When Mercedes Martinez returns to the PROGRESS ring at the Electric Ballroom for Chapter 192, Cause & Effect, it will be an opportunity to put down a real statement of intent.
Mercedes first stepped into a PROGRESS environment in 2018, when she challenged former AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm for the PROGRESS Women’s Championship.
Mercedes, who has performed both in WWE and AEW during her illustrious career, is taking a step back from performing full time at the end of this year, but before she does that, she wants to taste winning gold at the famous Electric Ballroom and add the PROGRESS Women’s Championship to her long list of accolades.
“Wrestling for PROGRESS back in 2018 was amazing”, admitted Mercedes, who is a former Ring of Honor Women’s World Champion.
“I wrestled Toni Storm for the title that night, and the crowd was electric and there is no better feeling than to have the crowd be part of the match and invested in what you do.
Turn the clock eight years on, Mercedes is back and will challenge Alexxis Falcoln for the PROGRESS Women’s Championship in what will be a blockbuster fight in the capital city.
She continued: “I am honoured to return and compete at the Electric Ballroom with the title on the line. I am setting my sights on bringing the championship back home and cementing myself as one of the best women’s wrestlers today.
Chapter 192, Cause & Effect, arrives at a landmark moment for women’s wrestling in PROGRESS after the launch of the first ever women’s Super Strong Style 16 tournament.
For Mercedes, it’s a long‑overdue recognition of what women have been doing in the ring for years and she is proud that PROGRESS Wrestling are leading the way for giving women the opportunity to further showcase their abilities in the ring.
“I truly believe that we as women wrestlers are always proving ourselves in that ring. “With every style of wrestling, we excel and make it our own. For PROGRESS to have this tournament is a testament to hard work.
“I can’t wait to see who excels and what matches are going to happen to blow our minds.
“Representation means everything. It truly shows that PROGRESS believes in their women’s division and the women wrestlers to excel at the highest level.
Mercedes also spoke openly about this year marking a turning point in her career. After more than two decades as a full‑time competitor, she has decided that her next chapter will be different, still rooted in wrestling, but not as the gruelling, year‑round grind she has known for 25 years.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind the last few years,” she admits. “I’m not getting any younger and my heart and mind have this love/hate relationship with wrestling.
“I decided that after my contract ends with AEW, I want to make sure I give whatever my body, heart and soul have left to the indies to make sure that I leave everything I have to what made me who I am.”
“If there’s an opportunity to do something different with wrestling without sacrificing my body for it, great. If not, then I’m ready to enjoy and live life and see what the universe has in store for me. It’s a scary yet exciting change, but I’m ready for what comes next.”
Despite that change on the horizon, Mercedes is not slowing down in 2026 and if anything, she is accelerating, and she is ready to show the PROGRESS crowd just why at the end of the month at Chapter 192.
“There’s a lot to achieve this year and I’m hoping I can hit them all, “revealed Mercedes, who competed in the 30 women WWE Royal Rumble match in 2020.
“Competing at PROGRESS was one of those and I wanted to compete at the Electric Ballroom and feel the fans’ electricity.
Facing Falcon for the PROGRESS Women’s Championship, Mercedes is walking into the Electric Ballroom with a clear, aggressive mindset. She wants wins, but more than that, she wants to leave a legacy that inspires the next generation.
She continued: “I’m coming in at my very best and with a very aggressive mentality of proving myself to everyone again because my legacy means something to women’s wrestling. My mentality is this, I’m walking out as a champion.
“I won’t take less than that because my heart knows that if I have that title, the women’s roster will rise up and level beyond what they are now.”
“I’m giving my all for sure and not holding anything back”
Watch Mercedes challenge Alexxis Falcon for the PROGRESS Women’s Championship at the Electric Ballroom, Camden, London, on Sunday 29th March. For full ticket information and how to purchase, please CLICK HERE.