Former Multi-Time TNA Wrestling Champion Signs With AEW, Blake Monroe Explains Why She Jumped Ship To WWE, Karrion Kross Headed To AEW?, Mercedes Mone News

Ace Austin has officially joined All Elite Wrestling.

The former TNA standout made a surprise appearance during Thursday night’s AEW Collision TV tapings in Cincinnati, Ohio, where AEW President Tony Khan announced that Austin is now “All Elite.”

Austin wrapped up his run with TNA Wrestling in May and has since competed across several independent promotions, including REVOLVER Wrestling, RevPro, MLP, and others.

Austin is a three-time TNA World Tag Team Champion and a three-time TNA X-Division Champion.

Spoiler alert Ace Austin is all Elite !! pic.twitter.com/BigSpeDeHY

— Heel Kast (@HeelKast) August 15, 2025

Karrion Kross and Scarlett have officially parted ways with WWE after their contracts expired on August 10.

On a recent episode of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray weighed in on Kross’ future, stating that AEW is the most likely destination. He also noted that he doesn’t view TNA as a realistic option for the former WWE star.

You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:

On AEW being the only place Karrion Kross can go: “The reality is this, Dave. If Karrion Kross was to leave, or the contract came to an end, they both decided to part ways, one guy’s got to let go, or he quit, whatever. Whatever it might be, there’s only truly one place for Karrion Kross to go — AEW.”

On why he thinks TNA isn’t an option for Kross: “TNA, I do not believe, is an option, because TNA is working with NXT and WWE. Although if he did show up in TNA, that would make for an interesting crossover story, if he ever came back to the WWE.”

Former WWE Superstar Dean Muhtadi, better known as Mojo Rawley, revealed on Instagram that he helped broker the partnership between Mercedes Mone and Crunchyroll, which was officially announced last month.

Muhtadi noted that the collaboration had been in development for two years before coming to fruition. He shared the following about the deal:

“Two years ago, we at @weareparagontalent started work on a @MercedesMone collaboration with @Crunchyroll. The idea was to create a partnership that would allow her fan base to share her love of anime in a tangible way. Paragon and Crunchyroll worked tirelessly to create a structure that saw me and @stevenmkaye bring Mercedes to the Anime Awards in Tokyo last year to partake in the festivities, provide a marketing amplification, and also share this awesome new merch line with you all. Two years later, it is really cool to see this all finally come to fruition. Thank you to #Crunchyroll for being amazing partners, to Mercedes for going above and beyond every step of the way, and to all the fans that have supported this campaign!!!”

Muhtadi is the founder of the Paragon Talent Agency.

Blake Monroe recently shared a vlog reflecting on her journey to WWE, highlighting the highs and lows along the way. Formerly known as Mariah May during her time in AEW, STARDOM, and on the independent circuit, Monroe recorded the video prior to making her in-ring debut on NXT at the Great American Bash.

You can check out some highlights from the vlog below:

On her journey to WWE: “I can only do my best. The people who love me are going to love me, and the people who hate me are going to hate me, no matter what. I feel so overwhelmed about it. I left my house five or six years ago with this dream of being a WWE superstar [tears up]. I used to go to all the WWE shows, save all my money, and travel to go to WrestleMania and Royal Rumble. I don’t even want to talk about stuff because I feel like every single thing I say gets yanked and taken out of context for these articles and Twitter. I made a vlog before my debut to try and speak about these things, and I feel I’m scared to talk about it because people take it the wrong way or take me as ungrateful or anything, but I’ve had the most amazing wrestling journey. I’m so lucky. I’ve been able to travel the world and wrestle some of the best wrestlers, tell amazing stories, work with amazing writers, work with amazing people, have people take a chance on me and not for one second would I ever change anything or am I ungrateful. I’m so grateful.”

On giving her all for her dream: “I’ve given 110% of my life and myself to every single wrestling job no matter what. I can say that and retire one day knowing that. If you watch my work, you can see that. I don’t want anything to be misconstrued, though I know it typically will. My wrestling journey was also not easy. It is not easy to leave home and leave behind your family, friends, and support system, and live in a foreign country by yourself and chase this crazy dream. For me, to be in WWE, this is something I wanted as a little kid, so actually living this, some things are super familiar. Filming a vignette, doing a meet and greet, I’m used to this and it feels normal to me. Moments like seeing myself on the wall in the Evolution store or being on shirts with Nikki Bella and Trish Stratus and these amazing women, that’s a pinch me moment. I feel really proud of the kid who wanted to do this, and the teenager who had a really hard time wanting to do this, and the young adult who grew up and traveled the world and wrestled for like nothing on the indies, drove everywhere, moved to Japan, and scrubbed dojo floors. Japan was like the best time of my life, but it wasn’t easy.”

On moving to America for her career: “Moving to America, I thought, would be the easiest, but it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I don’t know if it was the age I was or knowing that this was hopefully, potentially, forever, realizing it was just going to be me for the rest of my life in this foreign place. It hasn’t been easy, but to be able to look at that girl and be like, ‘You did it. You are going to wrestle on WWE.’ It’s crazy. Everything I’ve done in my career, there are some really big and special things that I’ve done. I’m so grateful and really proud of her for not giving up because a lot of people wanted me to and sometimes I felt, not like giving up, but really unhappy. To be able to be here, I’m exhausted because I’m so emotional, but to be here and be able to talk to you guys before my debut is a dream come true. I’m really proud, and I wish I could find 17-year-old Mariah and be like, ‘You’re gonna actually do it. It’s definitely not going to be easy, but it’s going to be amazing and I’m proud of you.’”