AEW Star Announces In-Ring Retirement In 2026

AEW

An AEW star has announced that 2026 will be her final year as a full-time professional wrestler.

After 25 years of actively competing across the independent scene, WWE and AEW, veteran star Mercedes Martinez will be calling time on her full-time in-ring career in 2026.

Issuing a statement on Twitter on New Year’s Day, Martinez wrote:

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. And 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 2026 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.

Despite Martinez still being listed as a member of the AEW roster, she has not competed in the company since facing Billie Starkz on the March 16, 2024 episode of ROH TV.

With Martinez stating that she’ll have “no contracts, no agents and no creative” in 2026, it appears that her time in AEW may be up, but we will provide further updates on her status when they become available.

Prior to signing with AEW in 2021, Martinez spent just under two years under contract with WWE.

While the run saw her mostly compete in NXT, she did have a brief stint on main roster when she was repackaged as ‘Retaliation’ – a member of the Retribution faction on WWE TV.

Goodbye 2025.
One last run. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/2PYWIbGQsd

— Mercedes Martinez 🏳️‍🌈🇵🇷 (@RealMMartinez) January 1, 2026

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• AEW
• ROH
• retirement
• Mercedes Martinez

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