AEW Star Confirms This Is Her Last Year as a Full-Time Wrestler

January 2, 2026

Mercedes Martinez has confirmed that 2026 will be her final year competing as a full-time professional wrestler.

Martinez shared the announcement on X, formerly known as Twitter, on New Year’s Day. In a powerful statement, she revealed that the upcoming year will mark the end of her run as a full-time active competitor.

She shared, “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. 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.”

“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. 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.”

Mercedes Martinez hinted her time with AEW could be over

Mercedes Martinez started her pro wrestling career in 2001 and built a strong reputation across several major promotions. She held the ROH Women’s World Championship and also competed in WWE, AEW, TNA and many independent promotions.

Although AEW still lists her on its roster, she has not wrestled for the company since facing Billie Starkz on the March 16, 2024 episode of ROH TV. She also made it clear that in 2026 she will have no contracts, no agents, and no creative which suggests that her time with AEW may already be coming to an end. As she put it herself in closing: “One last run.”