Mercedes Martinez announces ‘one final run’ as a full-time wrestler
45-year-old Mercedes Martinez is now all set to close her chapter as a full-time active pro-wrestler. After spending nearly 25 years in the grind, Martinez recently announced her ‘one final run’ in 2026.
Sharing a thoughtful message and reflecting on her two-decade-long career, Martinez announced the surprising decision on social media.
“2026. Different mindset. Different fire. This is my last year as a full-time ACTIVE professional wrestler. No contracts. No agents. No creative. Just me – and everything I’ve earned over 25 damn years in this business. Wrestling gave me everything,” Martinez continued. “It broke me. Built me. Tested me. Somehow still made me fall in love with it again. 2025 wasn’t about being showcased. It was about going back to the indies, back to the grind, back to the reason I started -and remembering exactly who the hell I am.”
Hoping to give it back to the industry and the next generation, Martinez opened up about her goals.
“Giving back. Teaching. Helping the next generation. Passing on what was given to me the hard way.
That part means everything. So 20z6 gets one more year of my body, my heart, and my fight. One more year of scars, sweat, pain, and pride. One more year of showing up and giving everything I’ve got because that’s the only way I’ve ever done this,” she wrote. “The last few years flew by. I don’t know what’s next. All I’ve ever known is wrestling, grinding, and hustling. And for one more year…that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I trust the universe to meet me where I’m at – like it always has. Goodbye 2025. One last run.“
Martinez’s career began in the late 2000s, but she had her first recorded match (as per Cagematch) in 2001. Throughout her long and celebrated career, Martinez wrestled across multiple promotions, including WWE, AEW, ROH, and many more, spanning the independent scene. Close to beginning her final year as a full-time wrestler, her last match dates back to November 29th, 2025, where she won over Rachael Ellering at the NHPW Final Chapter 16 event.
Shounak Chakrabarti is an experienced sports journalist with a lifelong passion for athletics and storytelling. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Journalism from the University of Leeds and joined F4WOnline in 2025.
Shounak takes particular interest in soccer, closely following top clubs like Real Madrid and Arsenal. Beyond sports, he enjoys fiction writing, photography, gaming, and cinema.