"This was a recited speech" - Jim Cornette rips into Mercedes Moné's AEW debut promo

Mercedes Moné arrived in AEW this past week after months of rumors and speculation. Jim Cornette has finally weighed in on the debut.

The Big Business edition of AEW Dynamite from Boston saw the former Sasha Banks make her All Elite debut with a babyface promo from the ring. Moné later saved Willow Nightingale from a beatdown by Julia Hart and Skye Blue.

Cornette is one of pro wrestling's most outspoken critics. The wrestling legend discussed Wednesday's Dynamite debut on his Drive-Thru podcast and likened the promo to a high school commencement speech.

"The fans chant, 'Welcome back!,' or, 'Welcome home!,' and she does the promo. Her heart is beating out of her chest, she thanks the fans for having her back for two years and giving her courage and strength to make it through some dark times... was she marooned on a f*****g island? She basically wrote a speech here, that was a high school commencement speech, if she were the valedictorian. She promised that they would create moments and magic together, she did a long promo about wrestling being her dream, and she dropped out of school to take care of her brother, and as some personal background... and it's meandering, and then she said, 'If I can do it, you can, too!' That's the problem... everybody now thinks they can do it," Cornette said.

The legendary wrestling historian continued and remarked how The CEO's debut promo felt recited and rehearsed.

"But the point, there was no feel... this was a recited speech, complete with, you know... 'I can't wait to call AEW home, Page Three.' She had memorized this heartfelt speech, that I'm sure her heart means it, but she couldn't convey it verbally. I've never paid any attention, and I'm not sure I'm going to give a f**k going forward, but does she do good promos? Or is that she's good in the ring, and she shouldn't be given 10 minutes live on the air with a microphone, in which case, why did they debut her with a promo... anywhere else but her hometown and they'd have been going to the f*****g concession stand, would they not? With this delivery and content," Cornette said. [From 3:20 - 5:15]

The AEW debut of the former WrestleMania headliner has already caused a stir backstage. It was reported this week that Mercedes already has heat in the locker room.

What's next for Mercedes Moné in AEW

AEW has not announced when Mercedes Moné will make her official in-ring debut, but she is rumored to wrestle at the inaugural Dynasty pay-per-view on Sunday, April 21, in St. Louis, Missouri.

The former Sasha Banks has been announced for next Wednesday's AEW Dynamite in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is set to address the crowd and the locker room once again.

The AEW singles debut opponent for Moné will likely be Skye Blue or Julia Hart, but she also left the door open for a match with Willow Nightingale. While the former WWE star saved Nightingale on Dynamite, the two have unfinished business as their match for the inaugural NJPW Strong Women's Championship is where Moné suffered the injury that kept her out of action until recently.

The only match confirmed for Dynasty as of this writing is Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay.