On June 15, 2007, WWE.com announced that “sensational” Sherri Martel had passed away at the age of 49. He had passed away that morning at his mother’s residence in Birmingham, Alabama. Martell is added to the growing list of wrestling personalities to die at a young age.

Sherri Russell, born February 8, 1958, Sherri Martell, as she would be known, debuted in 1980 after training with The Fabulous Moolah. Martell got her first break when she joined the AWA and at the 1985 Superclash she claimed her version of the women’s title when she beat Candi Devine. She went on to have another three reigns as the AWA Women’s Champion.

In July 1987 Martel made his WWE debut and defeated The Fabulous Moolah. As Sherri Martell still held the AWA title (which she lost three days later), she is the only wrestler of either gender to hold the world title in 2 major promotions at the same time. The sensational Sherri went on to reign for 15 months before losing the title to Rockin ‘Robin. During the reign she also played the role of The Honky Tonk Man’s valet, Peggy Sue.

The sensational Sherri teamed up with Randy Savage and sparred with Hulk Hogan and Elizabeth, whom Sherri had her most memorable career segments, including Elizabeth’s haircut at Summerslam 89. At Wrestlemania 7, Savage lost a final match against Ultimate Warrior and Martell. attacked Savage but herself was attacked by Elizabeth.

After a brief alliance with Ted DiBiase, Martell joined forces with Shawn Michaels. During a segment with Michaels and his ex-partner Marty Jannetty, Jannetty struck Martell in the face with a mirror when Michaels placed her in front of him. Upon his return, several months later, he sided with Jannetty against Michaels, but when Jannetty left, Martell was left without a partner. She accompanied Michaels’ different rivals to the ring until Wrestlemania 9, where when she accompanied Tatanka for his fight with Michaels, she met Luna Vachon and the two women got into a fight. During his fight with Vachon he made several appearances for the USWA. Shortly after Martell left WWE.

After a brief stint at SMW and NWA, Martell appeared on ECW and guided Shane Douglas to the ECW title. She was involved in the classic triple threat between Douglas, Terry Funk and Sabu before leaving for WCW.

Martell changed his ring name to Sensuous Sherri and joined Ric Flair in his fights with Sting and Hulk Hogan. When Flair lost a retirement game to Hogan, she teamed up with Steve Austin, but just before he was injured and released. After a brief absence, she was paired with the Harlem Heat and became known as Sister Sherri.

Martell showed up at ECW for a fight in which she was the valet to Shane Douglas and Brian Pillman in a fight against Ron Simmons and Too Cold Scorpio Martell was pushed by Douglas after she crossed the team. In WCW he was about to lead the team of William Regal and Jean Paul Levesque (Triple H) when Levesque accepted an offer from WWE, so Martell was left in charge of Harlem Heat.

At Clash of Champions XXXI, the Harlem Heat and Martel defeated Bunkhouse Buck, Dick Slater and Col. Robert Parker (11:01) when Martel pinned Parker. Martel hit his head on the carpet and suddenly fell in love with Parker. In Clash of Champions XXXII, Martel and Paker were to get married, but Madusa interrupted the wedding. She and Martel participated in a catfight, and then fought the first women’s match on WCW Monday Nitro on January 29, 1996. Shortly after defeating Col. Robert Parker at WCW World War Three, Martell left WCW.

After a brief stint on the independent circuit, he returned to WCW, but it was a short and unsuccessful stint. He appeared in WWE in 2005 at an angle to help promote the feud between Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle, which ended with Angle applying his ankle. In 2006 she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and made several appearances on TNA.

Many of today’s divas would do well to watch Sherri’s career and learn something, as she is undoubtedly one of the greatest female wrestling personalities of all time. Sherri Martell leaves behind a son. She will be sadly missed.

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