Wrestler Andrew Martin (Test) is dead
Professional wrestler Andrew Martin, who played the Test character in the WWF in the late 1990’s was found dead in Tampa. He was 33, and died right before his 34th birthday.
The newswires are saying “former pro wrestler” because Martin announced his “retirement” in 2007, and said he would do one more tour in 2008 and then step away and not be a wrestler who “despite talk of retirement, persistently returns”. Of course, since his “retirement”, he wrestled in Japan, and was going to Europe this week.
Discovered by Bret Hitman Hart at a restaurant, and trained by Hart, Leo Burke, and Dory Funk, Jr. Martin made his debut with the WWF in late 1998 as a bodyguard. As Test, he was involved in some of the hottest WWF RAW storylines during that time period with The Rock, Vince McMahon’s corporation, culminating in a wedding ceremony with Stephanie McMahon, where HHH crashed the party by revealing HHH has married a drugged Stephanie in Vegas.
In the early 2000’s he had notable feuds with Edge and Scott Steiner. This is when he probably began a real-life relationship with Stacey Keibler.
Test was ridiculed in one of Mick Foley’s books as being one of the worst in-ring wrestlers of all time.
Test never really had a run at the top due to his limited in-ring skill and lack of interviews. He was usually in mid or lower card after his initial run (it seemed like he was being groomed to be the next Kevin Nash Diesel at first). In 2004, he had his spine fused, and was released by the WWE (gee, thanks). Martin worked the independent wrestling scene.
In 2006-2007, Test returned to the WWE in their failing ECW division on the Sci-Fi network Jim Ross one day announced that Test had violated the WWE’s Wellness Policy. One week later, he was released from the WWE, and that would it for him.
Martin would communicate to fans via his MySpace page, and eventually surfaced in TNA as an enforcer named the Punisher. This was a short run that culminated in his released after the U.S. Congress began to investigate TNA for steroids.
Martin also was seeing WWE Diva Kelly Kelly (real name Barbie Blank). Martin was working the indys and made some international tours.
The bad news is that he had a few recent DUIs, and a history of steroid use.
Combine that with the fact that the WWE would never hire him again (and neither would TNA), and you have a 33-year old wrestler who never woke up in a room in Tampa.
This is yet another tragic tale of the wrestling world. With a limited skill set the only reason he was hired and had work was because of his physique. Once public opinion turned against wrestlers being judged by their size, and with Congress and the MEDIA demanding answers from the WWE and TNA, Andrew Martin’s livelihood was done.
Similar to the movie The Wrestler, Martin wanted to retire but couldn’t- from a financial standpoint and from a psychological need.
RIP Andrew Martin…it’s sad news. I wish you could have gotten the help you needed, and were treated with more respect in the business and by fans.
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His short life was like the “wrestler”, but wasn’t
the “wrestler” older than 33?
My God, Test was a baby!! I do
not even want to watch wrestling
anymore.. What Vince does to wrestler’s when they are not “performing” is a shame! He is
in the same class as George Sreinbrenner!! Test was not the best “player” but there are so many
wrestler’s (look carefully) who have NO charisma, and are booed all
of the time! Test was “doing what
he loved to do”. I do not remember
him being loved by the fans, he was
not hated either!
Just the other day i asked my son
whatever happened to edge? And his
reply was “H.H.H.” would never allow Edge back in the W.W.E. He is
jealous of the relationship Test had with Stephenie..
R.I.P. Andrew Martin.
i am sorry. I wrote “edge” instead of Test! They look alike i guess, and i am so upset. Sorry.
“World Wrestling Entertainment
has been made aware of the passing of Andrew Martin. The WWE extends its deepest condolences to the Martin family. Mr. Martin was under contract with WWE at various time periods and performed under the name ‘Test.’ He last performed for the WWE in February 2007.”
Jim Ross said that Test was recovering from personal health issues.
Martin completed WWE’s rehab treatment (began August 2008) and he was in constant contact with WWE to follow-up on whether he was remaining healthy. Friday was a scheduled check-in date for Martin.
“Since being released from the facility after successfully completing the program, Andrew had been doing well in his 12 Step AA program and was in contact with WWE with regular phone calls,” Ross said. “Ironically, Friday was the day for his regularly scheduled ‘touching base’ but when called his voice mail box was full.”
“Andrew had always told me that he never wanted to wrestle past the age of 35 which was why he ‘listened to the lectures. I honestly had never seen him happier.”
What a “cold” statement!
But then again what did
i think the w.w.e. was going
to say in their statement?
They may have the biggest hold
on sports entertainment, but when
it comes to sympathy, they have no
hold at all!
Another wrestler is being put in the ground before his time. There will be more, no matter if McMahon pays for rehab.
So George, what do you suggest the
w.w.e. does to prevent more young
wrestler’s from dying? Look at Vince himself! He shoots whatever
he shoots into his body whenever he
writes himself into a show! I really do not think he gives a damn
if the wrestler’s use steroids or dope! In his little warped pathetic
mind, “the band plays on” and the
shows go on!! Remember Owen Hart?
The show went on and Owen’s body
was not even at the morgue yet!!
From a legal standpoint, WWE has to distance themselves from this.