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April Mendez

Redirected page to April Jeanette

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{{Infobox Wrestler

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#redirect[[April Jeanette]]

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| name = April Mendez

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| image =[[File:AJlee.png|200px]]

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| names = '''AJ Lee''' '''AJ''' April Lee April Mendes Miss April

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| height = 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)

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| weight = 107 lbs (49 kg)

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|3|19}}

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| birth_place = [[Union City, New Jersey]]

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| death_date =

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| death_place =

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| resides = [[Tampa, Florida]]

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| billed = [[Union City, New Jersey]]

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| trainer = [[Jay Lethal]] [[Mo Sexton]] [[Azrieal]]

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| debut = September 29, [[2007]]

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| retired =

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}}

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'''April Jeanette Mendez''' (March 19, [[1987]]) is an American [[Professional wrestling|professional wrestler]]. She is signed to [[WWE]], performing on its [[SmackDown]] [[WWE Brand Extension|brand]] under the name of '''A.J.'''. In 2010, she was part of the [[WWE NXT#Season 3|third season]] of ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]''. She also competes in WWE's [[Farm team#Professional wrestling|developmental territory]] [[Florida Championship Wrestling]].

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She has performed for several Northeast-based [[Independent circuit|independent]] [[Professional wrestling promotion|promotions]] including VPW, NWS, and ACE as well as the all-female promotion [[Women Superstars Uncensored]], where she was one half of the [[Women Superstars Uncensored#WSU Tag Team Championship|WSU Tag Team Champions]] along with Brooke Carter, known as The AC Express.

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{{Navbuttons-events-images}}

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==Professional wrestling career==

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===Training===

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Shortly after graduating from high school, Mendez researched [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#School|wrestling schools]], and enrolled in one a mile away from her house, at the ACE Wrestling Academy in Union City, NJ. To pay the tuition, she began working full-time, and became an official wrestling student in March 2007.

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===Women Superstars Uncensored (2008–2009)===

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On October 10, 2008, Miss April made her debut for [[Women Superstars Uncensored]] (WSU), losing to Soul Sister Jana in a singles match. The following night, she teamed with [[Malia Hosaka]] and participated in the tournament to determine the inaugural [[Women Superstars Uncensored#WSU Tag Team Championship|WSU Tag Team Champions]]. The pairing advanced to the second round by defeating The Soul Sisters (Jana and Latasha), where they lost to The Beatdown Betties (Roxxie Cotton and [[Annie Social]]). At the second taping later that same night, Miss April lost to Hosaka in a singles match. On February 7, 2009 Miss April teamed with [[Brittney Savage|Brooke Carter]] to defeat The Beatdown Betties and win the WSU Tag Team Championship. A month later, on March 7, they defeated The Beatdown Betties in a rematch to retain the championship. On April 10, Miss April competed in the third J-Cup tournament, defeating Roxxie Cotton in the first round before losing to [[Bonnie Maxon|Rain]] in the second. The following night, on April 11, Miss April and [[Jay Lethal]] were crowned the WSU/NWS 2009 King and Queen of the Ring after defeating Jana and Danny Demanto in the final of the tounament.

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===World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE===

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====Florida Championship Wrestling (2009–2010)====

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Mendez signed a contract with [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] on May 5, 2009, and was assigned to [[Florida Championship Wrestling]], WWE's [[Farm team#Professional wrestling|developmental territory]]. Mendez made her FCW television debut at the August 14, 2009 tapings under the name April Lee in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Basic non-elimination matches|fatal four-way match]] won by [[Serena Deeb|Serena Mancini]], and also including [[Alicia Fox]] and [[Taryn Terrell|Tiffany]]. In September 2009, her ring name was changed to 'AJ Lee'. She began challenging for the [[Florida Championship Wrestling#Queen of FCW|Queen of FCW]] title, and at the television tapings on February 4, 2010, Lee defeated [[Serena Deeb|Serena]] to win the crown. In the first round of a tournament to determine the inaugural [[Florida Championship Wrestling#FCW Divas Championship|FCW Divas Championship]], Lee defeated [[Tamina]] on April 29, but was defeated by Serena in the semi-finals on May 20. At the June 10 television tapings, Lee challenged Naomi Knight for the FCW Divas Championship, but was unsuccessful. In June 2010, she appeared at [[WWE Raw|Raw]] [[house show]]s, acting as the hostess, and also acted as the [[ring announcer]] at an FCW show. The following month, Lee and Serena interrupted Knight during a [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Promo|promo]], and Lee watched while Serena attacked Knight, turning Lee into a [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] (villainous character). Knight went on to retain her FCW Divas Championship by defeating both Lee and Serena in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Basic non-elimination matches|triple threat match]]. On FCW's 100th episode, Lee fought Knight to a double [[Professional wrestling#Countout|countout]] in a match where both the Queen of FCW title and the FCW Divas Championship were on the line. At the September 2 tapings, Lee lost to Knight in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Lumberjack match|Lumberjill match]] to end their [[Feud (professional wrestling)|feud]].

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On November 18, she lost to [[Rosa Mendes]] in a title match, making Mendes the new Queen of FCW. On December 16, AJ defeated Naomi to win the FCW Divas Championship. Her victory made her the first FCW Diva to have held both the Divas Championship and the title of Queen of FCW. She held the championship until the April 7 television tapings, when she lost it to [[Živilė Raudonienė|Aksana]].

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====''NXT'' (2010–2011)====

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On August 31, 2010, it was announced that she would be part of the [[WWE NXT#Season 3|third season]] of ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]'' under the name A.J., with [[Eddie Colón|Primo]] as her Pro. She appeared on the first episode of season three on September 7, teaming with Primo to defeat rookie Diva Aksana and her Pro [[Dustin Rhodes|Goldust]] in a [[Professional wrestling tag team match types#Mixed tag team match|mixed tag team match]]. The following week she suffered her first loss when she and Primo were defeated by [[Celeste Bonin|Kaitlyn]] and [[Nick Nemeth|Dolph Ziggler]]. Over the next two weeks, A.J. won three challenges, and on the October 5 episode of ''NXT'' she and [[Celeste Bonin|Kaitlyn]] were tied for the number of challenges won. Kaitlyn received immunity from elimination in the poll based on crowd reaction. A.J. was eliminated from the competition on the November 23 episode of ''NXT'', despite winning a competition and a match earlier in the show. She returned to ''NXT'' for the season finale, where she teamed with [[The Bella Twins]] to defeat Alicia Fox, Aksana, and Maxine. A.J. returned as a special guest on February 8, 2011, during the [[WWE NXT#Season 4|fourth season]] of ''NXT'', modeling merchandise during a 'guess the price' challenge.

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====SmackDown (2011-present)====

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A.J debuted on the May 27, 2011 edition of ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'' as a [[face (professional wrestling)|face]], teaming with [[Celeste Bonin|Kaitlyn]] in a losing effort to [[Alicia Fox]] and [[Tamina]] after Kaitlyn was pinned by Alicia. The duo were accompanied by [[Natalya]], who earlier that evening was seen giving them a pep talk about facing Fox and Tamina. Her losing streak continued the following week, as she and [[Celeste Bonin|Kaitlyn]], accompanied again by Natalya, lost a return match to [[Alicia Fox]] and [[Tamina]], who were this time accompanied by [[Rosa Mendes]] when she was pinned by Tamina. On the June 10 edition of ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]'', again with [[Natalya]] in her corner, A.J scored her first win when she pinned [[Tamina]] in a singles match following a roll up.

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==Personal life==

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Mendez has stated she is of Puerto Rican heritage. She attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in [[New York City]] where she majored in Film and Television production. As a tribute to her brother, who was in the army, Mendez sometimes wears camouflage wrestling attire. Mendez was previously in a relationship with her trainer [[Jay Lethal]].

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==In wrestling==

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*'''Finishing moves'''

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**[[Professional wrestling holds#Octopus hold|Octopus hold]]

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**[[Professional wrestling attacks#Shining Wizard|Shining wizard]]

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**[[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Shiranui|Shiranui]]

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*'''Signature moves'''

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**[[Professional wrestling throws#Hurricanrana|Hurricanrana]], sometimes to an [[Professional wrestling throws#Headscissors takedown|oncoming opponent]]

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**[[Dropkick#Missile dropkick|Missile dropkick]]

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**[[Professional wrestling throws#Arm drag|Multiple arm drags]]

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**[[Professional wrestling attacks#Spinning heel kick|Spinning heel kick]]

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*'''Managers'''

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**[[Eddie Colón|Primo]]

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**[[Natalya]]

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==Championships and accomplishments==

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*'''[[Florida Championship Wrestling]]'''

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**[[Florida Championship Wrestling#FCW Divas Championship|FCW Divas Championship]] (1 time)

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**[[Florida Championship Wrestling#Queen of FCW|Queen of FCW]] (1 time)

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*'''[[Women Superstars Uncensored]]'''

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**[[Women Superstars Uncensored#WSU Tag Team Championship|WSU Tag Team Championship]] (1 time) – with [[Brittney Savage|Brooke Carter]]

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**WSU/NWS King and Queen of the Ring (2009) – with [[Jay Lethal]]

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==External links==

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*[http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/m/miss-april.html Online World of Wrestling profile]

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*[http://www.glorywrestling.com/gg/MissApril/MA.asp Glory Wrestling profile]

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{{WWE Roster}}

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{{NXT Roster}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, AJ}}

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[[pt:AJ Lee]]

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[[Category:World Wrestling Entertainment current roster]]

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[[Category:NXT alumni]]

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[[Category:Florida Championship Wrestling current roster]]

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[[Category:1987 births]]

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[[Category:2007 debuts]]

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[[Category:American wrestlers]]

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[[Category:Female wrestlers]]

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[[Category:Queens of FCW]]

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[[Category:FCW Divas Champions]]