Queen Aminata has praised Mercedes Mone in the wake of their AEW Women’s World Championship match at AEW Grand Slam France, saying she believes the champion is underappreciated within the industry. Aminata came up short in her bid to capture the title at the event but says the experience left a lasting impression on her as a performer.
Speaking on CMLL Informa, Aminata was asked about role models in professional wrestling and pointed directly to Mone as someone she admires. “I don’t think people give Mercedes Mone enough credit. She’s amazing,” Aminata said, according to the interview cited by Fightful. She went further in comments relayed by F4W Online, saying her feud with Mone and their encounter at Grand Slam France motivated her to keep improving, adding, “I want to be as good as this woman is.”
The match marked a significant opportunity for Aminata, who challenged for the AEW Women’s World Championship but was unable to dethrone Mone. Despite the loss, Aminata framed the experience as a valuable step in her development, telling CMLL Informa that she took away lessons from working opposite one of AEW’s most prominent champions.
Mone has held the AEW Women’s World Championship through a run that has included multiple high-profile defenses, with Grand Slam France representing one of the promotion’s marquee international events. Aminata’s challenge there placed her among the names who have tested Mone for the title, even though the outcome left the championship with the champion.
Aminata’s remarks reflect a broader respect within the AEW women’s division for Mone’s standing in the company, with the challenger explicitly pushing back against any notion that the champion’s work goes unnoticed. Her comments, first reported by Fightful and corroborated by F4W Online and 411Mania, offer a rare glimpse into how a direct opponent views Mone’s championship reign following their encounter on AEW’s European tour stop.
No further matches or storyline developments between Aminata and Mone have been confirmed following the Grand Slam France bout.
