Rick Martel clarified his comments made during a recent podcast regarding whether he had turned down a WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2015.
On Monday, the former AWA World Champion and multi-time WWE Tag Team Champion posted the following message on X:
“In 2015, I was [offered] to appear at Axxess in San Francisco and [attend] the Hall of Fame as a spectator. Flattered I still turned it down as I was not ready to go back to wrestling for appearances like I am now. I didn’t turn down an offer to be inducted in the WWE HOF. Thank you!”
Martel was recently a guest on Prime Time with Sean Mooney, where the subject of his accepting an induction came up. On the topic, Martel said, “I’m not sure if I would go,” but added, “We’ll see.”
A Model Performer
Martel got into wrestling through his brother, Michel, in the early 1970s. A star throughout Canada, the proud son of Quebec won his first of three WWE Tag Team Championships with partner Tony Garea in November 1980.
As he transitioned to a singles career, Martel captured the AWA World Championship in May 1984. His near-600-day reign was his only run as a world champion. He left the promotion shortly after, citing differences with owner Verne Gagne.
In 1986, Martel returned to WWE, teaming with Tom Zenk of Minnesota to form the Can-Am Connection. After Zenk left the company just eight months after their debut, Martel formed a team with Tito Santana. Known as Strike Force, the duo won the WWE Tag Team Championship from the Hart Foundation in the fall of 1987.
By 1989, it was time for a change. At WrestleMania V, Martel turned on Santana to begin a memorable heel run as “The Model” that lasted until he left WWE in 1995. Though he never won a singles championship during that stretch, Martel had several memorable feuds with Santana, Jake Roberts, and Shawn Michaels.
Continuing his singles career, Martel quickly found success in WCW. He won the World Television Championship from Booker T in 1998, but a knee injury cut his title reign short and ultimately sent Martel into retirement.
Though he largely stayed out of the public eye, he made a rare appearance at WWE’s Vengeance: Night of Champions in June 2007. Martel has since made a comeback on the convention circuit. As to why he stayed away, the now-70-year-old legend said, “It was too demanding the road, you know, for family and all that.”
