Former WWE Superstar recalls the incident with Batista that allegedly led to her firing
Former ECW Superstar Shelly Martinez has detailed her confrontation with Batista.
Martinez, who was introduced as the manager of Kevin Thorne, was a close friend of former WWE Women’s Champion Melina. The latter was in a relationship with The Animal during the tail end of her WWE career. The two stars were going through relationship problems and Martinez was on the former MNM member's side as a friend.
Shelly was released in May 2007 and believes that her fallout with The Leviathan led to her exit.
In an appearance on the Wrestling Shoot Interview podcast, Martinez detailed her conversation with the former world champion. She would claim the former world champion asked her to mind her own business:
“Kevin and I are going to go on live TV next,” Martinez said. “And I see that wrestler, while we’re waiting, whisper over to Batista. And I’m like ‘Oh shoot. It’s on.’ And Batista goes ‘Hey Shelly, how about you mind your business when you’re in catering?’ I took a second and I thought ‘I have an action figure coming out. I performed at WrestleMania. I guess this is a good day to get fired.’ And I said ‘Last I checked, you weren’t even in catering. So why don’t you mind your own f*cking business?’ (h/t to Wrestling Inc.)
Shelly Martinez, aka Ariel was involved in WWE's relaunch of ECW alongside Kevin Thorn, but didn't make it onto Tough Enough season four years prior. https://t.co/Lq1ATZQmGi
Batista refused to shake hands with Shelly Martinez
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Batista seemingly developed a grudge against Martinez after he overheard one of her and Melina's conversations. Shelly was then advised by John Laurinaitis to resolve the issue by shaking hands with the former champion.
In the same interview with WSI, the 42-year-old revealed that The Animal refused to make peace with her:
"I would go to shake his hand like we're supposed to, and he wouldn't shake my hand," said Martinez. "And I'm like, 'What the f am I supposed to do?' Whatever! So, Johnny Ace [John Laurinaitis] kind of followed up with me a few weeks later. I was like, 'Dude, he won't shake my hand.' And what he [Batista] started to do — he would, in catering, shake everyone's hand at the table but mine."
Though the two did not come to terms back then, they have since sorted things out during a movie premiere in 2011.