Michael Cole subtly references top AEW star at WWE Royal Rumble 2025

A major AEW star was seemingly referenced by Michael Cole during tonight's WWE Royal Rumble. A piece of their past was mentioned during the Women's Rumble.

Mercedes Moné (fka Sasha Banks) has left a legacy in the Stamford-based promotion as she is one of the Four Horsewomen alongside Bayley, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch. These four stars arguably began the women's revolution and are still considered the best in the world.

Moments ago in the Royal Rumble match, Charlotte Flair and Bayley got into a staredown with NXT's Roxanne Perez, Giulia, and Stephanie Vaquer. This was a confrontation between the pioneers and the future of women's pro wrestling.

Michael Cole acknowledged the Four Horsewomen's history and mentioned that two of them were standing side by side. Becky Lynch did not compete in tonight's WWE Royal Rumble match, while The CEO is now part of AEW as the TBS Champion. Bianca Belair filled in for them, leading to a three-on-three brawl.

It has been close to ten years since the beginning of the women's revolution in WWE. However, the company continues to acknowledge the impact of the Four Horsewomen. It seems that moving forward, only three of the four stars will be representing their era, as Mercedes Moné has cemented her place as a top name in the AEW women's division.