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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →“Sensational” Sherri Martel died in 2007, aged 49, but her legacy in wrestling rests on more than her high-profile work as a manager. She was a champion wrestler before becoming a vivid ringside presence for stars including Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase and Shawn Michaels. WWE reported her death and its location, but did not state a cause.
What happened to Sensational Sherri?
WWE reported on June 15, 2007, that Martel had died at age 49 at her mother’s home in Birmingham, Alabama. The report attributed the timing and location to her husband, Robert Schrull. It did not identify a cause of death, so a cause should not be inferred from that account. WWE’s June 15, 2007 report also quoted Schrull calling her death “a great loss to the wrestling world.”
How did Sherri Martel leave her mark on wrestling?
Martel’s career had two connected phases: she won championships as a wrestler, then used her character and performance at ringside to help shape the presentation of prominent wrestlers and teams. Reducing her legacy to managing would overlook the title-winning work that established her in the first place.
A champion before her WWE debut
According to WWE’s official profile, Martel began wrestling in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in the early 1980s and won the AWA Women’s Championship three times. She also began developing as a manager there, leading Buddy Rose and Doug Somers to the AWA Tag Team Championship.
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Her WWE Women’s Championship reign
WWE says Martel debuted in the promotion on July 24, 1987, by defeating her trainer and mentor, the Fabulous Moolah, for the WWE Women’s Championship. She held the title for 15 months, defending it against several challengers before losing it to Rockin’ Robin. Those dates and reign details are WWE’s account of her career.
A distinctive presence at ringside
As WWE’s women’s division was phased out in the early 1990s, Martel shifted her focus toward managing male wrestlers. She worked with Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase and Shawn Michaels in WWE, and later with Ric Flair and Harlem Heat in WCW. WWE credits Harlem Heat with seven WCW Tag Team Championship reigns during the period it describes.
These were not interchangeable roles: Martel’s associations spanned individual stars and a tag team, across WWE and WCW. WWE’s profile sums up her dual career as being “skilled and accomplished inside the ring and a force when managing from outside of it”—the organization’s assessment of her contribution.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When was Sherri Martel inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame?
Martel was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006, with Ted DiBiase presenting her, according to WWE’s 2007 death report. WWE’s Hall of Fame video documents her induction. The honor recognized a career that moved from championship wrestling to memorable managerial work without erasing either part of her contribution.
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