Mercedes Mone’s big evening almost turned into a nightmare.

When Mercedes Mone made her debut in 2010, women’s wrestling in North America was in a very different state. But thankfully, it didn’t take long for that to change.

After signing with WWE in 2012, Mone – then known as Sasha Banks – was at the heart of the change alongside Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Bayley. As the quartet progressed in NXT, they changed the expectations of women’s wrestling in WWE and ultimately took the company by storm.

Mone won her first NXT Women’s Title at NXT TakeOver: Rival in February 2015, but things almost didn’t go according to plan. In an article in the Independent, Mone revealed that her flight was delayed and she feared she would miss the show altogether.

I knew we were on the right track when the four of us competed at NXT TakeOver: Rival in 2015. My flight was delayed and I was so worried I wouldn’t make it – I remember calling my trainer in tears and telling him I might miss the show. Thankfully, I got there just in time and ended up winning my first NXT Women’s Championship.

Although it was a great feeling to win the belt, it was the reaction to our match that made the night truly magical. The fans were chanting “This is awesome!” and the internet was exploding with positive reviews. That’s when I knew we were doing something truly special.

Mercedes Mone compares AEW and WWE

Nine years later, Mone is now in AEW and preparing to defend her TBS title against Britt Baker at All In. The star debuted in AEW in March, nearly two years after her shocking and somewhat acrimonious exit from WWE.

Elsewhere in her article, Mercedes Mone said the difference between AEW and WWE was “night and day.” She explained that it wasn’t unusual in WWE to not know what she was going to do from week to week, but since becoming All Elite, she has had time to create the stories she wants to tell.