Mercedes Martinez Announces Retirement Following Torn ACL

After 25 years inside the squared circle, Mercedez Martinez has announced her retirement from professional wrestling after suffering a career-ending torn ACL.

Martinez stated on X/Twitter:

"Hey everyone, OG badass here. I want to make this video because I didn't want to write something. We are just about three-quarters the way into this last run tour. About two weeks ago, I injured my knee in a match against Allie Katch for 2CW, August 15. Two doctors later, an MRI later, the prognosis is torn ACL. For most, it's probably not a career-ending injury, but for me it is.

"So I humbly, and I am heartbroken to even say this, but that's the end of my wrestling career. This was the year, as everyone knows, that was going to be my last year full-time, meaning I wasn't going to wrestle every weekend. Not even once a month, maybe special occasions, after this year. I wanted to give back to women's wrestling. I wanted to do this my way and give 110 per cent, and give my body to wrestling, and I did just that." 

Martinez had been on her Last Run tour throughout 2026 and she had wrestled 23 independent wrestling matches for the likes of PROGRESS, GCW, SHINE, and Rising Star Women's Wrestling. She announced at the beginning of the year that 2026 would be her final year as an active in-ring performer.

Mercedes Martinez had been one of the top women's wrestlers on the independent wrestling scene for decades from her in-ring debut in 2001, wrestling for the likes of Shimmer, World Xtreme Wrestling, WSU, and Ring of Honor. She then worked a couple of dates for AEW in 2019 but opted to sign for WWE in January 2020.

Martinez was a part of WWE until her release in August 2021, during which she spent most of her time in NXT but also had a brief run on the main roster as part of RETRIBUTION. Martinez then performed for TNA from September 2021 to January 2022, and she signed with All Elite Wrestling in December 2021, spending much of her time in Ring of Honor, which included a 220-day reign as ROH Women's World Champion in 2022. Martinez remained a part of AEW until her deal expired at the beginning of 2026, although she hadn't wrestled for either AEW or Ring of Honor since April 2024.

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