Rick Martel was underrated.

[Hanzo]

In my opinion, Rick Martel was underrated. Being a former tag team champion in Strike Force, turning his back on and feuding with Tito Santana, his feud with Jake and the blindfold match, being the Royal Rumble record holder for longest time in the Rumble, his match with Shawn at Summerslam 92 (great match), his match against Razor in 94 for the IC belt, his matches against Booker T and Saturn and being Television Champion in WCW: he's had a lot of memorable feuds and matches. He was good in the ring and had good charisma. I hope he gets into the Hall of Fame sooner than later.

[Milkman Norm]

I think he was rated about right. He was a good pretty boy babyface whose work fit that role well. I think looking back on his Model run as an adult he was a so so heel. His promos were never that strong because as a non native speaker he could get that Pat Patterson confusing tenses and plurals things going on. That being said I loved his 1998 WCW babyface run and was sad when his career had to end.

[circus]

The Model was a great gimmick, Martel really did exude arrogance (heh) and did a good job of drawing heat. He adapted to playing a heel really well, the blindfold match with Jake Roberts is a good example; his performance was pitch perfect (as was Jake's). I love the spot where he backs into the ringpost outside and whacks it with a steel chair, haha. That match is a masterpiece in working the crowd. The match with Razor Ramon for the vacant IC Title is also a high point of his Model phase. I don't think he got many opportunities around that time because it was when he was getting into the real estate biz. I need to see more of his tag work in the WWF.

As a babyface I think he's just amazing. Ok, he wasn't a native English speaker but I don't really think he needed to cut a lot of promos anyway. He was a standout worker in the first half of the '80s, honestly I don't think there are that many US/Canadian wrestlers better than him at that time. His tag matches against the High Flyers in '82 with Tito are really good. They work face vs face, the two best teams in the AWA really going at it with lots of flashy, exciting offense. His matches with Bockwinkel and Jumbo are all excellent and he has a very good match with Flair in All Japan. Already in 1980 he looks very good tagging with Piper against the Rose Army and The Sheepherders in Portland. There's also a bloody cage match with Boris Zhukov which shows he could work more of a brawl when he needed to; his selling and fired up comeback spots are really fantastic in that match. I think Martel was also very good at working over body parts, he had a decent variety of offense and transitions and was good at working a sense of struggle.

His run in 1998 in WCW was really fun. I don't think Booker T was any good then but Martel was working hard and put in good performances. Him winning the TV Title was a cool moment. I really wonder what plans they had for him before he got injured.

[lws]

Martel is super underrated. He wasn't the best heel, but he was a great babyface who could build sympathy extremely well. He was one of the few literal babyfaces, where his actual face just looked innocent. I see how his French accent affected him, although it didn't bother me at all. I'm not saying he should've been WWE Champion, just that he deserves more respect than he gets. Lest we forget he was also AWA World Champion for nearly two years, and that was before that company completely went to shit. He also held the tag titles with Tony Garea twice.

[chazraps]

Easily Top 5 all time most underrated. Commanded attention no matter where he was on the card.

I also think of him first whenever someone mentions the Boston Crab. Him selling it as much as his opponent really made it look like death and put it on the map.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Great worker who also had a great range of ability. I think his technical skill probably gets the most attention, but he could mix it up with some more fast pace stuff and even brawling.

Also, it's long been removed from YouTube, but Martel once did the same spot Piper is more known for where he breaks a real beer bottle over his head and lets the real blood gush out. I forget the story, but neither guy was ripping the other off. IIRC they both heard of this spot from an older wrestler and decided to do it in different territories.

So yeah. Aside from being a great technical wrestler, Martel was pretty badass.

[Hit Girl]

"The Model" is one of my all time favourite gimmicks.

[The 1Watcher Experience]

He was also an AWA world champion. That meant a lot back then. I'd say he's a lock for the HOF. They'll definitely get around to putting him in. Don't see how he was underrated. Where was he rated? Where is this list people keep talking about? Haha.

[JTG Fan]

He should have been Intercontinental Champion in WWE, and it's a shame he got hurt in WCW because he was having great matches. Definitely underrated.

[arrogantmodel]

I think he's ok.

[fuzzywarble, squat cobbler]

I love how he and Tito would always go after each other in battle Royals

[jason1980s]

He was a great work. I think if he had stayed around longer (without the breaks), he would be more famous but at the same time I guess the breaks kept him fresh. He had a 7+ year run with WWF and always was in good feuds or storylines. The IC title could've gone either way. Of course, Razor was getting it but (if it wasn't Razor's time) and Rick got it, it would've worked. He could lose a survivor series pin fall and not look like a loser (IMO Adam Bomb).
From what I can remember he took time off summer 1988, summer 1990, summer 1991, summer 1993. And he came back late fall or early winter and right back into a fued or storyline and it worked well. Both he and Jake made the blindfold match believable. With two other guys, not as good, it may not have worked. I'm sure we know it's a gimmicked hood but both guys were such pros, you truly have to wonder.

[CubsFan71]

Should've had a run with the IC title. Both him and the title would have been elevated

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Oct 16, 2016 13:51:59 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

"The Model" is one of my all time favourite gimmicks.

Along with some of the greatest theme music in history.

[Milkman Norm]

But nothing could beat Girls in Cars!

[crowley1986]

Is there a reason he's not in the WWE HOF?

[jason1980s]

Oct 16, 2016 18:05:56 GMT -5 crowley1986 said:

Is there a reason he's not in the WWE HOF?

He's not an agent, WWE can't make money off a DVD, he doesn't have a bad relationship so nothing can be made off of "rebuilding the relationship" reunion on TV. LOL.

[Milkman Norm]

Oct 16, 2016 18:05:56 GMT -5 crowley1986 said:

Is there a reason he's not in the WWE HOF?

Yes. It's a fake hall that is designed to draw ratings with names. He'll end up their soon enough as a opening slot guy.

[Nickybojelais]

Reading the comments about Martel not being a native English speaker makes you wonder why Martel didn't have a manager to act as his mouthpiece. Especially strange considering that during this period virtually every heel had a manager.

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Oct 16, 2016 18:11:43 GMT -5 Nickybojelais said:

Reading the comments about Martel not being a native English speaker makes you wonder why Martel didn't have a manager to act as his mouthpiece. Especially strange considering that during this period virtually every heel had a manager.

Maybe I'm imagining this, but didn't they pair him with Slick for a little while right after the Strike Force split?