My all time favourite wrestler was Rick Martel, I thought he pulled his gimmick off perfectly & proof that hard work can make any gimmick be it a good one or a poor one work. 

He was underrated in the WWF and should have had at least an Intercontinental Championship run during his time there. 

Anyway I just wanted to see if there was any other Martel fans here & what your favourite memories of him may be? 

Nov 3, 2017 9:29:36 GMT Arrogance_Personified said:

My all time favourite wrestler was Rick Martel, I thought he pulled his gimmick off perfectly & proof that hard work can make any gimmick be it a good one or a poor one work. 

He was underrated in the WWF and should have had at least an Intercontinental Championship run during his time there. 

Anyway I just wanted to see if there was any other Martel fans here & what your favourite memories of him may be? 

I feel like I remember this thread from the old board.

I feel like the Model gimmick was a career saver at first but then ultimately made him date quickly.

I wonder how well the supposed Super Models tag team would've gone over during the Attitude Era.

As far as titles, it's Baker-blaspheme, but I always rebook the Mountie's transition IC title reign to give it to Martel. Instead of the shock stick, I picture the Atomizer being involved.

Yeah, I remember this thread from the old board too but I'm ok with giving The Model a little more love.

I was a Model fan. He was a solid second tier favorite in the late 80s-early 90s.  The sort of chap who would just crack a Top 10 list. Loved the Jake feud and the Michaels "no face punching" Summerslam match. He had cool vignettes and Arrogance was a fabulous prop. His Boston Crab finisher was hugely over with me because I knew first hand how painful it could be.

Was actually going to draft him yesterday in the fan fic draft before I saw he had already been taken long ago. Yeah, I'm not paying much attention this time around.

🤯 I actually would have been ok with Model getting Mountie's quickie IC Title reign. It probably would have made a little more sense, actually. As Model had been booked a little stronger for a little longer. 

I don't really care for his non-Model stuff. I'm sure he was a good wrestler. It's just that non-Model Rick Martel wasn't my cup of tea.

It's a shame that, just for full circle purposes, the Model never feuded with El Matador in 1992 or 1993.

Nov 3, 2017 12:25:39 GMT Baker said:

Was actually going to draft him yesterday in the fan fic draft before I saw he had already been taken long ago. Yeah, I'm not paying much attention this time around.

🤯 I actually would have been ok with Model getting Mountie's quickie IC Title reign. It probably would have made a little more sense, actually. As Model had been booked a little stronger for a little longer. 

I don't really care for his non-Model stuff. I'm sure he was a good wrestler. It's just that non-Model Rick Martel wasn't my cup of tea.

That would be me who drafted him

Rick Martel had it too good for too long. 2023 is the year we reveal (to 5-10 people) how overrated he truly is.

I will rewatch some of his 1998 stuff, see if I was being too tough on him in real time, or if that run's reputation was merely a pleasantly surprised reaction that overrated it.

And I need 🤯 to watch a Strike Force match, report back on whether there were Tito chants, and if that indicated Tito is significantly more over than Martel or not. 

Baker man, maybe another Martel AWA match if you're up for it.

Spotlight: Rick Martel. A PW investigation. Things will be revealed.

Kilgore sounds good. I’m in. Let’s bring in Shootist in addition to 🤯 and have each of us cover one match from Martel’s four most notable eras- AWA Champ, WWF tag team specialist, The Model, and his 1998 WCW run. Or maybe we can all watch matches from all 4 eras? Whatever works for everybody.

I can cover the Model era, I think he had a match or two with Bret that has footage then I might do some random midcard match to even things out since it's nearly impossible to have a bad match with Bret.

Also, the title vs title match vs. Ric Flair from All Japan 1985 just came up on my Youtube recommendations a few days ago.

Rick Martel in WCW

My memory of this run was that it was weird in how out of nowhere it was. Was a little surprised to find out how well regarded it is, only remembering one of the matches being good. No idea of the history, like why Martel came back, or why he was gone so soon after, so it was fun diving in. Here we go. 

Rick Martel vs. Brad Armstrong: Nitro (January 5, 1998)

The storyline is WCW is bringing in some new names after turning the tables on the nWo at Starrcade '97, Mike Tenay putting over John Nord's debut earlier in the night (WWF might be in trouble, John Nord has arrived). Now here is Rick Martel debuting as part of the new influx of talent to a polite recognition from the 30,000 fans(!) at the Georgia Dome. Tenay describes Martel as "former WWF tag team champion," which took me by surprise. More surprising, no mention of his AWA World Championship reign. I mean, if we're putting past accomplishments in different wrestling companies over, let's drop a former world champion reference, Mike.

The Brain: "I know Rick Martel. We go back a lot of years." Oh, the Brain about to put Martel over big. Then the Brain says half-heartedly: "Very gifted athlete. Very gifted athlete!" It's weird, it's like he knew his job was to put him over, but just couldn't bring himself to say anything more complimentary than that.

Microphone picks up one fan sarcastically Michael Buffering "Let's Get Ready To Rumble" just before Martel and Armstrong lock up in this match no one cares about. Great bit.

Match starts with a great collar-and-elbow tie up. Steve Austin, you might know him as Stone Cold Steve Austin, once or twice put over collar-and-elbow tie ups as a great, immediate indicator of workers (or maybe he puts it over all the time and I only heard him do it once or twice), but it always stuck with me. A weak tie up, bad sign, the workers are probably green, or not good, lower your expectations. A great one, you got workers that pay attention to details, you're watching pros. Say what you will about Martel and Armstrong, but they are definitely pros, no doubt about it.

Armstrong immediately being dirty on a break and playing cocky, setting up basic heel/babyface psychology. First set of offense, Martel gets the better and is playing a babyface full of fire, '80s flavored. It took them about 30 seconds to set up this dynamic, which would be unknown to the audience, this thrown together match between two dudes never on television. Pros.

About a minute in, crowd is chanting for something else, can't make it out. They really don't give a shit, but Martel and Armstrong are unfazed, everything solid so far.

Armstrong basic heel psychology, headlock takedown, rest hold. Followed up by a blatant choke. Schiavone taking note of Brad's new "bad attitude." Next headlock takedown countered into a belly-to-back suplex by Martel.

Martel is pretty much in control after that. His offense: Clothesline off the second rope, dropkick (Martel's dropkicks always crack me up, like, he never seems to go as high as you'd expect, it's like he's sinking in midair, just doesn't have the hops), gutwrench suplex, then a decent Arn Anderson style spinebuster into a Quebec Crab for the finish.

Decent 3 minute match debut. No one seems to care, but sets up Martel to get at least another television match. Nice, humble beginning for something potentially bigger.

---

The next two weeks

Martel had a busy first week in WCW. The night after his debut against Armstrong he wrestled twice at a Saturday Night taping (they would star airing a couple weeks later), then two nights later he wrestled Louie Spicolli at the first ever Thunder (I don't have Thunder on my hard drive, so sticking to Nitros and PPVs). Louie would have five more TV matches before his death the next month. RIP, Louie.

Martel didn't wrestle the next Nitro, but did intervene in a Booker T vs. Saturn match. They did a false title change, Saturn winning the TV title with his feet on the ropes. Martel comes down, tells the ref what happened, ref restarts the match, Booker T wins via Harlem Hangover. A bit strange, an official listening to Rick Martel, like, oh, thanks Rick, who's been here a week, I will immediately reverse my decision on your word alone without consulting with another official, but wrestling logic wise, pretty low on the strange scale. Booker thanks Rick on the outside and Rick says, "How about a shot at the title?" Booker says, "I got an open contract. Any time."

Man, somebody in WCW LOVED Rick Martel. One week, two television matches, already setting up the TV title program.
---

Rick Martel vs. Eddie Guerrero: Nitro (January 19, 1998)

Martel and Eddie are opening this edition of Nitro. Eddie jumps Martel before the bell (obligatory mention by me how 1997/1998 Eddie is my favorite Eddie). Hot start by Eddie before getting reversed Irish Whipped into a corner, Martel with his second rope clothesline, followed up a press slam! Eddie escapes to the floor to stall and talk shit with the crowd.

Crowd is much more fired up. It's the opener, so everyone is jacked, but all the Eddie Sucks chants indicate people just enjoying him getting his ass kicked, Martel a beneficiary of this. The power of heels.

Eddie in over the top heel mode, pretending Martel pulled his hair, getting the ref to warn Martel, then drop kicking Martel's knee while the ref issues the warning. Basic heel move, but Eddie just does it better than most. He's got the juice.

Eddie works the leg in various ways for the next minute. Eddie sucks chants intensifies.

Eddie misses a high risk maneuver (turnaround body press off a second rope springboard, think Lionsault variation), but Eddie tucks and rolls and is immediately back on his feet. Eddie then charges Martel, who catches Eddie and spins it into a spinebuster.

Crowd pops huge.

As Martel is hooking in the Quebec Crab out of the spinebuster, crowd is losing their shit before he turns it over. Man, Monday Night War crowds were the best. Martel's third match back, they're already popping for his (ancient) finisher!

Quebec Crab, it's over after a little over five minutes, crowd is happy.

These first two matches are perfect solid, nothing matches. Would forget them by the end of the night, but perfectly setting Martel up. Next time you'd see Martel on TV you'd probably be like, oh yeah, Martel is putting together a little run.

Later in the night, Booker T. gets attacked by Mortis, Martel comes in for the save and they agree to the promised TV title match the next week at Souled Out.

---

Rick Martel vs. Booker T.: Souled Out (January 24, 1998)

Now we see if Martel can truly hang.

Great collar-and-elbow tie up to start, Stone Cold would smile watching it. Dusty on commentary dropping, "Martel has held MAJOR titles," the first allusion to his AWA reign.

First couple of minutes are a lot of standstills, both catching each other trying something, no one taking control until Booker blocks a hip toss attempt and hits a stiff clothesline to finally gain the advantage. It hasn't mattered to the quality of the match, but Booker is so much faster and explosive than Martel, haven't really noticed how much Martel has a little Regal in him until now (by that I mean moving around like he's shit his pants). 

The story of the match seems to be Booker is just better than Martel. Everything Martel attempts, Booker has a counter for, the young gun is just too big, too strong, too fast, too good for the veteran trying to make one last run. Only offense Martel manages thus far is his second rope clothesline, but Booker borderline no-sells hit and immediately hits his arm twist into a side kick to gain control back.

Weird spot. What looks like a botch, a Martel leap frog that doesn't get high enough (his lack of hops!), so Booker's ducking head accidentally goes directly into Martel's dick. First I thought it was a botch, but it results in Martel playing possum (grabbing his dick in pain) to regain advantage after Booker politely checks on him, so I think it's a very strange called spot? Or it's a botch and these two played it off cooler than anybody in history with god tier improvising skills. Regardless, this is cool, the veteran sucking in the young blood for his first advantage after being overmatched.

Martel is a house of fire after that (Heenan: "Martel has always had a temper, we know that"). Martel hits his gutwrench and his AA spinebuster, but goes for the pin instead of the Crab.

Martel switching to subtle heel psychology for this match, a lot of restholds while in control, sets up a couple false comebacks for Booker. A missed Booker dropkick allows Martel to lock in the Quebec Crab, but Booker reaches the ropes.

Martel can't see Booker reached the ropes, feels the ref break it up and celebrates thinking Booker tapped. Martel's follow up after this (brief) folly allows Booker to recover and regain control. From there it's Axe Kick time (still called its original Scissors kick name), sidewalk slam, Harlem Hangover, and it's over.

Not a good match. The pace just never gets going. Thought I might be hard on it, double checked and saw Diamond Dave Metzler rated it 1 star. First opportunity for Martel to truly impress, extremely unimpressive

After the match, Martel hints at a heel turn, grabbing the belt away from the ref as he's handing it to Booker, but it's because Martel wants to hand it to Book, himself, and raise his hand as the victor. Babyface Martel is such a relic of the past.

Saturn attacks Martel after Booker leaves the ring, Booker runs back in to make the save, he and Martel still have this out of nowhere respectful alliance.

---

The next three weeks

Martel is off television. Saturn threw him through a glass door on Thunder three days before Souled Out, but it's like they're only selling this incident as keeping him out after Souled Out. A delayed reaction? Accumulated damage? Either way, Martel isn't on television again 'til a mid-February Nitro. Where he wrestles twice in the same night.

Rick Martel vs. Saturn: Nitro (February 16, 1998)

Nitro begins with "In Memory of Louie Mucciolo (Louie Spicolli) 1971-1998." Sad.

Saturn is supposed to wrestle Disco Inferno tonight. To the horror of Baker, La Parka attacks Disco with a chair on the way to the ring, putting Disco out, leaving Saturn without an opponent. Martel, who is scheduled to face Booker T. in a rematch later in the night, interjects himself as a replacement to get revenge on Saturn and here we go.

Hot start, Martel hits a pretty flying head scissors, first time I've seen him use it during this run. I am immediately noticing Saturn throws terrible punches. 1998 Me was not judging working punches, I'll tell you that much.

Martel doing some brawling on the floor, does not look in his element, but getting the job done.

Martel tries another flying head scissors and Saturn reverses it with a Stun Gun variation. Aw hell yeah. Saturn immediately throws another terrible punch. Man, I can't unsee his horrible punches now. This sucks.

Schiavone laying on Martel's WCW comeback thick for the first time, noting he hadn't wrestled since 1994 (a slight exaggeration, Martel stayed busy until the end of 1995, but only had 8 matches between November 1995 and January 1998) and went on a "strict diet to get into WCW," and "worked out harder than ever." Just as Schiavone finishes, Martel with spinebuster + Quebec Crab, but Kidman distracts the ref, then Lodi unsuccessfully interferes, then Riggs successfully interferes to break it up, laying out Martel in the process. Flock Power.

Saturn locks in the Rings of Saturn (one of the more underrated submissions) for the assisted win (but reputation loss with me seeing his weak punches). Quick, nothing match, gets the job done.

---

Rick Martel vs. Booker T.: Nitro (February 16, 1998, two matches after the Saturn loss)

Pre-match staredown, Booker T. talking to Martel, making sure he is healthy enough to wrestle, assuring him he'd give him another shot if he isn't ready yet, Martel nods he's ready, and as Booker is about to take his neutral corner, Martel attacks him before the bell. The Brain approves, helping the psychology, "Martel had trouble getting the advantage at Souled Out, so he needs to do whatever it takes so that doesn't happen again."

Martel's advantage doesn't last long, a Booker back body drop changes the tide, then a side kick, and Martel is rolling to the outside to stall. This is the first time he's done this in WCW, he's overtly working heel now.

And a Martel Sucks chant begins as he's stalling. Once again, Monday Night War crowds, the best. Martel has been working heel for, like, 20 seconds, and they're immediately playing along.

Tony and Tenay making note of Martel's sudden change. "The previous match was based on respect after Martel saved Booker's TV title reign," the Brain correcting these two rubes: "No, no, no, no. He didn't save the title for Booker T. He saved the opportunity for himself to wrestle for the championship. Open your eyes! Open your eyes!" Heenan has had Martel's number from day one. This is why he's the Brain.

Four minutes in, the match is very similar in design to the Souled Out match, a lot of reversals with Booker usually coming out on top. Martel is just heeling it up between moments now to change the dynamic. 

In a possible callback from earlier in the night, Martel hits an actual Stun Gun on Booker. First time he's done this in WCW. Martel celebrating, starting to resemble Model level cockiness, love to see it. Babyface Martel just doesn't fit.

Martel fully in control, slowing the pace down with rear chin locks and a couple false comebacks for Booker.

They redo the Quebec Crab, rope break, Martel thinks he's won, bit. This time when Booker capitalizes on Martel's mistake, he accidentally takes out the referee. This prevents Booker from going into this finishing sequence as he instead checks on the ref's health.

And now the finish: With Booker helping the ref, Martel takes control. But not for long. As Martel is running the ropes, Saturn comes out of nowhere to forearm Martel in the back of the neck, Martel collapses like a sack of potatoes, Booker without any hesitation does a flying side kick into Saturn on the apron. Booker crotches himself on the top rope doing this. Martel pulls Booker off the ropes and locks in the Quebec Crab for the win. 

Rick Martel is the new WCW TV Champion. He's wrestled 10 matches (maybe only 6 of them have aired, 3 of them being Saturday Night matches with a Worldwide that definitely didn't air yet) in 6 weeks. This seems even more out of nowhere now that I'm actively paying attention to the timeframe. 

Match is very similar to Souled Out, but improved on. The clearer face/heel dynamics help, which improved the pace, and this goes a long way. Also a couple of bigger spots and a better finish. That said, it's ... okay. A pretty good TV match, which we know Martel can do, but nothing more than that, which is kinda what his 1998 run is supposed to be.

---

Rick Martel vs. Booker T.: SuperBrawl VIII (February 22, 1998)

The trilogy no one asked for, Martel defending his newly won belt for the first time 6 days later in a rematch against Booker T. Opening match, crowd is fired up.

Martel pretends he wants to shake hands, Booker isn't buying it, Martel then tries to jump him again, but Booker is ready. Some nice continuity in the three matches, they know what they're doing.

Watching these Martel matches all in a row, I'm now convinced the Brain genuinely doesn't like Martel. Tenay is doing some basic hype for Martel, just some respectable "Gotta hand it to him, he's gotten himself in great shape for this comeback," and Heenan, the heel commentator, wants to hear zero compliments for the heel: "What about Booker T? This guy hasn't been eating a case of Little Debbie's and a 12 pack of beer every night. He's in great shape too!" Wonder if Martel rubbed Heenan the wrong way in the '80s.

Anyway, hottest start so far. Booker hits a back body drop that is a height that is just a little beyond a normal one. Then a clothesline sends Martel over the top rope and onto the floor. The intensity of them not liking each other now adding an element the first two matches were greatly lacking. Martel's brawling is much better now. He was probably rusty in those first few matches. Booker cuts off Martel with their usual blocked hip toss into a clothesline spot they've done every time.

Martel also bumps much better as a heel. It's exaggerated, but not to a degree that's annoying. The perfect amount. Makes Booker's offense seem even better.

Both are taking bigger and more violent bumps in this third match. Booker taking a forearm on the apron that sends him into the guard rail (in a safe way). Martel working the back on the outside, which he hasn't really done in any of his previous matches, strange for a Quebec Crab enthusiast, but again, he was probably genuinely rusty.

Really back and forth affair, great pace, every move has just a little extra something than their previous matches.

Spinebuster + Quebec Crab. Again. Booker gets to the ropes. Again. But Martel has learned, though, and doesn't think he's won this time. Just jumps right back onto Booker working the back. More great back-and-forth action, one spot Steamboat/Flair inspired, Martel doing a turnaround body press off the second turnbuckle that Booker T. rolls through with a reversal to get a near fall on Martel.

"Booker T. says we're gonna rape, uh, raise the roof." Iron Mike Tenay making an unfortunate blunder. Wish I could see Heenan's face in this moment.

And now for the (awesome) finish: A battle worn Martel is jumping off the second rope turnbuckle to drop a double axe handle, Booker beautifully counters it with a Harlem Side Kick out of nowhere. Think of a less cool, but still very cool, Shelton Benjamin getting Sweet Chin Music off a springboard. This match with so many back-and-forth ends with this counter, a perfect ending to a very good match, and ending to Rick Martel's 6 day TV title reign.

By far the best match of Martel's run and one his better singles matches I've ever seen (Dave rated it 2 3/4 stars, which seems a smidge low).

This was the last match of this run. Martel injures his knee at some point in the match. He needed surgery afterwards, putting him on the shelf until July. I was looking for where he hurts it and can't find it. Just before the finish, as Martel walks to the corner to climb to the second rope, his right knee gives out on him. It either happened here as a non-contact injury, or he hurt it earlier and that was the first time it became noticeable. I'm leaning towards the former. 

So I remembered one 1998 Martel match being good, this was obviously the one I remembered. It was good stuff, 3/3+ star range. Being older, and more charitable, I will say, it's very likely he was working some rust off in those early WCW matches. With each Booker match better than the last, the final one culminating in his best performance, now I think that's pretty cool.
----
Rick Martel vs. Stevie Ray: Nitro (July 13, 1998)

This is Martel's last match in WCW (He'd wrestle one more in 1999 for a small Hawaii promotion wrestling The Metal Maniac aka the third Doink the Clown that only wrestled a few times in the indies). After the knee injury, probably feeling pretty good about the run he had put together, he returned a little less than five months later to try to build on that momentum. Has to be said, he's super fucking jacked. While his knee was healing he was obviously going extra hard on his upper body (with some pharmaceutical help).

I'm skimming this match, I don't expect anyone to have a good match against Stevie Ray, so I'm not about to hold it against Rick Martel, in his first match back after an injury, when he inevitably does not. I'm interested in the finish and you'll see why in a second.

Martel has the Quebec Crab on Stevie Ray, the referee is on the mat checking to see if Stevie submits. Bret Hart runs from the back, with a chair, and nails Martel in the back of the head with it, which the ref can't see, it happening on the other side of his vantage point. Larry Z: "The ref must have heard it!" This is wrestling, Larry, you know the deal. Stevie capitalizes, hits his version of The Pedigree, in his variation he picks the wrestler up like a butterfly suplex first, then goes down like a normal Pedigree, the extra height making it more impactful in a kayfabe sense, but because he's Stevie Ray, this can be very dangerous, and it made it accidentally more impactful on many people in a shoot sense, poor Rick Martel no exception. Martel gets spiked on the way down. It injured two vertebrae and he's lucky it wasn't worse (Martel seemed to land more on the upper part of the forehead rather than the top of his head which probably saved him). Quick research tells me that Martel later said in an RF Video Shoot that he was hesitant to take the move because coming off surgery he didn't want to land on his knee like a Pedigree forces the bumper to do, which makes sense, but little did he know how much worse taking that move would end up being for him. After getting injured, in his first match back, after another injury, Rick Martel took this as a sign that it was time to hang it up before he really gets hurt, and he retired. 

---

Final thoughts on his 1998 run: After only 8 matches between November 1995 and January 1998, Rick Martel's comeback saw him wrestle 11 matches in 7 weeks in WCW, the last of those 11, a very good match (plus the one more match post-injury in July, which it its own thing). Other than the final match with Booker, the rest of his work was like the rest of his career; solid, unextraordinary.

The fact that he looked so good in his last match where he was healthy makes this run perfect to be romanticized. He improved every week, each Booker match was better than the last, and in their last match they have one of Martel's best singles matches. He went out on top. This is almost like dying young, going out with nothing but potential. "If only he stayed healthy ... "

Or maybe if he stayed healthy, he regresses to his mean and the third Booker match is just a fun anomaly. We have to keep in mind how on fire Booker was during this period, one month away from starting the Best of 7 series against Benoit (and the Eddie Guerrero match at Uncensored). Maybe Martel would have never reached that quality again? 

My opinion of Martel on the whole hasn't changed much (a 3 star match against Booker T. being one of his best singles matches ever, not the best sign of an in-ring career), but I am charmed by this run now. 6 weeks in, 10 matches under his belt for a comeback, he has one of his best matches ever. Real life ONE LAST RIDE shit. Well done, Rick Martel. 

Well that was an awesome read I sure love my bubba. I liked Rick Martel in WCW TV title division there while it lasted, but I don't really know why man, it just really worked for me he looked good wrestling that tier of guys in that WCW setting with this straight laced wrestler deal he had going.

Had a busy few days what with Christmas season and all but I did manage to watch 4 Martel matches- 1 AWA, 1 Strike Force, and 2 Model. Just popping in to let you know I didn’t no sell my assignment..

Rick Martel (c) vs. Nick Bockwinkel- AWA 8/16/85- AWA Championship Match

This is from a charity show in the decidedly non-AWA town of Boston. It went a lot like the Terry Gordy match I reviewed last week with Martel locking on lengthy, lazy holds that went nowhere (this time armbars rather than headlocks & headscissors) interspersed with 30 second spurts of fast & furious action. The action moments are good! Martel moves around the ring well and has a lot of fire behind his punches, though he is a surprisingly poor dropkicker. His dropkicks are all floaty and wimpy looking. No BOBCORE I tell ya. Anyway, after a whopping sample size of two matches I am now convinced AWA Champ Martel wrestles every match like the Bret/HBK Ironman Match. Not my cup of tea.

Most interesting thing about this was the commentary team of Killer Kowalski and some guy named Eddie who had the thickest Boston accent this side of the Kennedy clan. Kowalski was impossible to understand most of the time. He spoke too fast or something. Boston Eddie was a casual wrestling fan at best. Guessing he had something to do with the charity organization. At one point Boston Eddie says "On a scale of 1-10 for excitement this is a 2." Boston Eddie is not wrong. Kowalski tries to save the match later on by saying "this match has picked up after a slow start." I agree. Excitement level went all the way up 3!  Boston Eddie would also take a dump on Boris Zhukov's Russian gimmick outta nowhere. Boston Eddie is a shooter, brother. Match went to a weird 8 minute time limit draw.

Verdict- If Bret/Shawn from Wrestlemania XII went 8 minutes instead of 60.

Rick Martel vs. Harley Race- AWA Wrestlerock 4/20/86

Conked out on this halfway through because the sound wasn't in sync with the action and it annoyed me. Show took place in The Metrodome (or "The Big/Giant Marshmallow" as my Minnesota born girlfriend back in 05-06 adorably called it when she was a little girl). What I saw was a little better than the Gordy & Bock matches because they did more stuff in between sitting around in boring holds which went nowhere. Martel broke out his sweet Slingshot Splash, which is a neat little 80s high spot that went the way of the dinosaur come the 90s. Race hit his patented high knee and a piledriver. But it was also kind of dumb because none of the moves seemed to hurt either man very much. Meh. I've seen enough of AWA Martel. Let's move on to the big time...

Hart Foundation (c) vs. Strike Force- Superstars 11/7/87- WWF Tag Title Match

Important match here and one I actually don't remember seeing as a child. Perhaps I blocked out the memory due to trauma?

I liked this 8ish minute match more than any of those AWA matches. Still nothing great, but this was more up my alley, though also not really a "Martel" match. He was in the least of all four men. And his dropkick still sucks! Tito worked most of the way for his team, taking a beating from the Foundation. Kilgore we did get two "Tito" chants BUT I'm pretty sure that was just the heat machine at work since I did not see a single fan chanting for Mr. Santana. It's possible there were some children (these were definitely the chants of children) chanting up in the bleachers, but I have my doubts. Front row camera side was a bunch of old men in suits. Very weird for an 80s wrestling audience. And one of those men in suits was a dead ringer for JJ Dillon.

Star of the match for me was not Bret, Tito, or our guy Martel, but the least likely candidate- Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. That's why we watch the matches. Neidhart had really good slugfests with both members of Strike Force. Tito finally makes the hot tag to the man of the moment after a lengthy heat segment highlighted by the Harts hitting their version of Demolition's finisher. Martel soon knocks Bret to the floor, Strike Force hit a double team bodyslam on Neidhart, and Martel quickly finishes The Anvil off with a Boston Crab to crown NEW WWF Tag Team Champions. Crowd pops huge for real this time. People genuinely jumping up and down in celebration of a still rare WWF title change.

Verdict- Perfectly cromulent match with a feel good finish (unless you were a Hart Foundation fanboy in 87 like I was) but Martel gets an incomplete grade since he logged the least ring time of all four men.

Rick Martel vs. Big Bossman- Prime Time Wrestling 4/9/91

*Gonna get the big revelation out of the way first. Forget what you've heard. Model Martel is best Martel. AWA Martel is snooze city. He has no personality, loves his restholds, and seems to wrestle every match like it's a 60 minute Ironman regardless of length. Model does almost no pointless restholds, oozes personality, and wrestles with purpose by focusing on the back to set up his Boston Crab finisher (or another injured body part as is the case here). Plus his cartwheeling out of danger into jumping jacks taunt is tremendous.

Model is positively jacked here. While Model Martel is already much more enjoyable than AWA Martel, it's Bossman who is the real star here. He moves around the ring like a man one hundred pounds lighter, throws great punches, and goes full steam in ramming his knee into the turnbuckle after a Martel dodge. That serves as the turning point in the match. Martel works the Funk Spinning Toehold for a while. Nice to see a hold with a purpose from Martel. Bossman sells the knee awesomely....until he doesn't. *sigh* One of these days I'll come across a guy fully committed to selling an injury and when that finally happens I will give out more stars than Meltzer watching a Tokyo Dome show.

Things go from good to great when my man Da Mountie saunters out to ringside. He jaws with Bossman while Model distracts the ref. Shock stick to Bossman's ample gut! But because it's stupid 1991 WWF and babyfaces must always be kept strong, brother, Bossman rolls to floor, recovers quickly, and ends up brawling with Martel for a double countout. Martel pinning Bossman after the stomach shock would have been infinitely better than the wet fart of a finish they gave us. Not for the first time how cool would a Mountie/Model heel god tag team have been? Qlub Quebec is no doubt one of my Top 10 make believe tag teams.

Verdict- Pretty good tv match with a crap finish

Rick Martel vs. Mr. Perfect- Raw 3/8/93

Battle of the former AWA Champs is the best match yet. Thought it was genuinely good and not too far away from being great. Starts out with some 'anything you can do I can do better' stuff leading to an indie standoff (should really be called the ECW standoff) which worked a lot better here than in Martel/Gordy since these guys are of similar size. Oh, The Model has slimmed down considerably since 1991. No more Muracoesque physique for Martel. Now he kind of looks like a smaller Sal Sincere. The story continues with Martel doing his sweet cartwheel escape into jumping jacks taunt followed by Perfect doing his own cartwheel into taunt.

Martel would eventually hurt his arm on a missed corner charge. Then Perfect hurts his notoriously injured back after getting getting whipped into the steps and taking a nice bump in the process. Now the match has a focus with Perfect working Model's arm and Model focusing on the injured back to set up for his Boston Crab finish. That goes on for a while until Perfect hits a flash Perfectplex for the 1-2-I'm assuming 3. Did a bit of research and discovered this match ended during the commercial break despite it being a taped episode of Raw. 

Verdict- Best bout yet. Also the best Martel performance. Both guys brought their A Game. It had a story and everything looked good. This 11ish minute match was only a few additional minutes away from being up there with the Matt Hardy/Joey Mercury 2007 MITB Qualifier as the perfect (no pun intended) tv match. If Perfect had failed to hold the bridge on the Perfectplex due to his bad back and they went a few more minutes of Model back work until Perfect countered a Boston Crab with a flash small package for three (or Model locks in the Crab for the submission win) I would have given it all the stars.

Rick Martel vs. Jeff Jarrett- Dark Match 10/28/92

Last minute late edition. Popped into my Youtube feed and I couldn't say no to a hitherto unknown Double J match. Funny thing is just yesterday while listening to Bruce's Survivor Series 1992 podcast in between trips did I discover Double J wrestled a bunch of dark matches in 1992. And now today one of those matches shows up in my Youtube recommendations. Weird!

This is really a nothing match. Martel (who had already slimmed down considerably from his 91 look) was just going through the motions. JJ wrestled like your typical 80s white meat babyface. Most interesting thing for me was trying to figure out what the crowd was lightly chanting a few times. Swear it sounded like "Beastie Boys." "Nasty Boys," maybe? JJ wins with a lousy version of that running DDT Undertaker occasionally used to finish off guys who were too fat for him to Tombstone or Last Ride. Was surprised to see Double J pick up the win. His country style theme here was even worse than the one he used in 96-97 WCW.

Verdict- Only recommended for Double J completists and those interested in historical curiosities

Final Thoughts

The Model- Contrary to popular belief The Model is his best run. It shouldn't be any great surprise that it's his best run in terms of (sports) entertainment. But it's also his best in ring run. Great character work (love that cartwheel taunt) and his matches have a focus. Does fewer restholds as a heel than he did as a babyface, which is just the weirdest thing. Benefited from the more regimented WWF style.

WWF Tag Team Specialist- INCOMPLETE. Only watched one match and he logged the least ring time of the four men involved. May come back to Martel in WWF tags at some later date but first I feel obligated to drop the Blackwell/Kamala and Fabulous Ones vs. Bock & Saito reviews I've been sitting on for nearly a week.

AWA- BORING and aimless. Seems to wrestle every match like it's the Bret/Shawn Wrestlemania XII Ironman. Did show glimpses of potential as a brawler though. I'd have interest in seeing AWA Martel in a bloody brawl, assuming one is out there. But Martel as a 'technical' world champ is Snooze City.

Tremendous batch of Martel Baker. It seems like Martel gradually, at a snail's pace, got better with age. This makes sense. This is how life usually is (up until it's not). But this seems counterintuitive to wrestlers, especially WWF wrestlers of that era, who always did better work at whatever territory they came from. But not Martel. Model>Strike Force Martel>AWA Rick Martel. And it's possible WCW Martel was working his way to be the best of them all (in the ring).

Kilgore keep in mind I'm an outlier. There are a whole lot of people out there who love Martel's AWA stuff. I personally found it about as exciting as watching paint dry. Plus you know I'm a McMahonist for life. It all comes down to stylistic preference and The Model pushes all the right buttons.

*Moved all the recent Martel posts into this ancient thread on the man himself. Probably gonna go back and crosspost all my other Martel match reviews over here as well.

Dec 19, 2022 3:50:48 GMT Baker said:

Kilgore keep in mind I'm an outlier. There are a whole lot of people out there who love Martel's AWA stuff. I personally found it about as exciting as watching paint dry. Plus you know I'm a McMahonist for life. It all comes down to stylistic preference and The Model pushes all the right buttons.

*Moved all the recent Martel posts into this ancient thread on the man himself. Probably gonna go back and crosspost all my other Martel match reviews over here as well.

Interested in PWO types opinion of his best matches, just to see what the true workrate nerds think of him. 

Dec 19, 2022 4:06:27 GMT Kilgore said:

Dec 19, 2022 3:50:48 GMT Baker said:

Kilgore keep in mind I'm an outlier. There are a whole lot of people out there who love Martel's AWA stuff. I personally found it about as exciting as watching paint dry. Plus you know I'm a McMahonist for life. It all comes down to stylistic preference and The Model pushes all the right buttons.

*Moved all the recent Martel posts into this ancient thread on the man himself. Probably gonna go back and crosspost all my other Martel match reviews over here as well.

Interested in PWO types opinion of his best matches, just to see what the true workrate nerds think of him. 

From memory they love the Strike Force/Islanders and Martel/Bock series. I'll see if I can dig up some more details. 

Edit: RED ALERT Latest post over there is a Bret vs. Cena debate with the guy going to bat for Cena. 

Dec 19, 2022 4:12:53 GMT Baker said:

Dec 19, 2022 4:06:27 GMT Kilgore said:

Interested in PWO types opinion of his best matches, just to see what the true workrate nerds think of him. 

From memory they love the Strike Force/Islanders and Martel/Bock series. I'll see if I can dig up some more details. 

Edit: RED ALERT Latest post over there is a Bret vs. Cena debate with the guy going to bat for Cena. 

Holy fuck. Between this and me just finding out their 2016 Best Wrestler Ever list had Martel at #43, maybe I should stop wondering what they think about stuff.

Kilgore forums.prowrestlingonly.com/topic/19256-rick-martel/

Their Best AWA Match poll results sites.google.com/site/chrisharrington/mookieghana-prowrestlingstatistics/top80s_awa_results

Martel in the Top 50

10 Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (9/20/84) 4868
11 Tito Santana & Rick Martel vs. High Flyers (8/29/82) 4847
13 Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rick Martel (9/29/85) 4753
23 Mr. Saito vs. Rick Martel (4/24/85) 4455
25 Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (3/28/85) 4359
28 Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (8/16/84) 4330
41 Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rick Martel (5/13/84) 3864
42 Rick Martel vs. Harley Race (4/20/86) 3859
43 Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (7/19/85) 3824
46 Terry Gordy vs. Rick Martel (August 1985) 3723 (I did not care much for this match. Call it a ** AWA Martel special)

80s All Japan Best Match poll results sites.google.com/site/chrisharrington/mookieghana-prowrestlingstatistics/bestof1980salljapan

Martel in the Top 50

32 Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rick Martel (7/31/84) 4,280
37 Ric Flair vs. Rick Martel (10/21/85) 4,124

80s WWF results sites.google.com/site/chrisharrington/mookieghana-prowrestlingstatistics/dvdvr_1980s_wwf_results

29 Strike Force vs Islanders (10/3/87 Boston MA) 7,707

*Must have been before the Strike Force/Islanders series gained a cult following over there

Also came across a PWO poster calling a Martel/Piper vs. Rose/Wiskowski (Colonel DeBeers) tag match from Portland the 1980 Match of the Year. Lots of people putting over his Portland run (which we totally no sold) in general and feuds with Buddy Rose and The Sheepherders in particular.

I've gone back and forth on PWO and their predecessors over the years. Nowadays I view PWO and all these poll results the same way I look at Meltzer- they're resources. I don't always agree. Lots of times I don't. But I'm still happy this stuff exists because it can serve as a baseline if nothing else.

You don't even have to read, here's PWO's stalwart Dylan Hales weighing in 6 years ago.

No thanks Big Pete. I was already tired. Now it's definitely nighty night time. ALTHOUGH...

That guy does love Jimmy Rave. Maybe he's on to something after all...

Still going to sleep before watching though

AWA World Heavyweight Championship Match- Rick Martel(c) vs. Kamala (w/ Larry Zbyszko)- AWA on ESPN 10/01/1985

Both guys are in the ring and the graphic uses the Japanese version of "Kimala" for the Ugandan Giant. We don't get to see how Larry Z interacts with Kamala as he gets the boot right away by the official, that sucks. 

Right away Martel uses his speed to avoid Kamala's lurching offense. Martel then tries a couple of shoulder blocks but doesn't budge the giant headhunter. Martel runs the ropes again and Kamala impresses color man Verne Gagne with a leap frog. This would only lead to Martel dropkicking Kamala twice to knock him off his feet, Verne is ecstatic. The dropkicks are a little light but nothing too egregious.  They lock up and Kamala gets Martel in the corner and gets some overhead chops in. Martel is then whipped into the opposite corner and ducks out of the way of a flying knee. Martel works the knee but then gets a headbutt from Kamala. Kamala goes at Martel with chops and rakes to the face, then he puts Martel's pecs into a nerve hold (titty claw?) Verne then explains it away as Kamala putting pressure on the major nerves in the armpit, something he used to do back in the day (Verne you dog...)

Martel goes back to knee to slow up Kamala but he just too weakened. Kamala gets a thrust to the throat, another chop then back to the pec/armpit rest hold. Martel tries another comeback with shots to the gut but Kamala thumbs him in the eye. Kamala slams Martel then attempts an Air Africa Splash that misses. Martel hits a slingshot splash from the apron for a two then gets a bit more fire with punches. Kamala goes back to the eyes then tosses Martel over the top for the DQ.

We get straightforward storytelling from Martel in this match as the babyface fighting from underneath. He showed some glimpses of that "French Canadian Temper" Ron Trongaard mentioned at the start of the match. Kamala, was well, Kamala using typical chops and eye stuff then using a rather uncommon nerve/rest hold. Being the savage Ugandan he didn't know the rules resulting in the over the top DQ. Just real basic stuff, quite skippable. Also the crowd was pretty much a non factor which doesn't help Martel's case.

Rick "The Model" Martel (w/ Slick)  vs. Jerry Lynn- WWF Wrestling Challenge 06/04/1989

Just another average performance from Martel. He hits a chest high drop kick which is made to sound impressive (the dreaded thigh slap?) He also pulls off one of the tamest gut wrench suplexes you will ever see then finishes off the youngster Jerry Lynn with a knee from the top rope. Martel did get a bit of heat from the crowd with the Tito chants and Heenan apologized to Martel on commentary after calling him "Lucky Pierre" all these years. Only recommended if you want to see a "before they were stars" Jerry Lynn.

Rick "The Model" Martel vs. Marty Jannetty- WWF Survivor Series Showdown 11/18/1990

The two Anvils of their famous WWF tag teams square off, I have a good feeling about this one however. 

They show a summary of the Model/Jake feud which leads Heenan on the path of endless jokes about Jake going on blind dates, listening to Stevie Wonder and being blindsided in a head on collision, man he was the best. A lot of stalling from Martel with his no punches to the face stance whenever Jannetty gets close. They do lock up and Martel gets the advantage with punches and a chokehold in the corner. More heel tactics from The Model and he drinks in the boos , Martel really did own this persona. Martel continues his advantage, stun gunning Jannetty on the bottom rope. They are playing up how Jannetty's inexperience in singles is hurting him. Martel then tries a knee to the corner but misses, Jannetty then splashes the knee and works a toe hold, the crowd is really into this one, loud cheers for Marty.

Jannetty then goes off the ropes and does Martel's cartwheel spot. Jannetty goes back to the toehold then gets kicked off by Martel into the ropes. Jannetty gets the advantage in this sequence by reversing an attempted hip toss, back to the ankle/knee. Martel then does turn the tide booting Jannetty to the outside. Martel then starts to target the back with slams and knees. After nailing Jannetty in the gut he tries going of the top only to be met in the gut by Jannetty. Jannetty gets in a back elbow, more punches to the gut then a knee lift. Jannetty tries the sunset flip from outside in but Martel fakes him out resulting in Marty hitting his head on the mat for the out of nowhere 3.

Bobby Heenan's commentary and the crowd were the stars of this match. Both Martel and Jannetty played their roles well but another match that is just sort of there nothing overly exciting then a kind of lame finish.

I will still stand by that Martel is underrated when it came to adapting to McManhonland from the frozen tundra of the AWA. Pat Patterson and Vince were on their game when they picked him for that character. In ring wise though, PWO notwithstanding, overrated as he didn't seem to push himself with his ring work. He did enough to get by and to get a rection from the crowd as a heel and neither stunk the joint out nor stole the show.. As a babyface though it was pretty much crickets in that first match. He did have a little bit of fire against Kamala but the crowd could care less. 5 to 7/10 across the board on the Bret Hart Scale.

The big winner of our Martel investigation thus far is Nick Bockwinkel, having so many well regarded matches against somebody that seemingly has had few against anyone else.

Dec 20, 2022 3:12:38 GMT Shootist said:

Kamala goes at Martel with chops and rakes to the face, then he puts Martel's pecs into a nerve hold (titty claw?) Verne then explains it away as Kamala putting pressure on the major nerves in the armpit, something he used to do back in the day (Verne you dog...)

Gold. I reviewed that Martel/Kamala match a few months back. Thought it had great potential with Kamala's wounded wheel, but didn't live up to that potential and ultimately settled into another AWA Martel ** special.
===========
Rick Martel vs. Hercules- Prime Time Wrestling 6/18/90

Commentary is provided by Sean Mooney & Lord Alfred Hayes. I like Herc's Benito Santiago theme (long story). 

We begin with a pose off. Model gets booed. Herc is cheered. The heat machine may have been in effect. Sore loser Martel sucker punches Herc in the face. Then we get more punches. Martel throws Herc out of the ring. Model is aggressive today. His aggressiveness continues as he stomps on Herc's head a bunch of times from the apron.  Look, I'm not going to suddenly put Martel in the same class as Barry Windham, but I do appreciate the way he wrestles completely different as a heel than he did as a face. Versatility point for Martel. His aggressiveness backfires when Herc dodges a clothesline on the floor causing Martel's arm to hit the post. This gives the match a hook as Herc capitalizes on Martel's wounded wing with armwork once they're back in the ring. This goes on for a while. Martel comes back without selling the arm much. Model sprays Arrogance in Herc's face as the easily distracted ref is busy tying his shoe or something. Herc rolls out of the ring holding his eyes and gets counted out because 1990 wrestling. Did WWF really have to protect Hercules in 1990? I think not. Model lays the boots to a blinded Herc after the match until Paul Roma makes the save. Commentary team is like "when did Herc & Roma become friends?" Of course we know this is the build to Power & Glory. Minor historical significance half point.

Verdict- Basic heel vs. face tv match which failed to capitalize on its hook and had a lame finish. *

Rick Martel (c) vs. Boris Zhukov- AWA Winnipeg House Show 11/14/85- AWA Championship Cage Match

The other day I mentioned having interest in watching a Martel AWA brawl. All the Hansen matches I could find were clipped. So we have to settle for a bout with  Boris Zhukov. He has to be one of the more obscure mainstream wrestlers of his era. Dude had a 3 1/2 year run during a WWF boom period! Yet this is one of the only times I have written about him in my 10 glorious years on PW. I, like many fans, remember him mainly for having a big head.

Y'know Martel was always in good shape. He's more Bruno or young Zbyszko than 1988 Muraco here, but he still looks like a right proper pro wrestler. Martel starts off fast and furious with punches. AWA Martel tends to wrestle southpaw. In WWF he wrestled as a righty. Commentary during the Herc match said Martel was ambidextrous and I'm beginning to believe that was a shoot. Anyway, both guys try throwing the other into the cage a few times only to have it blocked until Zhukov finally scores. Martel wears the crimson mask. Big Head Boris targets the wound with punches, biting, and even a (lackluster) piledriver. He also slips in two nice lefty clotheslines. First match yet with pro-Martel chants as we get some "Rick" chants while the evil Russian works over a Canadian in Winnipeg. Martel eventually gets payback by throwing Boris into the cage. Now Zhukov is wearing the crimson mask and it's Martel working the wound of his former tormenter. 

Zhukov was less terrible than expected (to be fair I was expecting a proto-Mideon) but did have two iffy (no)sells. First he more or less no sold 10 punches in the corner and then he annoyed me by getting up from something else too quickly. Anyway, this match was going along quite nicely in a solid but unspectacular poor man's Flair/R. Garvin sort of way. The best AWA Martel match I had seen yet. Until we get the worst finish in a series full of bad finishes. Zhukov goes up top. Special guest referee John Ferguson, whom commentary informs us was a former NHL player now serving as GM of the Winnipeg Jets (I'm sure Shootist can tell us more about this guy), shakes the ropes FOR NO REASON causing Zhukov to fall off. He then quick counts Zhukov after 12 previous minutes of sloooooow counting to give Martel a SUPER cheap victory.  So the ref just screwed the heel for no reason (Zhukov never bullied or attacked him) to give the babyface champ a super cheap victory. Who booked this crap? Verne deserved to go out of business!

Verdict- Was shaping up to be a solid meat and potatoes cage match following all the 'rules' of 80s wrestling until the unforgivable finish knocks it down a notch. **1/2. Still Martel's best AWA showing yet. As expected he was much better as a gutsy brawling babyface than as the boring technician with a penchant for slapping on long holds that go nowhere. 

John Ferguson was the enforcer for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1960's and my dad being a Leafs fan at the time was not a fan, that's all I know about his playing days. He was upper management with the Jets and Ottawa Senators by the time I got into hockey. According to wiki he got into a fight 11 seconds into his NHL career with fellow tough guy "Terrible" Ted Green and beat his ass, impressive. It would be perfectly in character for Fergie to blatantly break the rules for the hometown crowd and make them go home happy.

Also impressive that Martel and Zhukov had a decent match. I cringed when I read that pairing. I still might tackle the big champ vs champ match vs Flair later.

Dec 21, 2022 1:16:21 GMT Shootist said:

John Ferguson was the enforcer for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1960's and my dad being a Leafs fan at the time was not a fan, that's all I know about his playing days. He was upper management with the Jets and Ottawa Senators by the time I got into hockey. According to wiki he got into a fight 11 seconds into his NHL career with fellow tough guy "Terrible" Ted Green and beat his ass, impressive. It would be perfectly in character for Fergie to blatantly break the rules for the hometown crowd and make them go home happy.

Also impressive that Martel and Zhukov had a decent match. I cringed when I read that pairing. I still might tackle the big champ vs champ match vs Flair later.

Thanks for the Ferguson info. My knowledge of hockey enforcers goes Bob Probert-Tie Domi-Robbie(?) Ray. And that's about it.

lol I was dreading it too! Seeing the name Boris Zhukov does not exactly inspire confidence. Would have been much happier finding a Martel/Hansen match in full. It really wasn't bad though. Basic as can be. It was mostly heads getting slammed into cages followed by punches to flesh wounds. But I like that sort of thing! As I said, poor man's Flair/R. Garvin with a crap finish. You can do a lot worse than that.

AWA Heavyweight Championship Match: Rick Martel vs Nick Bockwinkel (09/20/1984)

This is the greatest Rick Martel AWA match (according to the lunatics at PWO). Going straight to the best. Will watch no more.

But before I watch the match, I gotta talk about this promo from three weeks prior, Bockwinkel and Martel standing together, reacting to the news of the match being made. How do they feel about this announcement?

The Promo

NICK BOCKWINKEL: I have been waiting for quite some time. One thing that Mr. Martel knows, as he stands here and listens to me talk; He knows that for all he's gone through, all the times he defened the Heavyweight Championship of the World, he knows, no man knows that whole scene, the agony and the ecstasy, better than me. Simply because I went throught it longer. He also knows another thing; There's no one who has more desire. Just because I lost the title doesn't mean I've quit and gone home and cried. No. Quite to the contrary. I have all the desire in the world. And there is nothing I want more than to take that title back along the waist it belongs to.

Nick doing his typical high school English teacher talking shit type promo, always solid. Then here comes Martel with:

RICK MARTEL: I don't like this situation one bit! I know that this man has been promised a shot at the World Championship Title, but the Championship Committee knows how much I've been traveling the past few weeks. And past few months! I just had this hard match against Jimmy Garvin (Bockwinkel starts to smirk). Now right back, I have to defend the title against this man Nick Bockwinkel! Everybody knows how this man has been behaving since he lost the World Title. He's a madman. And I don't know what this man is going to do in the ring! And I only have three weeks to prepare!

Martel is acting like a crybaby heel! This is insane. Why would they book their babyface champion this way? Martel keeps going, tripping on a lot of words, Nick smirking every time. Can't help but assume Nick told Verne, "The kid isn't ready yet," and every time Martel fucks up, he's performatively smiling directly to Verne as an "I told you so." Martel just doesn't have the juice and Bockwinkel knows it.

After Martel finally finishes, Bockwinkel, cool as ice, simply says to Martel, "You seem upset already. That's perfectly alright with me." And walks away. Bad motherfucker.

The Match

Billy Robinson on commentary, sort of a Lord Alfred Hayes in WWF commentary figure, a wrestling as sport pyschology presence. Mr. Saito in the ring as Bockwinkel's Second (they make mention that Bobby Heenan is "no longer here"), just for the ref to send Saito to the back for a pre-match pop.

Three super intense collar-and-elbow tie ups, 8 out of 10 on the STONE COLD AW HELL YEAH scale, before Bock finally pushes Martel into the corner to take some cheap shots of the break with stiff forearms to the chest.

First off, gotta say, I love the way Bock moves around in the ring. Because he looks 75 years old, you expect a slow old man, but he has these really athletic bursts of violent movement which makes everything look legit. Something as simple as an Irish Whip, he makes look as heavy as lifting someone, which it would be if it were a shoot move! He's loading up and shifting his weight just to get Martel moving, then he really snaps off the release as Martel picks up speed and goes running into the ropes. Why talk this much about a fucking Irish Whip? This is just to illuminate that everything Nick Bockwinkel does in the ring is just as detailed.

Less than a minute into the match, and after a snapmare, Bock goes for a cover. Love this as part of heel psychology when they're chasing for a title. Any chance to pin the opponent, take it.

It's only about 90 seconds, but Bockwinkel off to a hot start taking it to Martel until he throws Martel into the corner, goes for a flying knee, Martel ducks and Bock goes knee first into the turnbuckle. Bock sells it like his knee has exploded and Martel capitalizes by isolating the part.

This is what Baker was talking about with (bad) babyface Martel. Martel is doing boring limbwork, and the crowd, which was really hot to start, is out of it now. Bock, the pro, starts doing some wimpy begging to get Martel to stop, just to get the crowd back in it and pop for Martel's lameass limb work. Martel drawing accidental heat, so Bock knows he has to draw intentional heat to get it back on him. The weight this man carries.

After 5 minutes of limb work by Martel(!), Bock finally stops Martel with a kick to the ribs that Martel sells like a rib has been broken. Bock keeps selling his knee during his dominance. He'll have Martel in the corner, then his knee will give out, but Bock will get back up, and start laying it on Martel again, who is even more hurt with rib injury. Bock even does a spot he did earlier in the match (Irish Whip Martel and knee him in the midsection), but this time around hurts himself too by using the injured knee. Every time, Bock recovers first, his knee injury, not quite as bad as Martel's rib injury.

This is the motif of the next few minutes of the match, Bock eventually throwing Martel outside and keeping him out there; Martel will try to get back in and Bock will kick him out. Until .. Martel grabs Bock's leg, drags him to the post, and slams the injured knee into the post a few times.

It ends up being a false comback as once back in the ring, Bock quickly regains advantage (still selling his knee though!). Cool moment where Bock has Martel in a hand-and-arm grip, which Billy Robinson immediately explains: "Bockwinkel can turn this into a sleeper, but he's choosing to stretch Martel instead, specifically Martel's ribs." Sure enough, that's what Bock is doing. It's an abdominal stretch type spot, every time the ref checks on Martel to see if he gives up, Bock does short punches into the rib on the opposite side. How does Martel get out of this move? He starts punching Bock in the knee. Great stuff.

Next few minutes are a nice back-and-forth. Bock working the ribs, Martel gains advantage and works the knee, Bock regains advantage and back to working the ribs, and so on. Dueling body part work. Taking note of a Bockwinkel back drop on Martel, it's like his Irish Whip, he makes it seem extra laborious to pull it off, it's a struggle to send Martel over the top, he grunts, the man really makes everything look good.

Rocky II finish (double knockout punch where they both go down, Bock falls twice trying to get back up, his heel delayed fall has him falling flat on his ass instead of the Valentine/Flair faceplant).

Cool spot where Martel goes to the apron to do a slingshot splash back into the ring, but Bockwinkel gets his knees up right into Martel's injured ribs. Bockwinkel for the pin! Martel, like a wimp, gets a foot on the rope. Man, this dude sucks as a babyface.

After trading a couple of nearfalls, here comes the 1980s referee bump. Martel immediately gets Bock in the Quebec Crab. Mr. Saito comes to the ring (slow as shit, come on, dude), throws salt in Martel's eyes. Bock gets up, bodyslams Martel, ref does the slow count.

1.

2.

3.

Nick Bockwinkel is the new AWA Champion.

For 30 seconds. Referees reverse the call, Martel keeps the belt via DQ.

Final Verdict: This is a great match, although I like it a little less than its reputation (Would have liked to see one extra gear before the lame finish). Some of the best duel selling I've ever seen. Bock, man, every time he would get off the mat, he'd get up on his good leg first. This dude is just locked into all the details. Martel is, predictably, not as good at selling as Bock, but he's good! To call this a broom stick match for Bock would be unfair to Martel, but it is closer to a broom stick match for Bockwinkel than a great performance from Martel. There's a reason all of Martel's best matches are against Bockwinkel. That said, best Martel match I've seen, but still am not overly impressed. Martel is just a bad babyface, but Bockwinkel was in god mode having classics with him. 

If nothing else I love how our little project has effectively killed the idea of Martel as this great babyface. That Martel promo looks horrible! It's something a great heel like JBL or Zbyszko would say to get heat. Switch the names out for 04-05 wrestlers and I'm pretty sure that was a JBL promo! And of course the crowd killing holds once again rear their ugly head. So far the Zhukov match is the only one where I could kinda sorta see where the Rick Martel=Great Babyface people are coming from. 

Pretty sure I'm done with Martel for the time being as well. Of course I thought the same thing two days ago. Coincidentally my next match review will involve Bock & Saito. 

Look at this shit, Baker!

I've seen enough, too. Stand by Martel being overrated. Feel vindicated watching this stuff. 

Wow. You weren't kidding. Just watched Bock own Rick "The Whiner" Martel.

Dec 21, 2022 3:23:54 GMT Kilgore said:

Look at this shit, Baker !

I've seen enough, too. Stand by Martel being overrated. Feel vindicated watching this stuff. 

Bizzare, no wonder the fans weren't drawn to Martel as a babyface.

As much as we praise Flair, Rock, Austin, Dusty etc. for their promo work Bockwinkel and Ernie Ladd you can put on a 12 hour loop of promos and I would be set. They just have a unique approach and cadence from everyone else. Bock is as smooth as they come, I've even seen Flair stumble over his words a few times but never Bock.