Former WWE Diva Opens Up About Heat With Batista
Batista may be one of the biggest WWE Superstars in modern history, but he isn’t thought of quite so fondly by ex-WWE Diva Shelly Martinez.
Shelly Martinez, who wrestled as Ariel during WWE’s ECW relaunch, isn’t exactly a name you remember from wrestling’s past. Despite her lack of tenure, the former associate to Kevin Thorn managed to have backstage heat with a major WWE Superstar from the time in Batista.
According to Martinez, this came at a time when ‘The Animal’ was dating Melina, who was close friends with Shelly at the time. She revealed details of her issues with the former Royal Rumble winner while talking to James Romero of Wrestling Shoot Interviews (h/t Sportskeeda Wrestling):
“I would go to shake his hand like we’re supposed to, and he wouldn’t shake my hand. 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.”
Shelly Martinez would continue, as she revealed that Batista would again refuse to shake her hand during a further altercation:
“So, I wait for him to walk and I go, ‘Hi Dave! I don’t think you saw me! Hope you have a good day!’ I got in trouble for that. And then [to] Johnny Ace, I was like, ‘Dude, he won’t shake my hand. What am I supposed to do?’ He goes, ‘Just try again.’ Then I tried again and it [the handshake] didn’t happen.”
The real-life Shelly Leonor Martinez would be released from her WWE contract in 2007, which she would later blame on her run-ins with Batista. Martinez and Batista have since made up, as they were spotted joking together during a 2011 premiere for the film Immortals.
During the same interview with WSI, the former Ariel elaborated on her issues with Batista while he was dating Melina (h/t Sportskeeda Wrestling):
“She [Melina] was venting to me one day after a show. And then I opened the door and he [Batista] was like listening on us. I was like, ‘Ew.’ So that didn’t help his situation on how I viewed him. I was real short with him after that because that’s my homegirl. Then he started getting annoyed, ‘Oh, it’s like you and Melina have the same mind.’ It’s like, ‘No dude, you’re a d**k to my girlfriend. Not cool. I’m going to have her back.”
Shelly Martinez, who also competed for the then-Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the moniker of Salinas, hasn’t wrestled since 2017. Batista, meanwhile, retired from the ring after losing to Triple H at WrestleMania 35, with a Hall of Fame induction awaiting him in the future.