Rick Martel

Richard Vigneault ( born March 18, 1956) is a retired Canadian professional wrestler.

Career

Beginning

After Martell had already operated in his youth wrestling, he came upon his brother Michel, who raced under the name Mad Dog Martel, for wrestling. In his early days he teamed with Jean Gagné, who had mimed the elder brother of Michel under the name of Pierre Martel.

After he, inter alia, within Canada at Stampede Wrestling, the League of Stu Hart was successful, Vigneault went in 1977 for two years to New Zealand and Australia, where he among other things, wrestled against Ali Vazari, the WWF champion later became known as Iron Sheik.

After 1980, he joined again in his homeland and in the northwestern United States. He was allowed (now WWE) celebrate his first title success in the WWF when he was allowed to win the Tag Team titles with Tony Garea.

American Wrestling Association

In 1984, Vigneault in the AWA by Verne Gagne. This had just finished writing their signboards Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant to the WWF ( the WWWF, who had left the umbrella organization NWA) lost, so that Martel very fast rise and shortly thereafter Jumbo Tsuruta was allowed to defeat the World Heavyweight Title. In the following two years, he feuded among others with Stan Hansen and Harley Race, but also denied fighting against NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair and stood legends such as Giant Baba and Terry Funk against.

World Wrestling Federation

1987 Vigneault left the AWA and joined the WWF. He was Can-Am Connection with Tom Zenk inserted into the tag team. Since Zenk left the WWF already half a year later, the breakthrough did not succeed. More successful was the next tag team with Tito Santana Strike Force. Together they were able to twice win the World Tag Team Championship. After that, the team was split and Vigneault for arrogant Rick " The Model " Martel, who feuded first with Santana. Another program against Jake " The Snake" Roberts followed, during which occurred the famous battle blindfolded at Wrestlemania 7. He later feuded with Tatanka yet, but it was followed by no more title wins.

Independent

After leaving the WWF in 1995, Vigneault made ​​in Canada a tag team called "The Supermodels " with Don Casablancas, who under his real name Don Callis made ​​a career later. Here they fehdeten et al against the Suicide Blondes, as Edge & Christian were known later. He also performed at the CWA Euro Catch Festival at where he challenged Franz Schumann unsuccessfully for the Middleweight Title.

World Championship Wrestling

1997 wrote Vigneault again in WCW. Here he could win a title after 10 years again by defeating Booker T for the World Television Title. Here, however, he retired to an injury and had to pause for 5 months. Shortly after his return ended a neck injury his career final. Thereafter, he worked for WCW as a trainer and moderated the French language edition of WCW broadcasts.

Achievements

American Wrestling Association

World Wrestling Federation

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

World Championship Wrestling

National Wrestling Alliance

Stampede Wrestling

World Wrestling Council

Other titles

  • 3x New Zealand Commonwealth Champion
  • 1x International Wrestling Canadian International Champion
Cocoa Beach, Florida Florida Edge (Wrestler) WCW (disambiguation) Roddy Piper
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