WWE introduces latest class at the PC including Mercedes Martinez

Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/01/14/wwe-introduces-latest-class-at-the-pc-including-mercedes-martinez/

The latest recruits to the WWE Performance Center were revealed by the company on Tuesday with a class that includes Mercedes Martinez and Jake Atlas.

The signing of Martinez (Jazmin Benitez), 39, was reported last week by Steve Bryant of SoCal Uncensored, who added that the veteran was set to report to the WWE PC this month.

Martinez has been wrestling since November 2000 and worked for virtually every company that prominently promoted female talent including SHIMMER, Rise, WSU, World Xtreme Wrestling, Bellatrix, and held the Femme Fatales and AWS heavyweight titles at the time of her signing.

In 2017, she competed in the first Mae Young Classic going to the semi-finals and losing to Shayna Baszler. She returned in 2018 for the tournament and lost in the second round to Meiko Satomura. This past August she competed in the Casino Battle Royale at AEW’s All Out pay-per-view at the Sears Centre.

Jake Atlas (Kenny Marquez) is a product of the Santino Brothers Wrestling Academy and made his debut in August 2016. He is 25-years old and grabbed attention from his work throughout California including PWG, All Pro Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, Bar Wrestling, and PCW Ultra. He had also become a regular for Game Changer Wrestling and appeared for AAW in Illinois.

This past weekend, Atlas dropped the PCW Ultra light heavyweight title to Douglas James in a three-way match that included Dom Kubrick and then lost to Tony Deppen the next night on GCW’s I Can’t Feel My Face event in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Atlas appeared on a 2018 episode of ‘Undercover Boss’ that featured Stephanie McMahon-Levesque. On the show, Atlas told McMahon it’s his goal to become the first openly gay WWE champion.

The rest of the class includes Sidney Bateman, who is a 27-year old that was part of Cirque de Soleil’s ‘LUZIA’ show.

Zechariah Smith is a seven-foot-tall former basketball player from Morgan State University and played for the Washington Generals.

Emily Andzulis is 27-years old and appeared on the ‘Titan Games’ that was hosted by Dwayne Johnson. She is a blue belt in jiu-jitsu.

Finally, Anthony Francis was a defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, and Washington Redskins.

Don’t know why they didn’t sign her in 2017. How many years can they realistically get out of her?

She is a good worker and could become a coach. Part of this is probably keeping her away from AEW. It also gives them more depth as the need to move some women to RAW and Smackdown where the divisions are appear thin.

Yes, I watched that and honestly I don’t get it. I mean who cares who is in your bed ? Why would sexual orientations be bragging rights ?

I’m stil waiting on Jordan Omogbehin to make his debut. If you haven’t seen him to just google him, you will see.

Because prejudice and discrimination often stand in the way of accomplishments of LGBTQ individuals. Especially in “manly” pursuits like wrestling where being gay has been mocked many times in the past.

One has to be bored out of his mind to care about someone else’s sexual life. I don’t get it.

Again it isn’t a point of interest for you, it is an accomplishment for him and something of note in the WWE. If his character is “look at me I’m gay.” Then it is bad. If he is a serious wrestler who happens to be gay and a good wrestler then it is something to note, just like being the first African American champion.

"Part of this is probably keeping her away from AEW. "

Honestly I’d say MOST of this is probably keeping her away from AEW…That and bringing in a “player coach” to help aid in the training of some of their greener girls.

I’m happy for her, but if WWE were really serious they would’ve signed her a decade ago. :100:

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I don’t know about a decade just thinking about their women in 2010, but certainly after the first Mae Young Classic.

I don’t think that’s the same, your origins and your sexuality, that’s very different.

Inclusiveness matters to those that aren’t represented. Are you confused by this?

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They would sign anyone AEW wants. They know AEWs women’s division is I think the brink of implosion.

Even the saviour (Tessa) is tainted now. As long as they keep away top talent and make sure Io and Kairi and Asuka don’t leave they should be fine (I assume its more likely to stardom anyway)

Representation matters the same to both groups. Sexual orientation is still something that has been used to belittle and discriminate against people.

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I think your pants are going to implode if you think too much more about women’s wrestling.

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As an ethnically south asian man (the least represented race in wrestling/entertainment), I have to say I didn’t feel a sense of pride when Jinder Mahal became champion… I understand that some did but let’s not pretend that it’s a rule that everyone has to accept and that those that don’t must somehow be ignorant.

Hilarious how a comment of “people’s sexuality shouldn’t matter” is being reacted to as if “gay people don’t matter” was said.

I guess I now have to wait for people, from more represented groups, to tell me how I should be feeling as a minority. Jinder Mahal should be my hero and I should react to any criticism of him as if it was racist…

That is because Jinder wasn’t good, and was portrayed as a shitty heel, who was made champion to appeal to a demographic. I don’t think someone who is gay should be made champion to check a box about having the first gay champion. But having a gay wrestler that rises to that point naturally will be inspiring to a group of people.

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Great Khali? AOP? Bollywood Boys? Sonjay Dutt? Tiger Jeet Singh? Big Bertha?

The winner of the inaugural Kuwait Cup Tiger Ali Singh?

Ring Ka King ? Harbhajan Singh confronting Double J with a cricket bat?

Cry me a river - there are far more underrepresented minorities to be claiming you aren’t racist bc you don’t cheer one Jinder

Most under represented race doesn’t mean there were zero wrestlers of that race. Glad I could help you out. White, black, East Asian and latino are all more represented in wrestling. I’m going against the idea of people automatically identifying with “their group” when talking about minorities but South Asians being the least represented race is pretty clear to see.

And look at those names, SMH. I really am a victim. Mustafa Ali might be the only good South Asian wrestler in history.