Mercedes Mone (formerly known as Sasha Banks in WWE) recently revealed that disrespectful treatment by Vince McMahon was a key factor in her decision to leave WWE—a career she once considered her dream.

While promoting AEW’s Grand Slam event in New York City, Mone appeared on The Breakfast Club, where she candidly discussed her departure from WWE and shared her thoughts on McMahon, the subject of the Netflix docuseries Mr. McMahon.

Mone explained that personal issues, particularly how McMahon spoke to her in a demeaning manner, played a significant role in her decision to leave. She felt “talked down to” and realized it was time to move on.

“I left for many different reasons. A lot of personal stuff happened with myself and the Chairman at the time. I didn’t like how he talked to me and how I was talked down to. I was like, ‘It’s time to listen to your soul and your heart.’


A turning point came when she experienced what she described as a “light” urging her to follow her heart. She recognized that staying in WWE would negatively impact her future and the values she wanted to live by and instill in others.

“There was a light that came to me, and I left WWE. A guide told me, ‘That day he talked to me a little crazy. It was enough for my source of light to come into my body and go, “If you stay, that’s not okay. This is for the rest of your life. What are you going to teach your kids? What are you going to teach people?”’

Ultimately, Mone’s decision was about standing up for herself. She reflected on the long-term consequences of staying in a toxic environment, considering how it might affect her children, her fans, and her own well-being. After spending a decade in WWE, Mone left to pursue a better path for herself.

“After ten years, if you’re feeling like this from words, you have to stand up for yourself. That’s what I did. A light came to me and said, ‘You have to walk away and do something better for yourself.’”

Longtime fans know to “never say never” in pro wrestling, and there are legions of Sasha Banks fans hoping she’ll return to WWE one day. Mone calls AEW her home and has “the best” relationship with the company. She feels mentally and physically at her best, feels blessed to be living out new dreams after 14 years in the industry.