On the heels of a record-setting DVD release and two wildly successful pay-per-view events, World Wrestling Entertainment relaunched the ECW brand on SyFy network. Looking to satisfy the wants of the channel, they introduced two bloodsucking characters to the product. One was the mysterious, enigmatic Kevin Thorn, whose very appearance intimidated viewers. The other was the dark, sexy, almost Gothic fortuneteller Ariel. On the July 25 episode of ECW TV, Ariel accompanied Thorn to the ring for his first match. She would continue to do so over the next year, injecting the brand with a cool factor the likes of which fans had not seen since the Brood nearly a decade earlier. Shelly Martinez, the woman behind Ariel, was completely invested in the character. She carried herself as if she was the vampiresse and the audience became captivated by the perfect combination of sex appeal and horror. An effective manager, she often interfered on behalf of Thorn and helped the very physical competitor win many a match early in his stint with the brand. Ariel was not opposed to getting physical herself. She mixed it up with the original "Queen of Extreme" Francine in October of 2006 and teamed with Thorn to defeat Mike Knox and Kelly Kelly at the brand's first, and only, pay-per-view event entitled December to Dismember. She, along with Thorn, joined Elijah Burke, Matt Striker and Marcus Cor Von in the New Blood and the raven-haired vixen led the team into action at WrestleMania 23. Unfortunately a backstage altercation between she and Batista led to Martinez's release from WWE on May 18, 2007 and robbed fans of witnessing the growth and evolution of one of the most unique female personas the company had produced in years.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
