Melina Perez

**Melina Nava Pérez** (born March 9, 1979; ring name **Melina**) is an American professional wrestler and manager. She is best known for working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where she wrestled on its Raw and SmackDown brands. She was released from her contract with the WWE on August 5, 2011.

## Early life

Pérez began her career as a model. In 2000, she decided to become a professional wrestler and began training. Pérez's pro-wrestling debut was in 2002 on a tour of the independent wrestling scene. She joined a number of California-based promotions such as the Empire Wrestling Federation (EWF).

## World Wrestling Entertainment

Pérez began working in World Wrestling Entertainment's "farm territory" Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) in March 2004 when she was kayfabe brought her in as a way to taunt her ex-boyfriend John Hennigan. Melina, however, aligned herself with Hennigan, who later changed his ring name to Johnny Nitro. Soon after, Nitro began teaming with Joey Matthews, later known as Joey Mercury. On November 10, the trio, now known as MNM, won the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship.

## 2005

MNM made their debut in WWE on the April 14, 2005 edition of SmackDown! by interrupting the first ever Carlito's Cabana interview segment. Rey Mysterio, one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions, was a guest. Melina insulted Mysterio and had Mercury and Nitro attack him. This led to MNM's first match the next week on SmackDown! for the tag team title. MNM won the match against Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero, giving them their first WWE Tag Team Title reign.

While managing the Tag Team Champions, Melina started wrestling against the other WWE Divas. She had her first match on June 30 against Michelle McCool.  Her first pay-per-view match – a Bra and Panties match – was at The Great American Bash against Torrie Wilson. Melina won both matches.

## 2007

On January 29, 2007, Melina became the number 1 contender for the WWE Women's Championship. On February 5, Melina lost a title match against Mickie James. On February 19, Melina won the Women's Championship from James. On April 24 at a show in Paris, France, Melina lost the Women's Championship in a Triple Threat match to James when James pinned Victoria. In a rematch on the same night, she pinned James to regain the title and become a two-time WWE Women's Champion.

On May 7 Melina was defeated in a tag team match when she was pinned by Candice Michelle. Melina lost to Candice in several tag team matches, as well as in non-title bouts over the next few weeks. At Vengeance, Melina lost the Women's Championship to Candice, and failed to wim the title back at The Great American Bash.

### Impact Wrestling (2021)

Melina made her debut on the August 5, 2021, episode of Impact Wrestling, where she was revealed as the challenger for Deonna Purrazzo's Impact Knockouts Championship at NWA United States Heavyweight Championship EmPowerrr. On the August 19 episode of _Impact!_, she made her in-ring debut, defeating Brandi Lauren. After the match, she was attacked by Purrazzo and Matthew Rehwoldt but was saved by Trey Miguel, setting up a mixed tag team match at Emergence. At Emergence, they lost to Purrazzo and Rehwoldt. The feud ended at NWA EmPowerrr when Melina unsuccessfully challenged Deonna Purrazzo for the Impact Knockouts Championship after a hard-fought contest. At Bound for Glory, Melina competed in the 20-wrestler Intergender Call Your Shot Gauntlet match which was won by Moose.

## Personal life

On February 2, 2025, Perez introduced her daughter named Liberty Barros. Perez was involved in an on-off relationship with fellow wrestler John Hennigan, better known by the ring name John Morrison, from 2003 to 2015.

## Other websites

- Official website

## Infobox (wrestler)

- **name**: Melina Pérez
- **image**: Melina5.jpg
- **names**: **Melina**
Kyra
Melanie Little Deer
- **birth place**: Los Angeles, California
- **billed**: Los Angeles, California
- **trainer**: Jesse Hernandez
Lance Storm
Dave Finlay
Ultimate Pro Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling, OVW
- **debut**: April 2002
- **caption**: Pérez In 2009