whose work influenced the broader landscape of the sport. At the same time, the competitive demands of a title reign do not pause for future possibilities. Moné will head into WrestleDream with Thekla seeking to take the championship she currently holds.
The AEW Women’s World Championship is the central prize in this situation. Moné’s stated desire to face Kong reflects the scale of opponent she sees as a dream encounter, but a successful defense against Thekla would keep her in the position that makes every future possibility surrounding her even more significant.
Aja Kong’s Enduring Legacy
Aja Kong made her wrestling debut in 1986 with All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling. Since then, she has built a career defined by longevity, accomplishments, and a style that has remained instantly recognizable. Over the years, Kong has won numerous championships across several promotions and established herself as one of the defining names associated with Japanese women’s wrestling.
Her name carries particular weight because of the era in which she emerged and the standard of competition connected to her body of work. Kong is regularly viewed as a foundational figure for audiences who have followed joshi wrestling and for performers who grew up studying the stars who came before them. Her accomplishments span far beyond a single title or one isolated chapter in the industry.
For a current world champion such as Moné, publicly identifying Kong as a dream opponent is a statement of admiration for that legacy. It also underscores the continuing appeal of matches that bridge wrestling generations. Even without a championship being at stake, a Moné-Kong encounter would carry the built-in story of a current AEW titleholder attempting to test herself against a veteran whose influence reaches across decades.
The appeal would not depend solely on nostalgia. Kong’s legacy is rooted in what she accomplished in the ring and in the force of personality she brought to her matches. Moné, meanwhile, has become one of the most recognizable wrestlers of her generation. The contrast in their career paths, eras, and experience levels would give a potential match a naturally compelling identity.
A Dream Match With Cross-Generational Appeal
Dream matches are a frequent part of wrestling conversation because they allow performers and fans to imagine contests not limited by current storylines, championship rankings, or promotion-specific schedules. Moné’s comments about Kong fit that tradition. The proposed matchup is appealing precisely because it brings together two athletes whose careers have been shaped in different eras and different environments.
Moné has established her own place as a championship-level performer, and as AEW Women’s World Champion she enters WrestleDream with major responsibility on her shoulders. Kong’s résumé, beginning with her 1986 debut, represents a much longer historical arc. A meeting between them would bring Moné’s present-day standing into direct contact with one of the wrestlers she has admired.
It is also notable that Moné described wrestling Kong as her “wrestle dream.” That phrasing makes clear that this is not simply another possible opponent on a list. Kong is the specific name Moné associates with a career-defining opportunity. For fans familiar with Kong’s history, the sentiment is easy to understand: she remains one of the most distinct and decorated personalities ever associated with women’s wrestling in Japan.
Whether the match can happen is a separate question. No event, promotion, date, or agreement has been announced. Professional wrestling’s scheduling realities can make even highly desired matches difficult to arrange, especially when the participants have obligations in different places. Moné’s message should therefore be viewed as an expression of ambition and respect, not confirmation that a bout is in development.
Even so, public interest in hypothetical matches can matter. When a champion openly identifies a wrestling legend as a desired opponent, it creates a conversation around what that contest could mean. In this case, it would be a chance for Moné to pursue a personal goal while honoring a performer whose career has helped shape the larger history of the profession.
What a Match Would Mean for Moné
Moné’s career has included major moments, championship pursuits, and matches against elite competition. Naming Kong as her ultimate wrestling dream suggests that she still sees room for defining experiences beyond the accomplishments already on her record. That is a meaningful perspective for a reigning world champion: even at the top of a division, there can be icons and challenges that remain uniquely important.
A match with Kong would give Moné an opportunity to share the ring with someone whose career began long before Moné became a major name in wrestling. The generational aspect would be central to the encounter. It would not erase the importance of Moné’s current opponents or her present championship commitments, but it would offer a distinctly personal milestone.
For Kong, the interest from a current AEW Women’s World Champion is another reflection of the respect her work continues to command. Longevity in wrestling is not measured only through dates and title lists. It is also measured by the performers who continue to cite a veteran’s work as influential and by the audiences that still react to the idea of seeing that veteran in a major match.
Moné’s post captures both sides of that equation. She is a present-day champion looking forward to WrestleDream, while Kong stands as a revered figure from wrestling history whose impact remains active in the ambitions of current stars.
Thekla Awaits at WrestleDream
For now, Moné’s attention must turn to Thekla. The WrestleDream championship bout is the match that is officially scheduled, and it will determine the immediate direction of the AEW Women’s World Championship picture. Thekla has the opportunity to leave the event with the title, while Moné will aim to preserve her reign and continue setting the agenda for the division.
Moné’s dream of facing Aja Kong adds an intriguing layer to her wider outlook, but it does not change the stakes of WrestleDream. A champion can look toward a once-in-a-lifetime opponent while still recognizing the urgency of the next defense. Thekla is not a hypothetical challenge; she is the opponent standing across the ring at an announced AEW event.
Should Moné emerge from WrestleDream still holding the AEW Women’s World Championship, discussion of her future will continue. Aja Kong has now been clearly identified as the match Moné wants most. Until something more concrete is announced, however, it remains one of wrestling’s most compelling possibilities rather than an official booking.
What is certain is that Moné has placed her admiration for Kong on the record. As she heads toward WrestleDream and her defense against Thekla, the AEW Women’s World Champion has also reminded the wrestling world that one legendary name remains at the center of her ultimate in-ring ambition.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.