5 Years Ago: Andrew ‘Test’ Martin Passes Away

Andrew 'Test' Martin From Larry Stoy: Four days shy of his 34th birthday, Andrew James Robert Patrick Martin was found d...

Andrew 'Test' Martin

From Larry Stoy:

Four days shy of his 34th birthday, Andrew James Robert Patrick Martin was found dead in his Tampa, Florida, apartment after a neighbor notified the Tampa Police Department that she had observed Martin’s body lying motionless for several hours. He was transported to the Medical Examiner’s office to determine the actual cause of death. It was later ruled as being an accidental overdose of oxycodone.

Although he had a relatively short career by wrestling standards, Martin had some success in the industry that came primarily in the WWF during the late 1990s and into the mid-2000s. Known by his ring name of Test, he was discovered by Bret Hart after a chance meeting at the Planet Hollywood in Toronto. Martin had known many of the wrestlers would go there after the matches at the Sky Dome and his looks were similar enough to the grapplers that he was allowed in the VIP room where Hart saw him and began a conversation.

Bret Hart and Andrew Martin

Along with four other future WWF/WWE wrestlers – Matt Bloom (a/k/a Albert, Tensai), Glenn Kulka, Adam Copeland (a/k/a Edge), and Jay Reso (a/k/a Christian) – Martin trained to become a pro wrestler with Hart and Leo Burke, and later spent time working in former NWA World Champion Dory Funk, Jr.’s Funking Dojo in Florida. He made his debut on the October 25, 1998, episode of WWF’s Sunday Night Heat, portraying a roadie for the hard rock band Motley Crue. He then served as a bodyguard for the Rock as part of Vince McMahon’s Corporation stable.

The next test for Martin was working as the on-screen boyfriend of Vince’s daughter Stephanie McMahon. The two spent much of their time together and eventually Test proposed to the WWF ‘princess’ and she accepted. The two planned a wedding on an episode of RAW is War for November 29, 1999. However, their almost certain nuptials were interrupted by the top heel of the company, Triple H. He came on screen to show that he and Stephanie were already “married” and produced footage showing them at a drive-thru chapel in Las Vegas. An obviously drugged and barely conscious Stephanie was sitting next to HHH as they ceremony was performed. This should have been the set up for a bitter feud between Hunter and Test, but inexplicably the WWF went in a different direction and Test was dropped down on the roster to mid-card status.

T&A: Albert, Trish Stratus, and Test

Speaking of status, Test’s next angle came as part of a tag team with good friend and former training partner Albert (Bloom). Their tag team was called T&A, and they were managed by one of the new divas, Trish Stratus. Never making it to the top of the tag team division, T&A still had some success during their time together.

It was in February of 2007 that Martin’s drug problems began to surface, when he failed a drug test and was released. He was able to wrestle a few more matches in TNA billed as “the Punisher”, Andrew Martin, but he was never officially offered a contract with the company and soon left wrestling altogether.

Martin did win some championships during his WWF/WWE run. He held the Intercontinental Title, the Hardcore Title, and the European Title on his own, and also teamed with Booker T for reigns as WWF and WCW Tag Team Champions. He used his MySpace page to officially announce his retirement from wrestling in December of 2007, alluding to the fact that “nobody retires from wrestling,” adding that he didn't want to be one of those wrestlers stuck with the business “being all that I know.” Martin also released his thoughts on his lack of a major push in wrestling and concluded that it was because he didn't have the same “kiss ass” attitude many others did.

He was not allowed to compete in Maryland in April of 2007 by the State Athletic Commission. One year later he was arrested in Tampa for DUI, and was also caught driving on a suspended license in early 2009. After posting a $500 bond, Martin was released from the Land O’ Lakes jail.

His personal life was highlighted by real life relationships with some of the top wrestling ladies, including WCW’s leggy Stacy Keibler and WWE’s female superstar Kelly Kelly (Barbie Blank).