10 Early WWE Hall Of Fame 2018 Predictions 

3. Rick Martel

Christian Hall of Fame
WWE.com

Rick Martel is one of the few WWF Golden Age midcard acts not included as a plaintiff in the ongoing lawsuit against WWE for their alleged concealment of the long-term neurological impacts of pro wrestling. He is free to enter the politicised Hall on that basis.

By WWE's non-metric, he's probably had a Hall of Fame-worthy career. He was a former American Wrestling Association World Champion - a recognised World crown - but his reign coincided with and essentially happened as a result of the company's wider decline in the mid 1980s. Deserved or not, Martel was a symbol of the company's fading fortunes.

He experienced much midcard success in the WWF. His heel turn on Strike Force tag team partner Tito Santana at WrestleMania V was one of the first low-key 'Mania moments - an act that was purposefully executed on the Grandest Stage for maximum emotional resonance. His subsequent run as 'The Model' is fondly remembered by fans of a certain age, his run with Jake Roberts in particular.

Martel was a perennial three star performer - but since utter duds have been inducted, a rare clean-living relic of an ugly age is surely a boon for the hugely image-conscious WWE.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!