Shelly Martinez has worn many hats—wrestler, valet, model, and content creator. In a new interview on “The Velvet Ropes with SoCal Val,” Martinez discussed her early days in Hollywood, her pioneering work in online content, and her powerful advice for women currently in the wrestling business.
Martinez revealed that before she found wrestling, she ran with a group of women who would all go on to become icons in their respective fields. “Back in the day… I was running around here in Hollywood… and it was me, Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, Kat Von D, and Dita Von Teese,” she said. “We were like these five girls that would work with all these same photographers.”
She noted how each of them achieved their specific dreams. “Kat Von D wanted to be a famous tattoo artist. Dita wanted to be the queen of [pin-up]. Holly Madison wanted to be Hef’s number one… and I wanted to be the wrestler. And all of us did that”.
Martinez also discussed being an early adopter of fan sites and content creation, launching “DesireLive.com” before platforms like OnlyFans existed. “You are one of the people that I can vouch for that was also doing it back in the day before everyone and their mom was being a content creator,” she told SoCal Val.
“People thought we were weird,” Val noted. Martinez agreed, “I remember back in the day I would take… my vlog camera, and people be like ‘Shelley’s breaking kayfabe’… And now those same assholes are the ones that have a podcast, a YouTube channel”.
She detailed her transition to modern platforms like OnlyFans and Patreon, noting that she “built my own website” first. “None of this is new… I have always been on the grind with all of this stuff,” she said.
Reflecting on her journey, Martinez offered a strong message to other women in wrestling. “Don’t put your worth on if you’re in WWE or not,” she stated. “That’s my message I want to send now.”
She explained that she has seen too many peers struggle because of this mindset. “I have through my journey… seen too many people get too effed in their head and blocking their own blessings, because they’re fixated on, ‘If I’m not in WWE, I’m nothing'”.
“It’s math. There’s only so many spots,” she added. “I feel like it’s like my duty to pay the business forward of let my story be that you can make anything what you want, as long as you put the work in”.
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