Try the biography of the fighter
During the WWF attitude era in the ’90s, it was always going to be difficult for a young superstar to break onto the scene and make a name for himself. But that’s exactly what Andrew “Test” Martin did, and this was due to his great athletic physique, along with his ability to make his presence felt when connecting with fans. Martin came to the attention of WWF management, and it was from there that his career turned phenomenal, with fans around the world mourning his sad and tragic death in 2009.
During the 1990s, Test met Bret “The Hitman” Hart and it was from here that he made the decision to start training to join the WWF. With Bret Hart recently becoming a Montreal Screwjob victim at this point, it seemed like he was eager for his protégé, in the form of Andrew Martin, to perform at the company in which he had been spearheading PPVs for the past decade. . In addition to Hart, Martin also received help developing his fighting skills from Dory Funk Jr., who also trained superstars like Edge, Jeff Hardy, and Kurt Angle, who also broke through at the same time as Test.
Test made his debut as a bodyguard, but soon after he aligned himself with the WWF Champion at the time, being The Rock. This was a story that caught Martin’s attention instantly, and unlike the Hardy Boyz who came through the ranks at a similar time, Test was becoming a household name overnight. This demonstrated that WWF management recognized early on that Test had the charisma and skill necessary to compete in the ring with the best. At Summerslam 1999, Test defeated Shane McMahon to earn the right to marry Stephanie McMahon on screen, and this was the first hint that Test was going to be a fixture of the main event.
When Test was about to marry Steph, Triple H broke off the marriage and stated that he had already married her, backing it up with video evidence. Despite the fact that he had already come out into the open for his involvement with the McMahon family, Test was now involved with one of the top superstars at the time, and even to this day, Triple H. During this time, Test He developed his skills in the ring, as well as his skills with the microphone. This proved critical, as he would later become one of the most consistent superstars on the list during the most successful era in WWF history. Test subsequently moved to the tag team division, where he and Albert would be managed by Trish Stratus as they added a new and more powerful dimension to the division that was dominated by the great fliers prior to their arrival.
After T&A, Test returned to the singles division, and was once again very successful, due to the fact that he was someone who could carry a match on his shoulders and still make it look good to the fans. It was during this period that he won most of his championships, including the Intercontinental, European and Hardcore Championships. Despite the fact that he is no longer in the main image of the event, this was the era in which Test proved to be reliable in the ring and on the microphone.
During the biggest story in professional wrestling history, which is Invasion history during 2001, Test returned to the tag team division, this time with a man who had already established himself in WCW, Booker T. Test and Booker. they won. the WCW tag team titles twice, at one point beating The Rock and Chris Jericho, emphasizing how much that management trusted Test at a high level, mixing it with three seasoned main entrants. Then he got into a dispute with Edge, in one of the main disputes in all of history. Outside of the 5v5 main event, Test’s match with Edge at Survivor Series was one of the most anticipated on the card, and these two superstars justified it. Test would get on-screen immunity that night, as WWF acknowledged that having Test stay on-screen for the next several months, before they started introducing everyone to the programming, would do nothing to hurt their grades.
Test formed the Un-Americans with Lance Storm, Christian and William Regal in 2002, and after a relapse in the tag team championship, the stable was soon broken, and Martin lined up with Stacy Kiebler and returned to the singles division, where it was better. appreciated by fans. Test was now a changed man, with a different haircut and an attractive new ring, and on top of that, Stacy had dubbed her fans the “Testicles,” a play about Hogan’s “Hulkamaniacs.” This was soon concluded, and at this point, Test’s WWE career was a dying flame, as he was now working for Steven Richards on Sunday Night Heat.
Like any other superstar would, Test was released from his WWE contract in 2004, but after a couple of years on the independent circuit, he returned to WWE, but this time under the ECW brand. Test had numerous championship games, but each time he was beaten by Bobby Lashley, who was now getting the push. He was released shortly after, and it wasn’t long before he began wrestling for rival WWE promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Martin now adopted the name “The Punisher” Andrew Martin, but never got the boost his WWE career had deserved. In 2007 Martin announced his retirement, and just 2 years later, Martin passed away due to an accidental overdose.
All in all, many will look back on Andrew Martin’s career and although he won many championships at the midcard level, it can still be said that he never got the push that would have shown his full potential. Only after his retirement and subsequently his death did people realize the fact that WWE wasted a top start by keeping him at the midcard level for almost a decade.
I’ve been James D and you’ve been reading the career of one of the most underrated superstars of his generation.
RIP Andrew “Test” Martin 1975-2009.