Mercedes Martinez On What Her Royal Rumble Debut Meant to Her

In an interview with PWInsider, Mercedes Martinez spoke about making her Royal Rumble debut last year and what her appearance in the match meant for her. Here are highlights:

On her Royal Rumble debut: “Man, I was nervous, excited (laughs). I didn’t know if I should cry. There’s so many emotions before you walk out…man, it definitely was a moment. I remember Shane Helms telling me, “Take in the moment, because this is a moment that you may or may not get again,” and that’s really what I did as soon as I knew that countdown was coming and my music hit, I literally just walked out, soaked up the moment, took my time and then wreaked havoc in the ring before I got thrown out at some point (laughs).”

On teaming with Toni Storm against Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter: “I always say, “Never take your opponents lightly. Never underestimate them.” I’ve wrestled Kacy…she might have been one of those little spitfires, you know like a little pitbull or a Chihuahua that wants to be at you, and I think that her and Kayden being a tag team, they have that tag team, they’ve been together, they know their stuff, they know what they have to do. I’ve been in the ring with them when I tagged with the Robert Stone Brand with Aliyah, so I know what they’re about, but they don’t know what me and Toni are about. They don’t know that maybe we can gel, no one knows that hidden factor and I think that’s going prove to be the deciding factor in our match. As long as me and Toni are on the same mind frame and on the same game plan, we will come out victorious with our personalities and what we bring to the ring. No matter how long people are together, sometimes you just need that right moment and that right opportunity to pull off the win.”

On a possible match with Io Shirai: “I think when we finally get together and she better have that title, even if she doesn’t, but it’ll make it much more sweeter when I beat her and just prove to the world that Mercedes Martinez is what she says she is – the best in the world and 20 years doesn’t mean anything if I can’t prove it on the main stage. That’s what this year is going to bring – the year that Mercedes brings about the legacy that she wants to bring and winning that title from Io is the culmination of 20 years in the making, proving not only was I the best on the independent scene, but I am going to be the best here in NXT and I’m the woman to beat. Regardless of who’s been there longer than me or whoever, it comes down to experience and making the best of the opportunity and 2021, Io has a target on her back but I’m the one who’s going to nail that bullseye right in the middle and she doesn’t know what’s coming. She knows everybody else but she doesn’t know Mercedes Martinez just yet.”