With 2021 coming to a close, AEW’s Tony Khan announced one more special surprise for the final AEW Dynamite on TNT. That surprise came in the form of Mercedes Martinez, who can officially call AEW her home.
Martinez, 41, showed up at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville and made herself known during the semi-final bout of the AEW TBS Women's Championship tournament between Thunder Rosa and Jade Cargill. She attacked Rosa with what looked like a bottle, halting her momentum and allowing Cargill to hit her finisher on Rosa to get the win. Along with Cargill, the veteran continued her attack on Rosa after the match until Ruby Soho made the save.
Who was that??? With that interference, @Jade_cargill advances to the finals of the TBS Tournament Finals to face @realrubysoho!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 30, 2021
Catch #AEWDynamite: #NewYearsSmash LIVE on @tntdrama!
Reminder: #AEWDynamite moves to @tbsnetwork next Wed. Jan 5th 2022 🎉 pic.twitter.com/xx1oAW8bcr
😱It's the legendary @RealMMartinez under that mask!!!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 30, 2021
Do not miss a minute of the action tonight here on #AEWDynamite: #NewYearsSmash LIVE on @tntdrama!
Reminder: #AEWDynamite moves to @tbsnetwork next Wed. Jan 5th 2022 🎉 pic.twitter.com/wUn6AP70nf
Cargill will now face Soho in the finals of the AEW TBS Women's Championship tournament. That match will take place on January 5 from inside the Prudential Center in New Jersey, the first AEW show on TBS.
Khan later announced on social media that Martinez has signed with AEW.
Welcome to @AEW, @RealMMartinez!
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) December 30, 2021
Mercedes Martinez is #allelite#AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/kDpXtnqyBv
Competing since the early 2000s, Martinez has been known to appear for Shimmer, World Xtreme Wrestling, and Shine. She is a former Shine, Shimmer, WXW C4, and Defiant Pro Wrestling Women's Champion. In 2017, Martinez competed in WWE's Mae Young Classic, making it to the semi-finals. Wrestling occasionally on NXT, Martinez competed in the second Mae Young Classic, losing early in the tournament.
In 2020 she would sign a legitimate contract with WWE, primarily fighting under the NXT brand. Competing against the likes of Xia Li, Toni Storm, and Io Shirai, Martinez was released from the promotion along with several others on August 6.
This is not the first time Martinez has made an appearance in AEW. In 2019, Martinez appeared as the "Joker" during AEW's Casino Battle Royale at the promotions All Out PPV. Martinez would compete on AEW Dark a few times but did not end up signing with AEW until now. It is unknown the specifics of the current contract she has with the promotion.