Mercedes Moné’s absence from in-ring competition has forced AEW to adjust plans for All Out, but Tony Khan expects the AEW Women’s World Champion’s time away from the ring to be relatively brief.

During the media call ahead of AEW All Out, Khan confirmed that Moné had been scheduled to wrestle on the pay-per-view. Those plans changed after Moné suffered a broken nose during her AEW Women’s World Championship victory over Willow Nightingale at All In 2026. While Moné has continued appearing on AEW programming, she has not been cleared to become physical.

Khan stated that the injury had a significant effect on the All Out card, while also emphasizing that AEW does not view Moné’s situation as a long-term absence. The current expectation is for Moné to be cleared and back in action in October, with WrestleDream positioned as the next major event in the title picture.

“Yeah. A lot,” Khan said when asked whether Moné’s broken nose changed All Out plans. “Absolutely. Mercedes Moné was originally scheduled to wrestle on AEW All Out, and that’s the nature of wrestling. It’s a hard-hitting sport. There are injuries and just like in all sports, you have to have a deep roster and be able to think on your feet and be flexible, and that’s what’s great about AEW.”

For more background on this topic, read Tony Khan Says AEW Has Seen PPV Buy Increases When Pre-Show Matches Continue Onto Main Card.

Moné’s championship reign began under dramatic circumstances at All In, where she defeated Nightingale to capture the AEW Women’s World Championship. The match delivered a major shift at the top of the women’s division, as Nightingale lost the title and Moné added another defining accolade to her AEW run. However, the broken nose sustained in that contest immediately complicated the company’s ability to move forward with its intended champion storyline in the ring.

Rather than have Moné defend the championship at All Out without receiving medical clearance, AEW will use the event to determine her next challenger. Willow Nightingale will face Thekla in a singles match at All Out, with the winner earning an AEW Women’s World Championship match against Moné at WrestleDream.

All Out Will Set the WrestleDream Title Match

The Nightingale vs. Thekla match carries immediate importance because it will establish the first challenger waiting for Moné once she is able to resume defending the championship. Khan directly connected the planned October return to the decision to put a contender’s match on the All Out card.

“In Mercedes’ case, it’s not a long, long-term injury. It’s something where she’ll be back. I think she’ll be back next month and I’m almost certain she’ll be back next month. That’s the plan; is for Mercedes to return in October. That’s why we have this match on the pay-per-view to determine who will challenge for the World Title at our next pay-per-view, WrestleDream.”

That approach allows AEW to keep the women’s championship central to the company’s pay-per-view plans even while the champion is unable to wrestle. It also gives All Out a consequential women’s singles match rather than simply postponing the next step in the division until Moné is cleared.

Nightingale enters with the clearest direct connection to Moné and the championship. She was the wrestler Moné defeated at All In, making a potential rematch a natural route for the division. Nightingale has the opportunity at All Out to immediately work her way back into a title match after losing the championship on one of AEW’s biggest stages.

Thekla, meanwhile, has the chance to move past Nightingale and establish herself as the wrestler chosen to challenge the new champion at WrestleDream. A victory would place her in a major pay-per-view championship program and ensure that Moné returns to an opponent who has earned her position through a high-stakes All Out win.

AEW has not announced a specific date for Moné’s in-ring return beyond Khan’s expectation that it will come in October. Khan was clear, however, that Moné wanted to compete at All Out and that the deciding factor was medical clearance rather than a lack of willingness from the champion.

“So Mercedes’ injury did affect plans. She was originally set to wrestle at AEW All Out and I think she very much wants to wrestle on Saturday, but the doctors have not cleared her.”

Moné Remains a Television Presence

Although Moné has been held out of physical confrontations, she has remained on AEW television following All In. That has allowed the company to maintain the visibility of its women’s world champion while avoiding the risk of rushing her back before doctors have cleared her to compete.

The distinction is important for the championship picture. Moné is not being presented as having vacated the title or as being absent from the promotion altogether. Instead, AEW is working around an injury that Khan described as temporary, preserving the title change from All In while allowing the challenger process to continue.

For Moné, the recovery period comes directly after one of the most important victories of her AEW career. Winning the AEW Women’s World Championship at All In was intended to put her at the center of the division. A broken nose has delayed the first defense phase of that reign, but Khan’s comments indicate AEW expects that phase to begin soon rather than months down the road.

The situation also underscores the reality Khan addressed on the media call: wrestling cards can change quickly when injuries occur. AEW had an in-ring role planned for Moné at All Out, but the company had to revise that plan once she was not medically approved to wrestle. The resulting Nightingale vs. Thekla bout now becomes the vehicle for advancing the championship story toward WrestleDream.

What the October Target Means

Khan’s confidence in an October return gives the upcoming schedule a clear direction. With All Out determining a challenger and WrestleDream identified as the destination for the title match, AEW appears to be building toward Moné’s first major championship defense following her All In win.

There remains an important degree of uncertainty inherent in any injury recovery. Khan said he is “almost certain” Moné will be back next month and described October as the plan, but he also made clear that doctors had not cleared her for All Out. Medical approval, rather than the original creative plan, will ultimately determine when the champion can safely return to the ring.

That is why the contender match matters beyond simply filling a spot on a pay-per-view. It gives AEW a decisive outcome to build around during Moné’s recovery. By the end of All Out, either Nightingale or Thekla will be positioned as the wrestler preparing to meet the champion at WrestleDream.

A Nightingale victory would create an immediate sequel to the All In championship match. Their history would give the WrestleDream bout an obvious emotional foundation, with Nightingale seeking to regain the title Moné took from her. A Thekla victory would take the division in a different direction, introducing a fresh challenger for Moné at a pivotal point in the champion’s reign.

For now, Moné’s focus remains on healing from the broken nose and receiving clearance for a return to physical competition. She will not wrestle at All Out despite being originally scheduled to do so, but AEW has set the next stage of the AEW Women’s World Championship scene in her absence.

All Out will determine who stands across from Mercedes Moné at WrestleDream. If Khan’s October expectation holds, the new champion will return with a challenger already established and with the next major defense of her AEW Women’s World Championship reign ready to take shape.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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.