Wrestling / Rick Martel

As AWA World Heavyweight Champion

Richard Vigneault (born March 18, 1956) is a retired Canadian Professional Wrestler who competed from the 1970s through the 1990s as Rick Martel. He started in his native Quebec and competed for WWE, the AWA, various National Wrestling Alliance territories, All Japan Pro Wrestling, various other territories and independents before he had a short-lived comeback in WCW in 1997-1998. He made his PPV debut at WrestleMania III teaming with Tom Zenk as The Can-Am Connection in a win over "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr. and Don Muraco. Among his in-ring achievements, he was a former AWA World Heavyweight Champion, a former 3x WWE World Tag Team Champion (2x w/Tony Garea and 1x w/Tito Santana as Strike Force) and a former WCW World Television Champion. He retired in 1998 due to accumulated injuries.

He was in no way related to "Sensational" Sherri Martel, even though the two of them were involved in a storyline in the WWF.

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"The tropes of success":

• Arch-Enemy: Tito Santana, Jake Roberts. During his WCW run it was Perry Saturn, who threw him through a plate glass door and called him a stooge.
• Beware the Nice Ones: Worked a gimmick like this during his late 90s WCW run. He was billed as a good guy with a fiery French temper that he'd lose in response to foul play. His face opponents tended to inadvertently set it off. In one example, during a match against Booker T., Martel tried a leapfrog at the same time as Booker tried a back body drop, leading to Booker inadvertently headbutting Martel in the groin. Martel lost his temper and worked a brutal borderline heelish style for the rest of the match.
• Canada, Eh?: He's from Quebec City, Quebec.
• Cool Shades: As "The Model"
• Face–Heel Turn: During Strike Force's match with the Brainbusters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) at WrestleMania V, Santana accidentally collided with Martel. Martel responded by walking out on the match, leading to Santana taking the Brainbusters' Spike Piledriver and losing the match.
• The Fighting Narcissist: His heel gimmick as "The Model."
• Finishing Move: Boston/Quebec Crab, Slingshot Splash
• Holding Out for a Hero: He used the Trope Namer as entrance music in the AWA.
• Improbable Weapon User: His cologne called "Arrogance" which caused Jake Roberts to suffer Temporary Blindness and led to their Blindfold Match at WrestleMania VII.
• Loser Leaves Town: Lost one to "Playboy" Buddy Rose in Portland.
• Not in the Face!: The stipulation for a match with Shawn Michaels was no attacks to the face.
• Real Men Wear Pink: His shorts were often pink during his heel run as "The Model."
• Red Baron: "The Model"
• Tag Team:
  • The Can-Am Connection, with Tom Zenk
  • Strike Force, with Tito Santana.
  • The Super Models, with Don Callis
• Underwear of Power: Red in the AWA, pink in the WWF, black with a white jaguar pattern waist in WCW.
• Wrestling Doesn't Pay: "Yes, I am a Model"