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Stars to Watch Ahead of Massive Week for WWE and AEW

Donald WoodMay 19, 2024

TOKYO, JAPAN - APRIL 08: Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) enters the ring during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling - Sakura Genesis 2023 at Ryogoku Kokugikan on April 08, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

Between WWE's King and Queen of the Ring premium live event on May 25 and AEW's Double or Nothing pay-per-view on May 26, Memorial Day weekend is shaping up to be one of the wildest wrestling periods in recent memory.

In AEW, Mercedes Mone is scheduled to make her in-ring debut, and Tony Khan's honor will be defended in Anarchy in the Arena, while all eyes will be on Logan Paul as he challenges Cody Rhodes.

Here are the AEW and WWE Superstars to watch during this massive wrestling weekend.

Mercedes Mone

When Mercedes Mone steps into the ring with Willow Nightingale to challenge for the TBS Championship, it will be the former WWE Superstar's first bout in AEW and her first in-ring competition since May 2023.

Mone was hurt on May 21, 2023, during a battle against Nightingale for the inaugural NJPW Strong Women's Championship, and her first match back will once again be against the woman who put her on the shelf.

Since making her on-screen debut with AEW in March, the stage has been set for the rematch, but it's finally time to stop all the promos and get down to the wrestling action. After a year away from competition, all eyes will be on Mone and how much ring rust she needs to shake off.

Nightingale has proven to be one of the best babyfaces in women's wrestling today, so it will be interesting to see how the crowd reacts to each woman. Mone will undoubtedly come out on top, but how she handles her return to action and how she is received by fans will be enticing stories to follow at Double or Nothing.

Tony Khan

Arguably, the person under the most scrutiny during a Memorial Day weekend full of wrestling will be AEW owner Tony Khan, who needs to follow up his successful main-event storyline attack with an unforgettable pay-per-view.

After the Internet openly questioned AEW's decision to show the footage of CM Punk attacking Jungle Boy Jack Perry, the company followed up on the buzz it created by having Perry return to the company and brutally attack Khan.

With a new stable of Perry, Kazuchika Okada and the Young Bucks—Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson—the heel group brutally attacked fellow executive vice president Kenny Omega, signaling the Elite's hostile takeover of AEW.

For Khan, creating an entire card of enjoyable matches will be his most important task, but the real focus needs to be on Anarchy in the Arena and building excitement and enthusiasm for the next chapter of the story.

Double or Nothing should be a significant turning point for Khan and the AEW team.

Logan Paul

There are few WWE Superstars on the main roster presented more opportunities in marquee positions than Logan Paul. With that said, the YouTube personality has taken every chance he was handed and capitalized on it.

Now, Paul steps into the ring against Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes in a Champion vs. Champion match. While there is little doubt Rhodes will come out victorious, the United States champion has the chance to silence the doubters again.

From an in-ring perspective, Paul has exceeded all expectations, putting on quality performances and picking up the subtle nuances of the wrestling business. With Rhodes being one of the hottest babyfaces in recent memory, the challenger has the chance to make a case that one day he should hold the world title.

And if he does not shine bright under the lights in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, WWE Creative should take a step back from promoting the controversial performer as a cornerstone of its programming.

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