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With a career spanning over two decades, Mercedes Martinez holds the esteemed position of being the second-most experienced female wrestler on the AEW/ROH roster, surpassed only by Emi Sakura. Having kick-started her career in 2000, she swiftly emerged as a leading figure in the independent wrestling scene.
As a seasoned AEW professional, Martinez carries forward the invaluable experience and skills honed over many years. In a recent appearance on Catholic Wrestling's "Desert Island Graps" podcast, Martinez shared her insights into her all-time favorite match as a fan and the lessons she has derived from it as a professional wrestler.
Asked which three wrestling matches she would watch endlessly if stranded on a desert island, Martinez responded, "My first choice would undoubtedly be Bret Hart versus Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII, the Iron Man match."
"Martinez's Admiration for Bret Hart"
As an ardent admirer of Bret Hart, whom she regards as her favorite wrestler, Martinez aims to emulate his wrestling style and approach.
"Bret is someone I've always closely followed and strived to mirror in my wrestling, as far as I could," she added. "The Iron Man match between Hart and Michaels was the first instance I witnessed wrestlers engage in a sixty-minute match on a national platform.
It was a game-changer for me." Drawing from this inspiration, Martinez has participated in several Iron Woman matches, extending over sixty minutes. "To prepare for my Iron Woman matches, I always referred to that pivotal Bret-Shawn match.
It remains one of my all-time favorites," she shared. She further elaborated on her analysis of that match to understand how the wrestlers managed to captivate the audience throughout. Martinez emphasized the difficulty in keeping the crowd invested for a prolonged duration, "Maintaining audience engagement for an entire hour is challenging, sometimes even for ten minutes.
I didn't just focus on their moves when I dissected the Bret and Shawn match. What intrigued me more were their up-and-down rhythms, psychological approach, and ability to keep the crowd hooked throughout the sixty-minute duration. I strive to incorporate those elements in my wrestling, paying homage to their ring psychology."