Andrew Martin (March 17, 1975 – March 13, 2009) was a Canadian professional wrestler who served twice in WWE (first from 1998 to 2004 and second from 2006 to 2007) under the name Test and once in TNA from 2007 to 2008 where he wrestled under the name The Punisher (not to be confused with the Marvel Comics superhero) from 2007 to 2008. His wrestling career began in 1998.
Martin died on March 13, 2009, at the age of 33, at his home in Tampa, Florida. Martin was pronounced dead after a neighbor called the police when he appeared motionless through a window for several hours. It was later revealed that Martin died from an accidential overdose of oxycodone, and forensic psychologist Dr. Bennet Omalu had found that Martin had severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy, an Alzheimer's-like form of brain damage that fellow wrestler Chris Benoit was found to have suffered from shortly before his death in 2007, caused by repeated concussions and subconcussive head injuries. Incidentially, Martin died only four days before what would have been his 34th birthday.
Not to be confused with the actual tests you do.
This is a Trope List:
- Always Second Best: While in World Wrestling Alliance, he had a couple of losses to Giant Silva, who was even taller and heavier than him.
- Awesome, but Impractical: One of Test's favorite moves was the pumphandle powerslam, which Wrath had made popular over in WCW. When Test hit somebody with it, they usually didn't get up. Unfortunately, Test needed a few seconds to get his opponent into place before he could slam them, and they often broke free and hit Test while he was vulnerable.
- The Big Guy: Test was literally big in size, coming in at 6'6" tall. This was played straight in his run as a face.
- The Brute: Played straight in his stint as a heel. This was his role when he was in The Corporation.
- Butt-Monkey: At the hands of Mick Foley in his books due to a friendly rivalry. Stacy Keibler once joked that she went out with Test because she felt bad about Mick's jabs at him.Mick Foley: [captioning a picture of Test in Foley Is Good] This was the goofiest picture I could find of him.
- Co-Dragons: With Finlay from his stint in Team Big Show.
- Demoted to Extra: When Triple H ran a video that admitted he gave future real life wife Stephanie McMahon drugs and taken her to get married in Las Vegas. Stephanie was previously Test's on-screen love interest, and as a result his push was basically hijacked by Triple H. It then allowed Test to undergo a Face–Heel Turn, forming a tag team with Albert known as T & A under the management of Trish Stratus. Eventually, Test's vendetta against Triple H was revisited later down the line but by then, Triple H was more or less the tweener and Test Took a Level in Jerkass by talking about how Triple H took away his opportunity to advance his career by marrying the boss's daughter.
- Domestic Abuser: As part of an angle involving Stacy Keibler and Scott Steiner, who didn't turn out to be much better for Stacy.
- Finishing Move: He went through a bunch. The Test Drive (rolling cutter), the Test Grade (spinning fireman's carry cutter), the diving elbow drop and the pumphandle slam. Also, he'd been using a big boot as a regular moveset move for some time, but it looked so good it eventually became his finisher.
- Foreign Wrestling Heel: He was originally Canadian and was a member of the tag team The Un-Americans along with fellow Canadian wrestlers Lance Storm and Christian and British wrestler William Regal.
- Fun with Acronyms: T & A = Test & Albert. Doubles as an allusion to later serving in TNA.
- I Have Many Names:
- He's been known as "The Punisher" during his stint in TNA, as well as "Martin Kane", "T.J. Thunder", and "Big Foot" during his short-lived 2005 stint in the independent Italian wrestling promotion Nu-Wrestling Evolution (NWE), where he wrestled alongside Samoa Joe. Interestingly, this was before Test and Samoa Joe wrestled alongside each other in TNA.
- Early on, when joining the WWF, Andrew Martin briefly wrestled under his real name. He made his WWE debut around the time of the 1998 Halloween Episode of Raw is War, which featured a guest appearance by Mötley Crüe. There was a short sketch involving Test and the band during the show.
- Important Haircut: Thought it really happened because WWE became convinced at some point long blonde wrestler was an outdated look. Christian, Chris Jericho and eventually Edge were other recipients.
- Laser-Guided Karma: At the 2001 Survivor Series, Test attacked Scotty Too Hotty and took his place in the Immunity Battle Royal (which he won). Flash forward to the 2004 Royal Rumble where Mick Foley attacks Test and takes his place in the Royal Rumble Match.
- Mundane Made Awesome: His way of delivering the big boot turned it from a move generally reserved for large and relatively immobile wrestlers into a very believable finisher.
- Power Stable:
- (in PCW): Revolution X
- (in WWE): The Corporation, The Union, The Alliance, The Un-Americans
- Punny Name: Two examples
- His tag team with Albert, as managed by Trish Stratus, was called T&A.
- While working the angle where Stacy Keibler was his kayfabe girlfriend, she proposed calling his fanbase the Testicles. It got a laugh, but didn't catch on.
- Punched Across the Room: He kicked hard.
- Put on a Bus: Test was assumed to have disappeared from WWE events in 2007. In reality, Jim Ross announced on WWE Raw that Test was given a 30 day suspension for violating the WWE Wellness Policy, and had voluntarily requested to leave WWE. In August 2007, Andrew Martin had made his TNA debut, identifying himself as The Punisher.
- Sinister Shades: Early in his WWE career.
- Solar and Lunar: His cross logo tattoo on his chest had a sun and moon motif, highlighting his family's Irish heritage.
- Tagalong Kid: From his 1999 run in The Union alongside Mankind, Ken Shamrock, The Big Show, and Vince McMahon.
- Then Let Me Be Evil: In The InVasion Angle, some of his fellow WWF mistook him for a pro-Alliance traitor and attacked him... which embittered him into betraying them and joining The Alliance for real.
- Toothy Issue:
- In The Rock's "12 Days of Christmas" parody promo on the December 20, 2001 SmackDown, he sang, "3 People's Elbows on your 2 Buck teeth."
- John Cena once cut this promo during Test's anti-American phase.
"You know Test talks a lot of trash about America. And maybe he should. After all Canadians get free health care. But it's obvious, by looking at Test they don't get dental. I mean instead of Test going around saying *Big toothy grin* "America sucks! America sucks!" He should go around saying *Big toothy grin* "Please fix my teeth! Please fix my teeth!" - Underwear of Power: His attire for pretty much his entire career.
- Wearing a Flag on Your Head: The "American Flag", only it was upside down because he was Unamerican.
