Ivelisse Vélez

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"Ivelisse" redirects here. For other people named Ivelisse, see Ivelisse (name).

**Ivelisse Milagro Vélez** (born September 21, 1987), better known by her ring name **Ivelisse**, is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Where she is one-half of the current TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship with Diamanté in their first reign as The Latin American Xchange Latinas. She is known for her time in Lucha Underground, where she twice held the Lucha Underground Trios Championship (with Son of Havoc and Angélico). Vélez also wrestles extensively on the independent circuit. And a former Shine Tag Team Champion.

 Born
**Ivelisse**
Juliet
Juliette
Sexy Juliette
 Billed height
 Billed weight
 Billed from
Puerto Rico
 Trained by
Savio Vega
 Debut

In 2011, Vélez appeared in one season of WWE's *WWE Tough Enough* competitive reality show, and WWE signed her to a developmental wrestling contract later the same year. In 2011 and 2012, Vélez worked under the WWE ring name **Sofia Cortez** in the developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling(renamed NXT in 2012).

## Professional wrestling career

### Early career

Vélez began training to be a wrestler at age fifteen in Puerto Rico, debuting in the World Wrestling Council, and later wrestling for the International Wrestling Association (IWA).After gaining experience, Vélez began wrestling on the U.S. mainland, beginning on the Chicago independent circuit, continuing her training under Chicago Style Wrestling's Steve "Boz" Bozniak.

### WWE

#### Tough Enough (2011)

In March 2011, Vélez was announced as one of 14 contestants for the fifth season of *WWE Tough Enough*. On the May 10 episode, she was eliminated due to a leg injury. However, WWE signed Vélez to a developmental contract that November 11th.

#### Florida Championship Wrestling (2011–2012)

WWE assigned Vélez to its then-developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling(FCW), where she debuted (under the ring name **Sofia Cortez**) at an FCW house show in a six-woman tag team match (teaming with Cameron Lynn and Audrey Marie to defeat Caylee Turner, Leah West and Raquel Diaz). Vélez made her TV debut on the December 25, 2011 episode of *FCW TV*, teaming with Turner to defeat Cameron Lynn and Kaitlyn. On the March 11 episode of *FCW TV*, Cortez formed a villainous stable dubbed The Anti-Divas, consisting of herself, Paige and Raquel Diaz, with the trio attacking Audrey Marie. The following week on *FCW TV*, Cortez and Paige and lost to Marie and Kaitlyn.

#### NXT (2012)

WWE rebranded FCW "NXT" (emphasizing its wrestlers as the next generation of eventual WWE Superstars). Cortez's NXT TV debut was on the July 4 episode of *NXT*, taped at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, where she defeated Paige. On the July 25 episode of *NXT*, Cortez defeated WWE main roster wrestler Natalya by count-out, but suffered a post-match attack from Natalya. In August 2012, Vélez announced WWE had released her from her contract, ending her WWE employment. Her final match (taped before her release occurred) saw her lose to Tamina Snuka.

During a May 2015 podcast with Vince Russo, Vélez alluded to her reporting the misconduct of WWE Performance Center head trainer Bill DeMott to WWE management as the likely reason she was fired, and said she was one of the first to report DeMott's misconduct. DeMott abruptly left WWE in March 2015 amid mounting public pressure on WWE after a wave of published news reports detailing similar accusations of grossly unprofessional misconduct by DeMott being made by over 12 former WWE trainees/wrestlers.

### Independent circuit (2012–present)

On October 4, 2012, Vélez debuted at Family Wrestling Entertainment (FWE)'s *Back 2 Brooklyn* pay-per-view as a special guest, along with former WWE Diva Maryse Ouellet. Vélez established herself as a heel by delivering a promo about her dislike of "Divas", and being on a mission to make a statement. Later in the event, Vélez attacked Katarina Leigh after she and Maria Kanellis were defeated by The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky).[*citation needed*]

In December, Vélez was revealed as the newest member of the *Los Perros del Mal* stable.Vélez made her debut as a representative of the stable on January 1, 2013, at a Perros del Mal independent event, where she teamed with Cósmico and Eita to defeat Celestial, Flamitaand Sexy Lady. On April 21, Vélez defeated Alissa Flash to win the PWR Women's Championship. On May 11, she re-lost the title to Flash, who now works under the ring name Cheerleader Melissa.

On October 4, 2014, Vélez defeated Maria Kanellis to win the FWE Women's Championship. However, she lost the title the same night to Candice LeRae.

On November 28, 2014, Vélez made her Mexican debut with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA), teaming with Faby Apache to defeat Sexy Star and Taya. Vélez worked the match as a fan favorite, opposite Taya, a representative of *Los Perros del Mal*, a stable she herself once represented.

### Shine Wrestling (2012–present)

Vélez at Shine Championships in 2017

Vélez debuted in Shine Wrestling at Shine 5 on November 16, 2012, where she was defeated by Athena. At Shine 6, on January 11, 2013, Vélez defeated Su Yung. Later that night, the formation of the stable Valkyrie was revealed, consisting of Vélez, Rain, Allysin Kay, Taylor Made and April Hunter. At Shine 8, on March 23, Vélez and the rest of Valkyrie defeated the team of Amazing Kong, Angelina Love, Mia Yimand Christina Von Eerie. At Shine 9 on April 19, Vélez was defeated by Jazz in a Shine Championship tournament qualifying match. At Shine 16 on January 24, 2014, Vélez defeated Rain to win the Shine Championship. Following the match, Valkyrie turned on Vélez and kicked her out of the stable. Vélez went on to successfully defend the title against the likes of Mercedes Martinez, Leva Bates and Jazz, both on Shine pay-per-views and other promotion's events. At Shine 20, she defended her championship against Serena Deeb, wrestling to a *one-hour* time-limit draw. On November 16, 2014, on a WWNLive (Shine's parent company) show in China, Vélez lost the Shine Championship to Mia Yim.

At Shine 30 on October 2, 2015, Vélez returned to Shine and defeated Thunderkitty. At Shine 35 On June 17, 2016, Ivelisse won the Shine Championship for the second time by winning a four-way match involving Shine Champion Taylor Made, Shimmer ChampionMadison Eagles and TNA Knockouts ChampionAllysin Kay. On January 14, 2017, the title was vacated due to her injury. At Shine 64on December 15, 2019, Ivelisse won the Shine Championship for the third time by defeating Mercedes Martinez. She successfully retained the title at Shine 65 and Shine 66.

### Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2012–2013)

On October 11, 2012, Vélez had a tryout match for Impact Wrestling (then called Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, or TNA), losing to Tara.On February 24, 2013, it was reported that Vélez would be competing in a TNA Gut Checkmatch, in which she defeated Lei'D Tapa on the February 28 episode of *Impact Wrestling*. On the March 7 episode of *Impact Wrestling*, Vélez was eliminated from TNA Gut Check, thereby failing to earn a TNA contract.

Vélez returned to make limited appearances, including at One Night Only: Knockouts Knockdown, where she lost to Lei'D Tapa. Vélez also appeared at One Night Only: World Cup, as part of team Aces & Eights including D.O.C., Knux, Mr. Anderson and Wes Brisco. Vélez defeated Team USA's Mickie James, with help from Aces & Eights, to advance to the finals, where team Aces & Eights lost to Team USA.

### Lucha Underground (2014–present)

Vélez debuted on the November 5, 2014, episode of *Lucha Underground*, simply as **Ivelisse**, teaming with Son of Havoc in a loss to Sexy Star and Chavo Guerrero Jr. Ivelisse, Havoc and Angélico went on to form an alliance, and on February 8, 2015, the trio won a tournament to become the inaugural Lucha Underground Trios Champions. On the February 18 episode of *Lucha Underground*, Ivelisse earned her first singles victory against Angélico. During the time Ivelisse, Havoc and Angélico held the championships, they defended and successfully retained them against The Crew (Cortez, Castro and Bael) in a ladder match on the May 20 episode of *Lucha Underground*, and against Cage, DelAvar Daivari and Big Ryck on the June 3 episode, despite Ivelisse suffering from a legitimate foot injury. On July 29, at *Ultima Lucha Part 1*, they lost the championships to The Disciples of Death (Barrio Negro, Treceand El Sinestro de la Muerte), due to interference from Catrina.

On the Lucha Underground season 2 premiere on January 27, 2016, Ivelisse defeated Son of Havoc and Angélico to earn a Lucha Underground Championship match against Mil Muertes, but failed to capture the championship. At *Ultima Lucha Dos Part 3*, Catrina cost Ivelisse her match against Tayaand then delivering the Lick of Death to Ivelisse. On the first episode of *Lucha Underground Season 3*, Ivelisse challenged Catrina to a match in Lucha Underground at *Ultima Lucha Tres*. At part 2 of Ultima Lucha Tres, Ivelisse defeated Catrina by pinfall.

### Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2017–present)

#### TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion (2017–present)

Ivelisse Vélez joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as part of The Latin American Xchange in April 2017, and made her debut At TNA Lockdown 2017 On April 13, 2017, under the ring name **Ivelisse Vélez**. At that event Diamanté and **Ivelisse Vélez** was giving the reactivated TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship by LAX Leader Konnan. Since then Diamanté and **Ivelisse Vélez** tag team become known as The Latin American Xchange Latinas. As the women of LAX. **Ivelisse Vélez** has had one single match in TNA. Which she lost due to outside interference. Since then they have remained undefeated in tag team action at 5-0. And have had five successful TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship defenses.

## Other media

Vélez appeared on the *Fire Crotch* episode of Tattoo Nightmares, airing on Spike.

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Total Nonstop Action Wrestling**
	+ TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with Diamanté
* **Family Wrestling Entertainment**
	+ FWE Women's Championship (1 time)
* **Lucha Underground**
	+ Lucha Underground Trios Championship(2 times) – with Angélico and Son of Havoc
	+ Lucha Underground Trios Championship Tournament (2015) – with Angélico and Son of Havoc
* **Pro Championship Wrestling**
	+ PCW Women's Championship (2 times)
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Ranked No. 7 of the top 50 female wrestlers in the *PWI Female 50* in 2014
* **Pro Wrestling Revolution**
	+ PWR Women's Championship (1 time)
* **Shine Wrestling**
	+ Shine Championship (3 times, current)
	+ Shine Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mercedes Martinez
* **Southwestern Wrestling Entertainment**
	+ SWE Women's Championship (1 time)
* **World Wrestling League**
	+ WWL Goddess Championship (1 time)
* **Wrestling Superstar**
	+ Wrestling Superstar Women's Championship (1 time)
* **Other titles**
	+ VWAA Women's Championship (3 times)
* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ Worst Gimmick (2013) Aces & Eights