Sherri Martel Biography

Sherri Martel is known as the most "Sensational", the most "Senuous", and the scariest Sista in the world of wrestling. She has wrestled all over the world in all the major wrestling organizations. "Sensational" Sherri Martel is a 3 time AWA Women's World Champion and a former WWF Women's Champion. Sherri Martel has also managed a whole list of stars leading plenty of them to championship status. Some of the stars she has managed are Playboy Buddy Rose & Prettyboy Doug Somers, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, "Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, and Harlem Heat and her most notable feuds are with Rockin' Robin, Hulk Hogan, and Sapphire.

Sherry Russell started her wrestling career with the American Wrestling Association (AWA) where she gained notoriety as a devious rule breaker who would do anything to win a match. Sherri Martel won her first AWA Women's World title on September 28, 1985 when she defeated Candi Devine at Superclash. It was the first of three AWA Women's World title reigns, each time defeating Candi Devine to capture the gold around her waist. While in the AWA, Sherri found time to manage Playboy Buddy Rose and Prettyboy Doug Somers to the AWA World Tag Team Championship. Candi Devine wasn't the only one Sherri had to go up against. She had to face the likes of Debbie Combs, Despina Montegas, and Madusa Miceli. In fact, Sherri and Montegas' rivalry spilled over into Sherri's managerial work with the AWA Tag Team Champions, Rose and Sommers. Sherri and her men were despised by the fans who were angered by there arrogant attitudes and dirty tactics to get the win over there opponents. Sherri also established herself as a manager who was not afraid to physically confront her men's opponents in the ring. In 1987, she decided to move on to bigger and better things.

After leaving the AWA, Sherri Martel moved to the World Wrestling Federation. There she won the WWF Women's Championship from the legendary Fabulous Moolah on July 24, 1987. Shortly after the victory, Sherri announced that she would be known as "Sensational" Sherri. She also became much more aggressive in the ring and it became clear Sherri would do anything to defend her title, including attacking opponents when their backs were turned. Sherri and The Fabulous Moolah clashed at Survivor Series '87 where the two women captained opposing teams in the first ever 10 Women Tag Team Elimination Survivor match. Other opponents Sherri battled were Velvet McIntyre, Desiree Peterson, and Rockin' Robin. Her matches with Robin were remarkably intense and featured a range of high-risk moves by both women. Her "win at all costs" approach frustrated Robin and angered fans who hated to see Sherri win. Sherri held on to the title for over a year before finally being defeated on October 7, 1988 in Paris, France by Rockin' Robin.

After Sensational Sherri was unable to regain the WWF Women's title, she took up the opportunity to manage the former WWF Champion "Macho Man" Randy Savage right after he fired his manager, Miss Elizabeth. At Summerslam '89, Sherri was atomic dropped by the Hulkster and then knocked out by her own purse by Miss Elizabeth! Sherri was then given a haircut by Brutus Beefcake. Even though she had been defeated and humiliated, Summerslam '89 marked a high point in Sherri's career. For the first and only time, she was featured in a main event at a WWF pay-per-view. Before, during, and after Summerslam, Elizabeth foiled Sherri's plans time and time again. There was even speculation that Elizabeth and Sherri would face each other one on one in the ring! After Randy & Sherri defeated the "King" of the WWF, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, the pair became known as "Macho King Randy Savage" and "Sensational Queen Sherri." They even had an official coronation where they were presented with a royal sceptre! Sherri viciously defended her crown and what Savage called "The Kingdom of the Madness." Sherri would continue to interfere in matches and break rules, choking, kicking and punching the Macho King's adversaries. With her new royal title, Queen Sherri clearly enjoyed being carried on a throne, chauffeured around in limousines, and riding first class on airplanes. She and Savage were even featured on the TV show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. To her, the fans were "common" people and she considered them "peasants." "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes and his female manager Sapphire refused to agree with this concept. Sherri considered Sapphire and Rhodes as "commoners" and the Queen was extremely hostile to Sapphire when they were interviewed together at the 1990 Royal Rumble. Sherri insulted Sapphire by making fun of her weight and appearance. Sapphire then slapped the taste out of Sherri's mouth knocking her out of the ring. This action led to the first ever Mixed Tag Team match at Wrestlemania VI.

After Sensational Sherri split from Randy Savage at Wrestlemania VII, she began assisting "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, then becoming known as "The Milllion Dollar Woman". She would occupy a very powerful position in the WWF as the manager of its richest superstar! Sherri's last big event as the manager of Ted Dibiase was the 1992 Royal Rumble. Shortly after the Rumble, she left Dibiase and became involved with a young up-and-coming WWF superstar.

Sensational Sherri became the manager of Shawn Michaels shortly after the 1992 Royal Rumble. Sherri announced that she was "in love" with Michaels and began accompanying him to the ring. She became not only a manager/valet, but also Michaels' "girlfriend." Or so it appeared. For his part, Michaels sometimes seemed to be unresponsive to Sherri's affections, and many people thought the relationship was "one-way." Sherri and Michaels' first event together was at Wrestlemania VIII. Unlike most other times, Sherri did not become illegally involved in the match. Instead, she concentrated on being an "ornament" for Michaels. She kissed him and displayed her "assets," and helped him celebrate the win by posing at his feet. Sherri and Shawn soon split after Sherri got tired of the "Heartbreak Kid" neglecting her.

Sensational Sherri left the World Wrestling Federation in 1993 after a series of confrontations with Luna Vachon ( Click here for Sherri Maertel 1993 Match results ). She re-surfaced a few months later in a few independent wrestling promotions. Among these Indy leagues were Extreme Championship Wrestling and Smoking Mountain Wrestling. In ECW and SMW, Sherri was active both as a wrestler and a manager. Sherri however didn't spend a lot of time in ECW. Soon, she began plotting her return to a more powerful position in the wrestling world.

In 1994, she made her return to big-time wrestling, joining Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling as a manager. She switched her name to "Senuous" Sherri and made her first major appearance at Clash of the Champions XXVII in a world championship match between Sting and Ric Flair. It wasn't long before her and Hogan to meet again. In late 1994, Sensuous Sherri became the manager of Harlem Heat. Sherri changed her name again, this time to "Sister" Sherri. Sister Sherri led Harlem Heat to 7 WCW World Tag Team Championships. After three years in WCW, Sherri left the organization in 1997.

After leaving WCW, Sensational Sherri remained active in professional wrestling on a part-time basis. She appeared in several independent promotions and even made a brief return to WCW in the early part of 2000 when she had matches with Madusa and Mona. In May 1999, "Sensational" Sherri Martel was officially awarded the AWA Women's title by AWA Superstars President Dale Gagne.

On March 24th, 2005 on Smackdown, she made a WWE appearance as leverage to a Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels feud, she sang "Sexy Kurt," a parody of Shawn Michael's team song, however when Shawn Michaels' footage was shown, she got emotional, and was instead reminiscing about Shawn Michaels instead of siding with Kurt Angle. Kurt then put her in the anklelock submission.

On April 1st, 2006, Sherri Martel was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Ted DiBiase, the second women to be induced in the Hall of Fame. "Sensational" Sherri Martel is truly a legend and is hands down one of the Greatest Managers of All-Time. On June 15, 2007, Sherri Martel died in Birmingham, Alabama at the age of 49. She will be missed.