10 Wrestlers AEW Let Slip Through Their Fingers
3. Mercedes Martinez
Mercedes Martinez has been in the business for 19 years and shockingly hasn't been under contract to a major wrestling promotion until now.
Fans expected WWE to sign her following her strong showings in both of the Mae Young Classic tournaments, but a deal never surfaced. She continued to compete on the independent scene until making a one-off appearance in the Casino Battle Royale at AEW All Out where she lasted a while before being eliminated by Britt Baker.
AEW should have signed her right then and there but oddly opted not to. She wrestled for the promotion once more on an episode of Dark in November but again wasn't signed.
It's entirely possible that, like Edge, Martinez used AEW as leverage to get a deal from WWE, but she is someone AEW should have been desperate to get in their women's division. They probably could have offered her more money than she's currently earning in WWE and promised her an immediate push toward the top of the title picture,
Martinez feels she's right where she belongs in WWE and has already been fast-tracked to NXT TV, but AEW needs her far more at the moment and missed the boat big time in not signing her when they had the chance.