NXT's War Goddess takes on decorated veteran Mercedes Martinez for the first time ever. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

With her all-important NXT Women’s Championship Fatal 4-Way Match at TakeOver: WarGames just around the corner, Ember Moon picked up a big victory over ring veteran Mercedes Martinez.

Moon took issue with Martinez’s less than flattering comments about her in a recent WWE.com interview. When asked about who she would pick to win the vacant NXT Women’s Title at WarGames, Martinez singled out Moon as someone she wouldn’t choose because she can’t win the big match.

Martinez certainly gave Moon all she could handle in this hard-hitting contest. The Mae Young Classic semifinalist showed why she is such a heralded in-ring competitor, taking the fight to Moon in this slugfest.

NXT’s War Goddess withstood Martinez’s onslaught, however, hitting the Eclipse to pick up the hard-fought win. Moon’s victory celebration was cut short as Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce and Kairi Sane all came out to make their presences known in a tense four-way staredown ahead of their huge Fatal 4-Way showdown at TakeOver: WarGames this Saturday on WWE Network.