Shelley Martinez Says Top WWE Star Used To Eavesdrop On Melina
Shelley Martinez and Melina developed a close friendship while the pair were in WWE.
Former WWE Women's and Divas Champion Melina was in WWE from 2005 until 2011. She was a wrestler and in the early stages of her WWE career, a manager for MNM. She and former six-time World Champion and WWE Hall of Famer Batista dated at one point while they were both on the main roster. While on Wrestling Shoot Interviews, Shelley Martinez, who worked in WWE as Ariel, recalled an action Batista took that she was not fond of.
"They were just kind of having relationship problems and because [Batista] didn't he come out so good in the relationship problems and she was my friend, of course, I was there for her," Martinez said. "She was venting to me one day after a show and I opened the door and he was listening in on us. So that didn't help his situation of how I viewed him."
Martinez worked alongside Kevin Thorn in WWE's version of "ECW" and the two had a vampire gimmick on the WWE's then third brand's show. Martinez only wrestled three times during her stint on the brand from 2006 to 2007, as she was mostly there to accompany her male counterpart during his matches. Most notably, Martinez wrestled in a mixed tag-team match on WWE'S ECW December to Dismember in 2006 where they defeated the team of Kelly Kelly and her jealous on-screen boyfriend Mike Knox.
After being released by WWE in 2007, Martinez had a run in 2008 in TNA under the name Salinas, where she won one of her nine matches. Martinez has not wrestled since November of 2017 and hasn't stated whether she is fully retired or not.
Batista went on to have success after Martinez was fired, notching up three more World title reigns and was announced for the WWE 2020 Hall of Fame class, but never went in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Batista's last match was at WrestleMania 35 at MetLife Stadium, where he took on former Evolution stablemate Triple H in a losing effort.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Wrestling Shoot Interviews" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.