Not everyone in the wrestling industry gets along with all other wrestlers and superstars, but there are some who continue holding grudges for years. Shelly Martinez is a former WWE Diva and a former Knockout in Impact Wrestling, and she has announced that she is preparing for her upcoming retirement. As she discussed this big move in her life, she also talked about how Dave Bautista (Batista) was the reason she was fired from WWE.
For those that may not remember when Shelly Martinez worked for Vince McMahon’s promotion, it is because she appeared under the name of “Ariel.” She was in Ohio Valley Wrestling for a couple of years before being called up to the main roster in 2006 to be a part of the ECW brand.
She first appeared as a fortune teller who read tarot cards, and Martinez was eventually partnered up with Kevin Thorn as his valet. There were times she did wrestle while in ECW, but she did more of her in-ring action as a member of TNA Impact Wrestling from 2007-2008 and briefly in 2016.
Now, after more than 17 years in the wrestling business, she is prepared to announce her retirement, but there is more on her mind. One of the biggest things Martinez simply cannot let go of is how she feels that Batista is the reason WWE let her go.
In a recent video that Martinez posted on her ShellyFromCali channel on YouTube, she reveals that she’s almost done with wrestling. As transcribed by Wrestling Inc. , she knows that her time is up for the business and she’s ready to do different things.
“I think after those two bookings, I’m pretty much done with in-ring stuff. Sad, but true. I think the time has definitely come and [some] of the – I guess you would say – ‘signs’ that I know that wrestling is done for me [are].”
Her final two wrestling appearances are set for Texas and Germany.
As big of a deal as the impending retirement of Shelly Martinez is, there is something much bigger on her mind. She states that getting away from wrestling is to get some sort of balance, and there are things that are more important in her life. Her boyfriend, who lives with Martinez in Hollywood, is not involved with wrestling and that can cause some friction between couples.
Another problem stems from her living in Hollywood, and it is that she has to see the face of Batista wherever she looks. That isn’t overly shocking with the former WWE World Champion starring in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and the fact that it is currently the number one movie in the world.
There is a bad history between Shelly Martinez and Batista. It is one that she certainly has not forgotten.
“I’ve been having a really hard time the last couple months, because here I live in Hollywood – the movie capital – and Guardians of the Galaxy has been promoted and now is out. Now, for those of you who know, that me and Dave Bautista got in a fight backstage, blah blah blah, that’s how I got fired [from WWE]. So it’s been interesting for me, driving around town and then I just see Dave Bautista’s face everywhere, or I’m sitting at home and then I see Dave Bautista.”
Martinez revealed back in 2013 that she believes Batista to be the reason that she was fired from WWE. As reported by E Wrestling News , Martinez took exception to the horrible way Batista was allegedly talking to Melina, another former Diva, so she confronted him about it.
She said that the confrontation led to a heated verbal exchange between the two superstars and it eventually led to her being fired because wrestling is a “man’s world.” As transcribed by Wrestling Inc. , almost 10 years later and she is still dealing with trying to heal from what Batista caused.
“I was finding myself getting depressed. I’d find myself depressed and I’d wonder ‘Why am I depressed?’ and I would kind of backtrack my day and a lot of times it was triggered by Batista.”
Batista still has a good working relationship with WWE and it is believed that he will return to the ring for at least one more run. Shelly Martinez will likely never work for the company again, but she is pretty much almost done with all of wrestling anyway. As Martinez prepares for her retirement from the business, she can’t help but still be affected by an incident years ago that got her fired and still makes her depressed today.
[Featured Image by WWE]