Richard Vigneault
Richard Vigneault (born March 18, 1956) is a former Canadian Professional Wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) between 1980 and 1995 as Rick Martel.
Table of contents |
Profile
- Height: 6'0" (182.9 cm)
- Weight: 236lbs (107 kg)
- Birthday: March 18, 1956
- Hometown: Quebec City, Quebec
- Trained By: Pierre Martel
- Professional Debut: June 7, 1972
- Previous Identities: The Model
- Finishing/Signature Move(s): Quebec Crab, Swan Dive / Catapult Splash (Slingshot Splash), Double Dropkick (with Tom Zenk)
- Signature Illegal Weapon: Arrogance Perfume
- Previous Managers: Slick, Patricia Steinman
Career
Independent Circuit
Rick Martel is from a family of wrestlers, and made his professional debut at just seventeen when his brother Martin,a wrestler, asked him to replace an injured wrestler. Martel was already a skilled amateur wrestler, and quickly adapted to professional wrestling.
Martel wrestled throughout the world, winning titles in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion, New Zealand and Puerto Rico. His first real success in America came in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) affiliate Pacific North-West, where he became a top talent, holding the World and Tag Team titles simultaneously. He left the promtoion on August 16, 1980 when he lost a "Loser Leaves Town" match to Buddy Rose.
World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF)
Martel made a number of appearances with the WWWF, winning the Tag Team Titles twice with current WWE Road Agent Tony Garea.
American Wrestling Association (AWA)
Martel signed with the AWA in early 1984 and quickly ascended through the ranks. Martel became AWA World Heavyweight Champion on May 13, 1984, an honour that many felt should have gone to Hulk Hogan, who eventually left the promotion and went on to be very successful in the World Wrestling Federation. Martel was below average height and weight for a world champion in the 1980s, and the fact that he was chosen to be champion despite his limited stature is testament to his skill inside the ring and charisma. His reign as champion lasted seven months, during which time he wrestled several matches with NWA Champion Ric Flair, before falling to Stan Hansen.
The Can-Am Connection
In 1987, Martel returned to the WWF with his then tag team partner, the American Tom Zenk, as the Can-Am Connection. The Can-Am Connection had been formed by Martel in the Montreal International Wrestling Association in 1986. Tom Zenk was the boyfriend of Martel's sister-in-law, and had been introduced to Martel in the AWA by Curt Hennig. The Can-Am Connection quickly garnered the affections of fans, and they looked certain to win the WWF tag team titles in the near future. However, the team split shortly after Wrestlemania III due to contract disputes. Zenk claims that:
"We signed separate contracts. I signed in Montreal. Rick would never let me see his copy of the contract. I said I didn't want to sign a separate contract...My understanding was that Rick and I were signing as equal partners. And a "partnership" to me, means 50–50...I assumed that, in any negotiations, it would be me and Rick against the promoter. But Rick had worked for Vince [McMahon] before and Vince went along with the idea of Rick taking a larger share of the contract money. He didn't tell me any details of the negotiations and I never got to meet or speak with McMahon himself. In fact Rick blocked me everytime I said I wanted to speak to Vince. So I'd say, yes, he deceived me purposely. When I finally got to know the details, I left it alone for a while so that Rick could dig himself into his own lie. As far as I'm concerned, I was totally honest with him. And it was he who broke the trust between us. It was ultimately Rick, with his greed, who split the Can-Am Connection." [1]
While Zenk was making $2,200 a week before taxes and road expenses, Martel negotiated a weekly salary of $6,000 a week (traditionally, tag teams are paid roughly equal salaries). Zenk also complains that while "I did all the jobs, I did all the selling. He made all the comebacks. Who wouldn't want to hold the ropes while I got my butt kicked. He got all the glory, plus he was paid more." [2] Zenk left the Federation soon after, much to the chagrin of Martel, who was left without a parter.
Martel claims that Zenk "...was overwhelmed by it all. I think Tom, when it comes right down to it, is not very physical. Wrestling is very hard on your body. Hard on you also mentally. It's hard physically. Tom wasn't mentally or physically hard as I thought he would be." [3]
Strike Force
Upon the departure of Zenk, Martel formed a new tag team with Tito Santana, Strike Force, who were never as popular as the Can-Am Connection. Strike Force won the Tag Titles once before, at Wrestlemania IV, in a match with the Brainbusters, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, Tito accidentally knocked Martel out of the ring, injuring his arm in the process. A frustrated Martel refused the tag, leaving Tito to be beaten down and pinned. In an interview with Gene Okerland, Martel claimed "Im sick and tired. Sick and tired of him. Im sick and tired." The former partners feuded for a year before Martel defeated Santana once and for all on November 23, 1990.
The Model
In the 1990s, Martel became a narcissistic heel, "The Model". He had his own brand of perfume, Arrogance, which he would spray in the eyes of his opponents to blind them and allow him to defeat them.
Martel blinded Jake Roberts with his perfume, which led to a symbolic "blindfold match" at Wrestlemania VII, which he lost. He then feuded with with Shawn Michaels, as both men sought the affections of Sherri Martel. The feud ended with a disappointing match that concluded in a double count out at Summerslam 1992.
After briefly competing for the Intercontinental Championship, Martel left the Federation in 1995. He formed a tag team with Don Casablancas known as "The Supermodels". His wrestling career began to slow as he became pursued a career in Real Estate.
World Championship Wrestling (WCW)
Martel reappeared in World Championship Wrestling in 1997, feuding with Booker T for the WCW Television Title, which he won on February 16, 1998. Martel's impressive comeback was cut tragically short when, at Superbrawl 1998, he landed badly, hitting his leg on one of the steel cables that WCW used as ring ropes. He tore an inside ligament of his right knee, fractured his leg and suffered cartilage damage, effectively ending his in-ring career. He then worked for WCW as a trainer and as the host of the French versions of WCW programming.
Retirement
Rick Martel is currently working in the field of Real Estate in his hometown of Quebec City. He will be remembered as an excellent, charismatic athlete with a superb physique who excelled as both a performer and a character. His success in the World Wrestling Federation in terms of title reigns was limited because he was overshadowed by less-talented but far more popular American wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. The WWF had a great deal of top tier talent in the 1990s, and Martel was primarily used as a tag wrestler as a result. It is also likely that, had financial disagreements not split the Can-Am Connection, they would have become an immensely popular and successful tag team.
Championships/Accomplishments
American Wrestling Association
- 1-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion
- 3-Time WWE Tag-Team Champion (2-time with Tony Garea, 1-time with Tito Santana)
- 1-Time WCW Television Champion
- 1-time NWA Pacific North-West Heavyweight Champion (March 22, 1980 – August 16, 1980)
- 3-time NWA Pacific North-West Tag Team Champion (with Roddy Piper)
- 1-time NWA Canadian Tag Team Champion (with Roddy Piper)
- 1-time NWA Georgia Tag Team Champion (with Tommy Rich)
Stampede Wrestling
- 1-time Stampede International Tag Team Champion (with Lenny Hurst)
- 1-time WWC North American Tag Team Champion (with Pierre Martel)
Miscellaneous
- 3-Time New Zealand Commonwealth Champion
- 1-time International Wrestling Canadian International Champion
- PWI ranked him # 48 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003
- PWI ranked him # 70 with Tito Santana and # 74 with Tony Garea in the best tag teams of the "PWI Years"
References
- [1] http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Arena/9893/zshoot2.htm – Interview with Tom Zenk
- [2] http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Arena/9893/bttropes.htm – Interview with Tom Zenk
- [3] http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestling/martel_interview2.html – Interview with Rick Martel
- [4] http://www.dutchsavage.com/history2.html – NWA Pacific North West Tag Title History
- [5] http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/wiamain.htm – Wrestling Information Archive
Categories: 1956 births | Professional wrestlers | Canadian professional wrestlers | Quebec sportspeople