Height: 5’7”
Hometown: Waterbury, Conn.
Style: Powerhouse
Twitter: @realmmartinez

It took Mercedes Martinez 17 years to finally enter a WWE ring, but when she did — in the inaugural Mae Young Classic — she made it count, advancing all the way to the Semifinals. A decorated champion on the U.S. independent wrestling circuit, The Latina Sensation was ousted in tournament competition by her protégé, reigning NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler. Yet, before her elimination, Martinez made an unforgettable impression, wrecking opponents with devastating suplexes and a spine-stretching Dragon Sleeper.

Martinez worked tirelessly for nearly two decades to build her incredible resume, and now this Connecticut native, who’s in the best shape of her career, will do whatever it takes to ensure her second Mae Young Classic ends in triumph.