WWE's Mercedes Martinez Explains Why She Left RETRIBUTION

Mercedes Martinez had a brief stint on the main roster in 2020 as she debuted on Raw as RETRIBUTION's RETALIATION. She stopped appearing with the faction after a few weeks, though, and reports noted she asked to be removed from the group.

Martinez has since returned to NXT and will compete in the Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic with Toni Storm.

Martinez recently sat down for an interview with PWInsider to talk about the Tag Team Classic and she explained why she decided to leave RETRIBUTION.

Mercedes said: "I can dive into that and let people know kind of what was going on [laughs.] I was given an opportunity, and I took the opportunity not knowing what the outcome would be, you got to make the best of anything you can, but I think when that opportunity came, it just wasn't for me.

"When you hit this pinnacle of your career, as I did, hitting 20 years, and you want to make the most of your career, but make it part of a legacy, what you want to be for your career... I just think being part of that group, it's no hidden fact that it was me, I don't hide the fact, but I don't mention it, only because it was a very small part of what the bigger picture is. It's kind of one of those things where it's, you know what? 'This is where Mercedes is, but maybe it doesn't fit her mould, maybe doesn't fit the career, the trajectory that I want my career, my legacy to be.'

"It was no hard feelings, I just think we had both two different plans, I wanted one thing to go one way, and they had a different outlook and maybe they were still working on their outlook. It's just something that I just said, 'Hey, I know where I want my career and this is probably not it.' I don't give any hard feelings and I wish nothing but success to all those that are a part of the group and I wish them the best, I really, really, really do, but I just think it wasn't meant for me, it was probably meant for somebody else and I wanna make my legacy a little different and that's why I'm back on NXT and gonna put my mark on the women's division there."