Full Career Retrospective and Greatest Moments for Rick Martel

When considering some of the larger-than-life personas and colorful characters who make up the long and illustrious history of professional wrestling, it is understandable that some of the most talented workers to ever lace a pair of boots would go overlooked and be underappreciated by historians and fans alike.

Perhaps no star from WWE's magical boom period of the 1980s fits that category more than Rick Martel.

A good-looking kid out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the French Canadian got his start in the industry at the ripe age of 16 in 1972. He was never officially trained to compete in the industry but had a solid amateur wrestling career and felt as though he could succeed at the next level.

And succeed he did, winning championships in nearly every promotion for which he competed. One of the brightest young stars during the height of professional wrestling popularity, he excelled as both a singles and tag team competitor.

Yet for some reason Martel's skills and accomplishments typically go unrecognized. 

A fantastic wrestler who battled the greatest Superstars in wrestling history, including Ric Flair, Martel created a legacy for himself full of quality performances, memorable moments and an inspirational comeback stunted only by injury.

Now, in honor of his outstanding career, relive the greatest matches and moments with this career retrospective for Rick Martel.

First WWE Run

Rick Martel had been competing for eight years by the time he arrived in WWE.

A star in Portland, Oregon, where his rivalry with Buddy Rose captivated fans and earned him his first taste of major stardom, his career was building momentum for itself heading into the 1980s. His smarts were also evident, having spent time in Hawaii as a booker, despite his relatively young age.

So when he arrived in New York to begin working for Vince McMahon, he was a well-rounded performer.

Working with Tony Garea, a grizzled veteran of a wrestler, did wonders for him. What he did not already know, he learned from his partner. They worked well together and after just four months of teaming, Martel and Garea defeated the Wild Samoans to capture the WWE Tag Team Championships.

They lost the gold to the Moondogs the following March. Quick to recapture their titles, they regained them from the same team.

Unfortunately, they were unable to keep a grasp on them. After another three-month title reign, they dropped the straps to Mr. Saito and Mr. Fuji in October 1981.

With little opportunity to achieve singles success, Martel opted to leave the territory the following April, seeking that glory in Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association.

AWA

Martel wasted little time climbing the ladder of success in Minnesota. A young, good-looking star who had experience in New York and was a solid technician, he was the complete opposite of the type of star that had dominated the territory to that point.

He brought youth and determination to the product, and on May 13, 1984, Martel ascended the mountain and became the AWA world heavyweight champion, defeating Jumbo Tsuruta. 

For 19 months, Martel dominated the territory, the last chance Gagne had of promoting a fresh, new and exciting young star. He worked with legendary stars such as Ric Flair and Harley Race, all the while providing a bright light for AWA at a time when it was getting darker with every passing day.

Martel dropped the title to Stan "the Lariat" Hansen on December 29, 1985. Ironically enough, it was to the same Boston Crab submission finisher he would become synonymous with later in his career.

Return to WWE: Can-Am Connection and Strike Force

By 1986, Martel could not resist the opportunity to work for WWE, a company in the midst of a major financial boom. With partner Tom Zenk, whom he had first met back in Montreal, they arrived in the company and were immediately considered for a tag team title run.

Unfortunately, a nasty backstage falling out between the partners led to Zenk's departure from the company and left Martel without a partner.

Enter Tito Santana, the former intercontinental champion and one of the best workers in the entire industry. Together, the two formed Strike Force, a duo of two handsome stars with one goal in mind: win the WWE Tag Team Championships.

And they did, knocking off the Hart Foundation in 1987.

When the team lost the titles to Demolition at WrestleMania IV and Ax and Smash injured Martel, the recipient of the Demolition Decapitation, shortly thereafter, tensions began to mount within Strike Force.

Martel clearly had bigger aspirations than being stuck in a tag team forever, and at WrestleMania V, he shocked the world by making his intentions to compete in singles action known by walking out on Santana and leaving him to be destroyed by Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard.

The ugly end to Strike Force, the result of Martel's jealousy, ignited a heated rivalry between him and his former tag partner that would last throughout the remainder of 1989.

As the new decade dawned, though, the performer would undergo a transformation that would result in his most recognizable gimmick.

The Model

Rick "The Model" Martel was a narcissist the likes of which WWE had never before seen. With his dashing good looks, chiseled physique and slicked-back hair, he looked as if he had strutted right off a Paris runway and into the world of pro wrestling.

But it was his Arrogance perfume that really put the character over the top. With an over-the-top dispenser in hand, he would spray it in the eyes of his opponents, blinding them and allowing him to pick up the victory.

When he did so to Jake Roberts, he set in motion the rivalry that would define his singles career.

After blinding Roberts, Martel made fun of the popular Superstar week in and week out on WWE television. He seemingly derived great joy out of poking fun at the handicapped wrestler. Then, when WWE booked a Blindfold match between the two for WrestleMania VII, the time for laughing stopped.

In front of passionate fans in Los Angeles, Martel got his just deserts, enduring a DDT from Roberts and suffering the indignity of being slithered on by Damien.

The year 1992 brought with it a program in which Martel feuded with Shawn Michaels over the affections of Sensational Sherri. The feud lasted only a few weeks, culminating in a match between the two at SummerSlam.

Both men were far too handsome to possibly punch each other in the face, though, so Sherri demanded such a strike be outlawed. The gimmick allowed Martel to prove that he was a talented worker capable of delivering a quality match without leaning heavily on the most utilized move in the industry.

He finished out the year by feuding with Tatanka over sacred eagles feathers.

Martel remained a part of the WWE roster for another three years, popping up when needed. A great hand whose willingness to put others over made him incredibly appealing to Vince McMahon, Martel was a model employee.

Pun most definitely intended.

One Last Comeback

In 1997, Martel signed with WCW and debuted on Monday Nitro.

Immediately, the company thrust him into the Television Championship hunt, feuding with Booker T, who was in the midst of his first singles run. Together, they worked a series of singles bouts that helped that title become one of the highlights of that company's shows.

On the February 16, 1998 episode of Nitro, he captured the TV title by beating Booker.

He was meant to remain champion for the foreseeable future, working the likes of Dave Finlay, Perry Saturn and Chris Benoit. Unfortunately, a serious knee injury put an end to his triumphant comeback. When a second injury occurred in his first match back, he made the tough decision to officially retire from the ring.

He would remain with WCW over the years, working as a member of its international broadcast team.