MNM (professional wrestling)

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MNM
SmackDown in 2006
Stable
MembersJoey Matthews/Mercury
Johnny Nitro
Melina (valet)
Name(s)MNM
Billed heightsMercury:
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Nitro:
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Melina:
5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)[2]
Combined
billed weight		555 lb (252 kg) (Mercury, Nitro and Melina)
Billed fromLos Angeles, California
Former
member(s)		Jillian Hall (valet)
Debut2004
Disbanded2017
Years active2004–2006
2006–2007
2017

MNM (Mercury, Nitro, and Melina) were a professional wrestling stable in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) who consisted of Joey Mercury (previously Joey Matthews), Johnny Nitro, and their manager Melina Perez.

Mercury and Nitro first began teaming together in 2004 in OVW, WWE's developmental territory in Louisville, Kentucky.[3] Melina, who at the time was Nitro's actual girlfriend, joined them as their manager in February 2005. While working in OVW, Mercury and Nitro captured the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship on one occasion.

MNM were called up to the

third and final reign ended in May 2006, Nitro and Melina blamed Mercury for the loss and attacked him, splitting the team. Nitro and Melina were let go from the SmackDown! roster and debuted on the Raw
brand. In November 2006, MNM reunited for a brief period, before Mercury was released from his contract in March 2007.

Concept

Partly inspired by Paris Hilton, the concept behind the group was that they were Hollywood celebrities.[2][4] Upon their debut on SmackDown!, they claimed to be the "it team on the scene", because of their good looks and celebrity status.[5]

As part of their in-ring personas, MNM had a distinctive ring entrance. They walked to the ring on a red carpet, while members of the "

phallic fashion. Melina had a signature entrance which involved her doing a split on the ring apron—from the floor—then bending forward and crawling under the bottom rope.[2]

History

Ohio Valley Wrestling (2004–2005)

MNM was formed in the former World Wrestling Entertainment (

real-life girlfriend, was introduced into the company in 2004 as his ex-girlfriend, an ally of Matt Cappotelli with whom Nitro was engaged in a scripted rivalry. Almost immediately, however, Perez betrayed Cappotelli and sided with Nitro. Together they introduced Joey Matthews to become MNM.[6] While in OVW, Nitro and Matthews won the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship once, holding it for over two months.[7]

Tag Team Championship reigns (2005–2006)

MNM was called up to WWE's

brand, they defeated Mysterio and Guerrero to win the WWE Tag Team Championship after Guerrero refused to tag into the match.[11] While Nitro and Mercury held the championship, Melina was placed in an angle with Heidenreich. She publicly mocked him and was the impetus for an attack on him by Nitro and Mercury.[12] In July, MNM were scheduled to face Heidenreich in a two-on-one handicap match, but attacked him before the match started.[13] Road Warrior Animal saved Heidenreich from the attack and as a result, Heidenreich and Road Warrior Animal challenged Mercury and Nitro for the WWE Tag Team Championship at The Great American Bash. MNM lost the match and the championship to Heidenreich and Animal at The Great American Bash. On the August 4 episode of ""Smackdown!, MNM defeated Booker T (wrestler), and Chris Benoit. [14][15]

The loss of the WWE Tag Team Championship was seen as "bad publicity" by Melina so she introduced

spin doctor to repair their image.[16][17] Hall got them a cover article in SmackDown! magazine, and began to introduce the team before and aid them during matches.[18][19][20] In September 2005, Hall left the group to join John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL), who had lost a match to Rey Mysterio.[21]

Joey Mercury (left), Melina (bottom), and Johnny Nitro during their ring entrance at December to Dismember (2006)

On the October 28 episode of SmackDown!, Mercury and Nitro were placed into a tag team title

steel cage match to retain the championship, Henry's aid.[31] Henry was only with the group a short time before his contract was sold to Daivari in storyline.[14][32] They went on to successfully defend the championship against The Mexicools and the team of Matt Hardy and Tatanka in early 2006.[33][34]

Dissolution (2006–2007)

In April 2006, MNM were placed in an angle in which they found themselves in a losing streak against the team of

WWE Wellness program.[8]

After the team split, Nitro, alongside Melina, was quickly placed into the

emergency room where his broken nose received 15 stitches.[44][45] The facial injury was worked into the angle, and when Mercury returned wearing a protective covering on his face, the rivalry between the teams intensified with MNM actively seeking to injure one or both of the Hardys, even going so far as to attack and perform a Snapshot on Matt on exposed concrete following a match.[46] MNM lost to The Hardys at the Royal Rumble, and again at the No Way Out pay-per-view in February, which concluded the feud.[47][48]

Post-breakup

After their feud with the Hardys was over, Nitro and Melina continued to team on Raw, while Mercury wrestled in singles competition on SmackDown!. On March 26, 2007, through WWE's official website, it was announced that Mercury had been released from his contract.[49][50]

Melina and Nitro's association began to fizzle out when Melina became the WWE Women's Champion and began garnering attention as a singles performer. Melina was released from her contract in 2011.

During the

WWE Tag Team Championship and the World Tag Team Championship, as well as becoming a two-time Slammy Award winner. He also gained his third WWE Intercontinental Championship
shortly after his alliance with The Miz, before leaving WWE in 2011.

Mercury returned to WWE in 2010, first as a member of

Straight Edge Society, and later began working as a trainer in Florida Championship Wrestling (later renamed NXT). He most recently appeared on television alongside The Authority and as part of J&J Security, former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins's "personal security".[citation needed
]

Nitro and Melina had a brief reunion when Melina made an appearance in

Ultima Lucha, attacking Alberto El Patron
during his match with Nitro, now known as Johnny Mundo, allowing Nitro to pick up the win.

On September 22, 2017, Nitro, under his John Morrison ring name, and Mercury reunited for the first time in ten years at an All Pro Wrestling event, defeating Reno Scum.[52]

Associates

Associates Joined[note 1] Final Appearance
Mark Henry December 30, 2005 March 14, 2006

Championships and accomplishments

Notes

  1. ^ This date indicates their first time teaming with another member of MNM.

References

  1. World Wrestling Entertainment
    . Retrieved June 24, 2007.
  2. ^
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    . Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  3. ^ "MNM". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  4. ^ Melok, Bobby (May 21, 2014). "Where Are They Now?: Joey Mercury". WWE. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Durham, Jeremy (September 28, 2006). "SmackDown Countdown 2006: Johnny Nitro". IGN. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  6. ^ "Melina Perez". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
  7. ^ a b "OVW Southern Tag Team Championship". Ohio Valley Wrestling. Archived from the original on April 5, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "MNM profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
  9. ^ Carrington, L. Anne (April 14, 2005). "SmackDown Results −4/14/05 -Chicago, IL (Kurt Angle vs. Guerrero)". WrestleView. Retrieved August 23, 2008.
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  17. ^ "SmackDown! results – July 28, 2004". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
  18. News Corporation
    . Retrieved July 2, 2007. Using her PR magic, Jillian secured the cover of SmackDown Magazine for the duo as well as "fixing" a problem Melina had with Torrie Wilson, aiding Melina in defeating the Diva on SmackDown.
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  52. ^ Zane, Brian. "MNM back together for the first time in 10 years at @allprowrestling . @legendbaby81 @Thornstowe_Scum @TheRealMorrison @WWEMercurypic.twitter.com/zoeCzkZExw".
  53. ^ "Tag Team of the Year". Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
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External links

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