The founder of APAC Wrestling has disputed claims that he was not open to working with other promotions to facilitate Mercedes Moné defending his company’s title.
Mercedes Moné vacated the APAC Women’s Championship, stating in her ‘Moné Mag’ online publication that the Malaysian promotion lacked the budget to accommodate her travel. Moné also stated that APAC “weren’t open to working with other promotions.”
Ayez Shaukat issued a statement on Sunday to refute the claim that the Malaysian promotion was unwilling to find a collaborative solution.
“The public narrative being pushed does not fully reflect what actually happened,” Shaukat wrote. “We did explore working with other promotions, because that was what was asked of us.”
The promoter published a full statement on X. He explained that he explored options with promotions in Poland and France. Shaukat said those arrangements did not make financial sense.
He also stated that he had minimal interaction with Winnipeg Pro Wrestling. Shaukat firmly denied asking other promotions to fund travel for APAC talent.
Shaukat apologized to Moné for any public discomfort. He noted his understanding that she spoke based on what her representatives communicated to her. The promoter added that he had worked to secure sponsors to bring Moné to Malaysia. However, he said that option ultimately proved unworkable.
Moné relinquished the title after a 140-day reign. She currently holds no active championships after a run in which she held 13 titles.
