Rick Martel

Richard Vigneault
Data
Ring name	Rick Martel, The Model
height	183 cm
Fighting weight	107 kg
birth	March 18, 1956 Quebec City , Quebec
Announced from	Cocoa Beach , Florida
Trained by	Pierre Martel
debut	June 7, 1972
retirement	March 20, 1999

Richard Vigneault (born March 18, 1956 ) is a retired Canadian wrestler , better known as Rick Martel . Vigneault performed for the largest wrestling organizations in North America for over 25 years and held numerous titles. He had his greatest successes in the American Wrestling Association and the market leader World Wrestling Federation (now WWE).

Career

Beginning

After Vigneault had already wrestled in his youth , he came to wrestling through his brother Michel, who competed under the name Mad Dog Martel . In his early days he teamed up with Jean Gagné, who had already played Michel's older brother under the name Pierre Martel .

After traveling within Canada a. a. at Stampede Wrestling , the league of Stu Hart was successful, Vigneault went to New Zealand and Australia for two years in 1977 where he a. a. wrestled against Ali Vazari , who later became WWF Champion as Iron Sheik .

After 1980 he performed again in his homeland and in the Northwest of the USA. He was also able to celebrate his first title successes in the WWF (now WWE ) when he won the tag team titles twice with Tony Garea .

American Wrestling Association

In 1984 moved Vigneault in the AWA by Verne Gagne . At that time, they had just lost their figureheads Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant to the WWF (the WWWF, which had left the NWA umbrella organization ), so Martel rose very quickly and shortly afterwards was able to defeat Jumbo Tsuruta for the World Heavyweight Title. In the following two years he feuded a. a. with Stan Hansen and Harley Race , but also fought against NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair and faced legends like Giant Baba and Terry Funk .

World Wrestling Federation

In 1987 Vigneault left the AWA and switched to the WWF. There he was put in the Can-Am Connection tag team with Tom Zenk . Since Zenk left the WWF six months later, the breakthrough did not succeed. The next Tag Team Strike Force with Tito Santana was more successful . Together they won the World Tag Team Title. The team was then split and Vigneault became the arrogant Rick "The Model" Martel , who initially feuded with Santana. Another program against Jake "The Snake" Roberts followed, during which the well-known match at Wrestlemania 7 was blindfolded . He later feuded with Tatanka , but no title wins followed.

Independent

After leaving WWF in 1995, Vigneault formed a tag team in Canada called "The Super Models" with Don Casablancas, who later made a career under his real name, Don Callis . Here they feuded u. a. against the Suicide Blondes , later known as Edge & Christian . He also competed at the CWA Euro Catch Festival , where he unsuccessfully challenged Franz Schumann for the middleweight title.

World Championship Wrestling

In 1997 Vigneault signed again with the WCW . Here he was able to win a title again after ten years by defeating Booker T. for the World Television Title. However, he sustained an injury and had to take a five-month break. Shortly after his return, a neck injury put an end to his career. Afterwards he worked for the WCW as a trainer and moderated the French language edition of the WCW programs.

On March 20, 1999, Vigneault played his last match in Hawaii.

successes

American Wrestling Association

• 1 × AWA World Heavyweight Champion

World Wrestling Federation

• 3 × WWF World Tag Team Champion (2 × with Tony Garea , 1 × with Tito Santana )

World Championship Wrestling

• 1 × WCW World Television Champion

National Wrestling Alliance

• 1 × NWA Pacific North-West Heavyweight Champion (March 22, 1980 - August 16, 1980)
• 3 × NWA Pacific North-West Tag Team Champion (with Roddy Piper )
• 1 × NWA Canadian Tag Team Champion (with Roddy Piper)
• 1 × NWA Georgia Tag Team Champion (with Tommy Rich )
• 1 × NWA North American Heavyweight Champion (Hawaii version)

Stampede wrestling

• 1 × Stampede International Tag Team Champion (with Lenny Hurst )

World Wrestling Council

• 1 × WWC North American Tag Team Champion (with Pierre Martel)

Other titles

• 3 × New Zealand Commonwealth Champion
• 1 × International Wrestling Canadian International Champion

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestling/martel_interview2.html
2. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from January 13, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ cagematch.de match statistics Rick Martel