The Art of Storytelling in TWC: Ultimo Moné’s Downfall
Written by Mr. Perry
Mercedes has a bit of a legacy at KIPP AMP Middle School, especially with The Wrestling Club. It’s been about three years since she first visited the school, and since then she’s gone on to conquer the world, literally, while inspiring so many young and talented wrestlers, her peers, and every single student who has been part of TWC.
It’s without a shadow of a doubt that she’s the most popular wrestler in TWC. The kids request to watch only her matches, which is a testament to her talent, her star power, and her ability to truly connect with her fans.
So it’s a no-brainer that I used her incredible ascent this year as a clear storytelling device to teach my students about characterization, a character’s wants and motivations, how a character responds to conflict, and what lesson the character learns from that conflict, which ultimately leads to a universal lesson known as a theme. Many may not know this, but these are the exact transferable skills we use in our daily classes, especially in ELA (English Language Arts). Scholars are taught all year to use these skills to deepen their comprehension, build analytical and critical thinking skills, and demonstrate mastery of both multiple-choice and short-answer responses. All of this prepares them not just for their ELA State Exam, but for the real world.
TWC is the perfect place for me to give students an additional at-bat. It’s a class disguised in professional wrestling. Pro wrestling is storytelling at its finest. It’s drama, it’s heart, it’s layered. The same way our books are layered in the classroom.
Every day after we watch a match, I hold a 5–10 minute discourse where I let students talk with their peers about their thoughts on the match, the story being told, and any lessons they might have taken away. I do this because it’s important for students to hear different points of view and learn how to speak publicly.
So what does this have to do with Mercedes Moné?
All year, since January, we’ve watched her go on this incredible run. For the majority of the year she went undefeated and ended up collecting 13 different belts in the span of 6–8 months, the most of any wrestler in the history of wrestling. Absolutely remarkable. And yet, she still had her eyes on one major prize, the AEW Women’s World Championship. She’s stated numerous times that this is the championship she wants most. And you’d think if she can win 13 other titles across the globe in more than eight different countries, she can surely win this one. However, each time she challenged for this coveted title, she lost.
And here lies the story. Right?
Around late August and early September, I noticed my students starting to chant “Crash Out.” I was puzzled at first because this wasn’t a typical chant. But then it hit me like a ton of bricks. They were noticing Mercedes’ internal struggle. The weight and pressure of breaking Ultimo Dragon’s record while maintaining a demanding schedule, defending her titles, dealing with online hate, and the wear and tear on her body, the cracks began to show with every new match we watched. Subconsciously, my students started seeing Mercedes differently. She wasn’t this unbeatable entity anymore. She wasn’t the “CEO” oozing real confidence. Instead, she was human. Relatable. Real.
In real time, I watched them see the facade slip. They noticed her underhanded tactics to win. They saw she was barely hanging on by a thread.
I showed my students a promo from Kris Statlander where she tells Mercedes she’s not focused. She’s not focused on Kris, and she’s not focused enough to win the AEW Women’s Championship. I asked my students what they thought Kris meant, and one scholar responded, “It’s hard to focus on many things at once, and Mercedes has 13 belts, so she’s not going to be able to give 100% to everything.” And they couldn’t have been more spot-on with that assessment. But still, they rooted for their CEO to get the big win against Kris.
However, when it was all said and done, she lost again. First to Toni, and now to Kris.
My students watched her response to that loss in a backstage interview, and instead of acknowledging the defeat, she used her accolades as armor to protect an ego that now looked worn and dented. Immediately, hands shot up. So many students had thoughts. “She’s in denial.” “She isn’t focused.” “She doesn’t accept defeat.” “She’s going to crash out.” All of these comments were exactly what I’d hoped they’d arrive at on their own, and I couldn’t have been prouder. Without me explicitly telling them, they were using the same critical-thinking skills from ELA class right there in TWC. And that’s the power of TWC. It’s the bridge between learning and joy.
The conversation was so deep that I posted the following question on their Google Classroom:
“What do you think Mercedes Moné needs to do in order to finally win the AEW Women’s World Championship? Think about her personality, how she handles challenges, and what changes she might make in her approach or strategy to help her win. Be specific and use correct grammar in your response.”
So many kids chimed in with their opinions, and it was clear they were hooked and invested in the storyline.
Fast forward to ROH Final Battle, where Mercedes faced Red Velvet in a rematch. One kid came up to me in the middle of the match and asked, “Is it bad that I want Red Velvet to win?” Inside, I smiled because they finally started to understand the power of Mercedes. She was elevating her opponents, and my students could appreciate them, not just root against them because they were facing Mercedes. They understood the story and wanted to see it unfold in real time.
When Mercedes lost that match, and her first title, there was a moment of silence in the room, and then they erupted in applause. “Crash out! Crash out! Crash out!” And then one student yelled, “I knew it! She’s going to have to lose every championship before she can win the big one!”
This is the power of storytelling in wrestling. When told correctly, discussions can be had, debates can get heated, and the love of character development can be celebrated.
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