Cheerleader Melissa is a professional wrestler best known for competing as a villainess in TNA as Raisha Saeed and Alissa Flash. She currently competes as Mariposa in Lucha Underground, and has also competed in SHIMMER and NCW Femmes Fatales.
SHIMMER[]
Cheerleader Melissa debuted for SHIMMER Women Athletes at their first show in 2005, originally portraying a heel and engaging in a lengthy feud with MsChif during the first few volumes. Their rivalry ended when they came together against The Minnesota Home Wrecking Crew (Rain and Lacey) and they became a regular tag team, ending Melissa's villainous role.
Melissa would finally capture the SHIMMER Championship in 2011 by defeating Madison Eagles, and added a second reign in 2013 when she defeated Saraya Knight at SHIMMER 53. After defeating Mercedes Martinez at Volume 54, Melissa began displaying a villainous persona as she faced off against Courtney Rush at Volume 55. Upset over Courtney's attempts to get her to dance, Melissa attempted destroy Courtney during their title match, which Melissa won. Melissa's heel turn continued at Volume 56, when she grew really aggressive in her match against Kalamity, en route to winning. At Volume 57, Melissa and Ayako Hamada defeated Allison Danger and Leva Bates via submission (in what was Danger's retirement match), but after the match, Melissa refused to released her submission hold on Danger. Melissa smiled evilly as she attempted to injure Danger, which led to a reverse decision, and later attacked Hamada, officially cementing Melissa as a villainess.
At Volume 58 in October 2013, the evil Melissa explained her heel turn by venting about Danger's bringing up an injury that Melissa caused a few years ago. She was later challenged by Leva Bates and ended up winning, and would later attack both Leva and Danger. Melissa did the same to Hiroyo Matsumoto and LuFisto in following volumes, but she was left bloodied in her match against the latter. Melissa attacked LuFisto during her main event match against Mercedes Martinez at Volume 61, leading to a 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match at SHIMMER 62 on April 5, 2014, which Melissa won to retain her title. Melissa's title reign ended in October 2014, when she lost to Nicole Matthews in a four way elimination match that included Madison Eagles and Athena.
Melissa brought her SHIMMER heel persona to their sister promotion, RISE Wrestling, as she appeared at RISE 3: Medic on July 7, 2017 as the villainous opponent for Deonna Purrazzo. Melissa lashed out at Deonna and attacked her to start their match, only to end up losing to Deonna.
TNA[]
Melissa as the evil Raisha Saeed
In 2008, Melissa joined TNA as Raisha Saeed, the villainous manager to Awesome Kong, who was the Knockouts Champion. As Saeed, she donned a niqab and spoke with a Persian accent, and hardly competed; mostly spending her time in Kong's corner. Saeed also managed Sojo Bolt and Rhaka Khan when they aligned to form the "Kongtourage." When she did compete, Saeed mainly feuded with Knockouts such as Gail Kim and ODB, especially with the latter's attempts to remove her mask, which she successfully did on one occasion, though Saeed's face remained hidden.
Saeed's alliance with Kong started falling apart when they participated in the Knockouts Tag Team Championship Tournament in 2009. They defeated Sharmell and Traci Brooks when Saeed tagged herself in after Kong did the heavy lifting. After losing to eventual winners Sarita and Taylor Wilde in the semis, Saeed would inadvertently cost Kong the Knockouts Championship, leading to a grudge match between the two just days later. Not only did Saeed lose, she was put through the entrance stage by Kong.
Melissa began competing as Alissa Flash in the summer of 2009, doing so by losing to Sarita in what was her TNA debut. After the match, Alissa attacked Sarita to further establish herself as a villainess. She wouldn't pick up a victory until September, when she defeated Cody Deaner in a Lumberjill Match. Upset of her lack of victories, the evil Alissa interrupted Hamada's interview and attacked her, leading to a pair of in-ring encounters between the two. Alissa lost the second one against Hamada, a Falls Count Anywhere Match, but she would defeat Traci Brooks weeks later. Alissa left TNA in 2010 and returned twice since then—both as a babyface.
NCW Femmes Fatales[]
Melissa brought her evil persona from SHIMMER to the Quebec-based NCW Femmes Fatales promotion in the summer of 2013, doing so at Femmes Fatales XII in a match against Courtney Rush. During their match, Melissa resorted to various heel tactics, even bringing in a steel chair. The match ended in a double DQ when they brawled in and out of the ring and in the backstage arena, with Melissa cemented as a heel. A rematch was supposed to take place at FFXIII, but Courtney suffered a shoulder injury and was sidelined for months. She did get involved and caused Melissa and Mercedes Martinez (the reigning NCW Femmes Fatales Champion at the time) to lose to Sweet Cherrie and LuFisto. Melissa and Courtney faced each other in a 30 Minute Iron Woman #1 Contender's Match at FFXIV on April 2014, but the match ended in a 1-1 tie. Both women and LuFisto vied for Mercedes' title at FFXV, with Courtney winning to become the new champion. Melissa was defeated by Courtney in a title match at FF's 5th Anniversary Show in October 2014.
Lucha Underground[]
Melissa debuted for Lucha Underground on the March 9, 2016 episode as Mariposa, the evil sister of Marty the Moth, and attacked Sexy Star. The two women feuded for months, with the feud ending with Mariposa losing a No Mas Match to Sexy Star.
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