Melina Perez was born on March 9, 1979 in Los Angeles, California. She
began her career as a model, winning a Miss California beauty contest and
modeling athletic wear for Nike. She decided to become a professional
wrestler after talking to Empire Wrestling Federation (EWF) superstar Mike
Henderson. Melina started training at Jesse Hernandez's School of Hard
Knocks in Sand Bernardino, California and made her professional debut in
April 2002. Many EWF officials said that she had the most natural ability of any
woman who came through their professional school. That same year, Perez
auditioned for World Wrestling Entertainment's reality show Tough Enough III,
making it through to the final twenty-one before being eliminated from the final
cut of the first episode. After being eliminated, trainer, Al Snow, pulled
Melina aside and encouraged her to keep trying to pursue her dream to become a
wrestler. She debuted in WWE's developmental territory Ohio Valley
Wrestling (OVW) in March 2004, where she began teaming with Joey Mercury and
Johnny Nitro. The trio became known as MNM, and on November 10, 2004,
Melina managed Mercry and Nitro to win the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship.
During her time in OVW, Melina came up with her split entrance. MNM made their debut in WWE as a villainous tag team on the April 14, 2005 edition of Smackdown!, and Mercury and Nitro became the WWE Tag Team Champions a few weeks later. Melina made her official WWE in-ring debut on June 30 against Michelle McCool and had her first pay-per-view match at the Great American Bash against Torrie Wilson, winning both matches. However, off-screen, Nitro and Mercury did not get along, and WWE management decided to split the tag team and send Nitro and Melina to the RAW brand. Melina continued to manage Nitro to two reigns as Intercontinental Champion. On February 19, 2007, as a part of her first major singles push, Melina challenged and defeated Mickie James to become the WWE Women's Champion. Melina is the first ever woman of Mexican heritage to win the WWE Women's Championship. She then retained the title in a rematch during the first ever Women's Falls Count Anywhere match in WWE history. Melina is a three-time Women's Champion winning the belt once again in 2007 and in 2009. She is also the current reigning Divas Champion, making her the third woman in WWE history to capture both titles.
During her time in OVW, Melina came up with her split entrance. MNM made their debut in WWE as a villainous tag team on the April 14, 2005 edition of Smackdown!, and Mercury and Nitro became the WWE Tag Team Champions a few weeks later. Melina made her official WWE in-ring debut on June 30 against Michelle McCool and had her first pay-per-view match at the Great American Bash against Torrie Wilson, winning both matches. However, off-screen, Nitro and Mercury did not get along, and WWE management decided to split the tag team and send Nitro and Melina to the RAW brand. Melina continued to manage Nitro to two reigns as Intercontinental Champion. On February 19, 2007, as a part of her first major singles push, Melina challenged and defeated Mickie James to become the WWE Women's Champion. Melina is the first ever woman of Mexican heritage to win the WWE Women's Championship. She then retained the title in a rematch during the first ever Women's Falls Count Anywhere match in WWE history. Melina is a three-time Women's Champion winning the belt once again in 2007 and in 2009. She is also the current reigning Divas Champion, making her the third woman in WWE history to capture both titles.