PRODUCE Wrestling is reshaping its behind-the-scenes structure with a group of established independent wrestling names taking on influential leadership positions. The promotion has named Mercedes Martinez as lead agent for its women’s division and “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams as lead agent for its men’s division. At the same time, Jonathan Gresham has been appointed chairman of PRODUCE’s newly formed Talent Advisory Council.
The appointments place active, highly experienced performers at the center of PRODUCE’s creative and talent-development process. Martinez and Williams had already stepped into their respective roles prior to the promotion’s September 14, 2026 MyAEW pay-per-view, NIGHT LIFE, and will be involved in advising on match structure, talent presentation and communication with the roster.
Gresham’s council, meanwhile, is positioned as an expansion and recruitment body intended to help the company identify opportunities throughout North America. The announced initiative reflects a talent-forward approach in which wrestlers are expected to help guide not only in-ring decisions, but also longer-term planning around who PRODUCE may recruit and where it may grow.
Mercedes Martinez brings decades of women’s wrestling experience
Martinez arrives in her leadership assignment with one of the most extensive résumés in modern independent wrestling. A member of both the Independent Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Women’s Wrestling Hall of Fame, Martinez has competed across more than two decades and worked in a broad range of independent and national environments.
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Her championship history includes runs in major independent promotions such as Ring of Honor, wXw, SHIMMER and SHINE. Martinez has also performed for NXT, AEW and Impact Wrestling, making her one of the rare veterans whose career spans regional independents, specialized women’s promotions, nationally televised companies and major streaming-era wrestling platforms.
That background makes her a logical choice to oversee the women’s side of PRODUCE’s talent operation. The lead-agent role is not simply a ceremonial distinction; PRODUCE has said its agents will advise on the way matches are put together, how wrestlers are presented and how communication is handled between talent and management. Martinez’s long history in varied locker-room cultures could prove especially useful as the company builds a consistent identity for its women’s division.
Martinez has long been recognized as a physical, direct in-ring performer, but her importance to the scene has extended well beyond her individual matches. Her career has overlapped with multiple generations of women’s wrestlers and with the evolution of independent women’s wrestling into a more prominent part of the overall industry. PRODUCE is now drawing on that accumulated experience in a formal leadership capacity.
Tracy Williams takes charge of the men’s division
Williams will lead PRODUCE’s men’s division as the company’s appointed lead agent. Known throughout the independent scene as “Hot Sauce,” Williams has developed a reputation not only as a respected technical wrestler, but also as a trainer and coach with a deep understanding of match construction.
The Brooklyn native is a former Ring of Honor Television Champion and Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champion. His career has also included notable work for EVOLVE, Chikara and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Those stops exposed Williams to several distinct wrestling philosophies, from EVOLVE’s athletic and technical presentation to Chikara’s character-driven atmosphere and New Japan’s high-level competitive style.
Outside of his ring career, Williams currently serves as a program coordinator and coach at CATCH POINT and T2T Wrestling Academy. His ongoing work in training is an important part of the story behind the PRODUCE appointment. A lead agent who is actively coaching wrestlers can offer perspective on both established talent and performers still developing the skills needed to succeed in increasingly crowded independent markets.
Williams has also recently expanded his work beyond wrestling through a performance in artist Clayton Lee’s critically acclaimed play, The Goldberg Variations. While his PRODUCE responsibilities are rooted in professional wrestling, his recent work reflects the versatility that independent wrestlers frequently bring to their careers as they move between performing, coaching and creative roles.
In PRODUCE, Williams will now be part of the process behind the men’s division’s match layouts and overall talent direction. The company’s decision to pair him with Martinez gives both divisions a designated veteran voice while keeping the structure rooted in people with direct experience as active wrestling professionals.
Jonathan Gresham to chair Talent Advisory Council
Gresham’s new role as chairman of the Talent Advisory Council further strengthens the promotion’s connection to the independent scene. The former Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion is also the reigning PRODUCE King of New York, giving him both significant industry credentials and a current on-screen connection to the company.
As chairman, Gresham will lead a council designed to assist PRODUCE leadership with recruitment and expansion throughout North America. The stated aim is to put the ideas and expertise of active talent at the forefront as the promotion evaluates possible opportunities.
The initial council membership features a geographically diverse group of wrestlers with experience in different corners of the independent landscape:
- EFFY, representing Atlanta and Florida
- Dark Sheik, representing Las Vegas and Oakland
- Fred Rosser, representing Los Angeles
- Darian Bengston, representing Atlanta
- “Beast Man” Wes Fetty, representing Pittsburgh and West Virginia
- “Gringo Loco” Charlie Santo, representing Chicago
- Oni King, representing Brooklyn
- Liiza Hall, representing the Pacific Northwest and Vancouver
- “Filthy” Tom Lawlor, representing Las Vegas
The makeup of the group gives PRODUCE connections to numerous established wrestling territories and scenes. That could be significant as the company moves into new markets, seeks prospective talent and explores partnerships. The council includes performers with different specialties and career paths, ranging from highly visible national names to wrestlers deeply connected to regional independent communities.
Recruitment conclave set for October 9
One of the council’s first major functions is scheduled for October 9, when Gresham will host a closed-door recruitment event and independent wrestling leadership conclave. The gathering is expected to bring together executives from PRODUCE, ACTION Wrestling, Maple Leaf Pro, Beyond Wrestling, WXW, Relentless Wrestling and Progress Wrestling, along with additional figures from the independent wrestling world.
The recruitment component will have a direct competitive outcome. PRODUCE plans to select two standout participants from the combine for spots on a future live event. That opportunity creates a tangible path from the evaluation setting to the company’s live programming, while the leadership conclave suggests a wider effort to create dialogue among promotions operating in different regions.
The list of participating organizations is notable because it brings together companies with varying identities, fan bases and geographic footprints. PRODUCE’s stated emphasis on recruitment and expansion is therefore not limited to signing talent already familiar to its audience; it also includes establishing lines of communication across the larger independent ecosystem.
A full calendar ahead for PRODUCE
The new leadership announcements arrive during a busy period for PRODUCE. On October 12, the company returns to MyAEW pay-per-view in Brooklyn, New York, for its Season 2 premiere, SKODEN. The event is being co-produced by Karl Fredericks and is scheduled to take place on Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Later in the month, PRODUCE will make its Los Angeles debut on October 22 in partnership with The Dogs, the AEW faction consisting of Gabe Kidd, David Finlay and Clark Connors. The Los Angeles event marks another step outside the company’s New York base and fits naturally with the expansion-minded mandate now assigned to Gresham’s Talent Advisory Council.
Looking farther ahead, Gresham, PRODUCE and QT Marshall’s 1 Fall Wrestling are set to launch a new wrestling concept called ROUND 1 on January 9, 2027, in Atlanta, Georgia. While details of the concept have not been outlined, the collaboration adds another major item to the promotion’s developing calendar and connects PRODUCE with an additional wrestling venture in a key independent market.
For PRODUCE, the Martinez, Williams and Gresham appointments establish a clear operational direction. The company is adding veteran oversight to its divisions, creating a formal advisory system involving wrestlers from across North America and pairing those structural changes with events in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and Atlanta. As Season 2 begins, the focus will be on how those experienced voices shape the company’s presentation, roster development and expansion plans.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.