WWE News: Mercedes Martinez Signs With WWE, Alex Shelley Debuting In NXT, Interested In New Japan Star Jay White

WWE kicked off 2020 by signing a 20-year veteran of the independent wrestling scene, announcing the NXT debut of a former TNA Wrestling standout and reportedly also is interested in one of New Japan’s biggest stars.

Mercedes Martinez officially signed a deal with WWE and is to report to the Performance Center in Orlando in the near-future. WWE’s first major signing of 2020 was revealed by California pro-wrestling website, SoCalUncensored, and later confirmed by the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer.

Martinez began her career in 2000, training under wrestler Jason Knight. She would become a staple of women’s wrestling, most notably as a mainstay of the all-women independent promotion Shimmer. She had previously appeared on WWE programming, taking part in the first two Mae Young Classic tournaments and making a handful of appearances on NXT. She most recently appeared on AEW TV, as part of the women’s battle royale at All Out and wrestling on AEW’s YouTube show, AEW Dark.

WWE also said former TNA Wrestling star Alex Shelley would be making his NXT TV debut on the Jan. 15 episode. Shelley would be teaming with Kushida as part of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic to face the team of James Drake and Zack Gibson.

Shelley began his career in the mid-2000s, wrestling for Ring of Honor and other independent promotions before going to the TNA Wrestling. While in TNA, he would become best known as part of the team The Motor City Machine Guns alongside Chris Sabin. After leaving TNA, he went to Japan to wrestle in New Japan Pro-Wrestling as part of the junior heavyweight division. Shelley and Kushida began teaming in New Japan, forming The Time Splitters and became IWGP junior heavyweight tag team champions.

The last name reportedly on WWE’s radar for the start of 2020 is former IWGP heavyweight champion Jay White.

White began his career training in 2013 around the United Kingdom before moving on to the New Japan Dojo’s young lion program. He trained in Japan until going on tour in 2016, working in New Japan-affiliates Ring of Honor in the U.S., CMLL in Mexico, RevPro in England and other independent promotions.

He returned to New Japan in 2017 under the persona of “Switchblade” Jay White. He first challenged New Japan mainstay Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 12 for the IWGP intercontinental championship. White would go on to join the faction Chaos, defeat Kenny Omega for the IWGP U.S. title, jump to Bullet Club and eventual win the IWGP heavyweight title from Tanahashi in 2019.