The dust has settled on AEW WrestleDream, and while Mercedes Moné successfully defended the AEW Women's World Championship, the real conversation isn't about who won—it’s about how it ended.
If you caught the fallout clips making the rounds on social media, you already know the sequence: Thekla takes the Moné Maker, takes the clean pin in the middle of the ring, and then... well, she didn't exactly stay down.
Within moments, she was up on the apron, jawing, shaking off the damage, and dancing her way back up the aisle while Moné was still celebrating.
For Old-School Veterans, It’s a Cardinal Sin.
On Story Time, Dutch Mantell didn't mince words, arguing that popping right up after a finish sends a direct, disrespectful message to your opponent that you're not hurt and don't respect the move.
Over on The Stevie Richards Show, Stevie echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that the time-honored rule of the business dictates you sell until the winner clears the area, warning that pulling stunts like that can alienate you in a locker room.
No-selling a finish is a tough look. Even if you're a heel, business is business.
When you start bouncing back up too fast, it feels less like a character trait and more like a subtle middle finger to the person who just put you over—fueling those ongoing "Mercedes Hogan" comparisons from fans who feel the champion operates under a different set of rules.
Moné herself didn't let it slide, tossing out a verbal jab at the media scrum by calling Thekla "more like a Chihuahua that doesn't stop talking."
Is There Any Rational Defense For It?
Trying to spin it as clever heel psychology is a stretch. Sure, you can argue that a toxic, arrogant villain doesn't care about traditional etiquette, but wrestling logic still requires a finish to mean something.
If a decisive title-match finisher can be brushed off a few seconds later for a dance routine down the ramp, it ultimately hurts everyone involved—including the challenger.
