Red Velvet reclaimed the ROH Women\'s World Television Championship on Friday night at ROH Final Battle 2025, defeating Mercedes Moné in a rematch that saw her hand the multi-time champion her first title loss.
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The match at GalaxyCon in Columbus, Ohio served as a rematch from their November 19 title unification bout on AEW Collision, where Moné had unified the interim and lineal championships by defeating Velvet.
How the Match Unfolded
Velvet set the tone early by attacking Moné during ring introductions, establishing an aggressive approach that would define the contest. The champion attempted to use her TBS Championship belt as a weapon, but the referee intervened before she could strike.
The back-and-forth encounter saw both competitors exhaust their arsenals. Velvet connected with her signature \"Straight Out of Momma\'s Kitchen\" finisher but only managed a near-fall. Moné weathered the storm and eventually locked in her \"Statement Maker\" submission, a hold that has forced numerous opponents to tap out.
In the match\'s decisive moment, Velvet used her positioning near the ropes to her advantage. She pushed off with her legs while trapped in the submission, rolling through to catch Moné in a deep pin. The referee counted three, and the title changed hands.
A Historic Loss for Mercedes Moné
The defeat marks the first time Moné has lost a championship since arriving in AEW. She had accumulated an impressive collection of 13 titles across her tenure, maintaining an unblemished record in title matches until Friday night.
Moné won the interim ROH Women\'s World Television Championship in October 2025 at AEW WrestleDream, defeating Mina Shirakawa. The interim title was created after Velvet suffered a neck injury and shoulder dislocation in July 2025 during a match in Mexico City, sidelining her and preventing title defenses.
Red Velvet\'s Road Back to Gold
For Velvet, the victory represents both vindication and the continuation of a historic reign. The Colombian-American wrestler originally won the ROH Women\'s World Television Championship in July 2024 by defeating Billie Starkz at Death Before Dishonor. Her 481-day reign remains the longest in the title\'s brief history.
Born Stephanie Cardona, Velvet comes from a combat sports family—her father Prudencio Cardona and uncle Ricardo Cardona are both world champion boxers. She trained in Miami before joining AEW in 2020, where she became a breakout star during the pandemic era, highlighted by her mixed tag team match alongside Cody Rhodes against Shaquille O\'Neal and Jade Cargill.
With her championship reclaimed, Velvet\'s next challenger remains to be seen as ROH heads into 2026.
