Rick Martel

photo credit: caulifloweralleyclub.org

Real Name: Richard Vigneault
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 230 lbs.
Date of Birth: March 18, 1956
From: Quebec City, Quebec (Canada)
Pro Debut: June 7, 1973
Retired: July 15, 1998
Trained By: Pierre Martel
Finishing Move: Quebec Crab

Biography

– August 4, 1974, Martel and Lenny Hurst defeated Stan Kowalski and Duke Savage to capture the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team titles.
– On February 7, 1980, Martel defeated Buddy Rose for the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight title in Salem, OR.
– On March 21, 1980, Martel and Roddy Piper defeated Kiwi Sheepherders (Brute Miller and Luke Williams) for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Titles. Martel and Piper won the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles three times.
– Martel debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in July 1980.
– Martel and Tony Garea, defeated The Wild Samoans to capture the WWF Tag Team Championship on November 8, 1980 in Philadelphia, PA.
– After dropping the straps to The Moondogs, Martel and Garea regained the Tag Team titles on July 21, 1981 in Allentown, PA.
– Martel signed with the AWA in 1982.
– On May 13, 1984, Martel pinned Jumbo Tsuruta in Saint Paul, MN, to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.
– In 1986, Martel returned to the WWF, with his tag team partner Tom Zenk. They were billed as The Can-Am Connection.
– At WrestleMania III in front of 93,173 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome, The Cam-Am connection defeated Ace Cowboy Bob Orton and The Magnificent Muraco in the opening match.
– In 1987, Martel formed the tag team Strike Force with Tito Santana.
– On October 27, 1987, Strike Force defeated The Hart Foundation in Syracuse, NY to capture the WWF Tag Team titles.
– After turning against Santana, Martel enlisted the managerial services of Slick.
– Martel would leave Slick, and in late 1989, Martel adopted a narcissistic gimmick, as “The Model.” Martel introduced his own (fictional) brand of cologne called Arrogance.
– At WrestleMania VI at the Skydome in Toronto, Martel defeated Koko B. Ware via submission.
– Martel and Roberts captained opposing teams at the Survivor Series 1990. “The Visionaries” (Martel, The Warlord and Power and Glory) defeated The Vipers (Roberts, Superfly Jimmy Snuka and The Rockers) in a 4-0 clean sweep, the first time this had happened in Survivor Series history.
– However, after a pay dispute with WWF owner Vince McMahon, Martel signed with World Championship Wrestling.
– Martel debuted for WCW in January 1998, feuding with Booker T for the World Television Championship and winning it on the February 16, 1998 Nitro.
– After WCW, Martel wrestled his last match in Kailua, Hawaii for Hawaiian Islands Wrestling Federation defeating The Metal Maniac on March 23, 1999.
– After retiring from the ring, Martel worked for WCW as a trainer, and as host of the French versions of WCW programming. Rick also manages commercial properties he invested in from his earnings when wrestling.
– Martel made one more television appearance for the WWE at Vengeance: Night of Champions in 2007. Martel and former tag team partner Tony Garea were introduced to the fans as former Tag Team Champions. After the WWE Tag Team Championship match, Martel and Garea came to the aid of Sgt. Slaughter and Jimmy Snuka, chasing away the Champions at the time, Deuce and Domino who attacked the legends.