Former WWE Champion Andrew ‘Test’ Martin dead at 33

The pro wrestling world is mourning the death of former WWE champion Andrew ‘Test’ Martin, who was found dead in his Tampa, Florida apartment late Friday night.  Neighbors called authorities after they observed Martin laying motionless by a window for a number of hours.  Police responding to these calls broke into Martin’s apartment and pronounced him dead at the scene.  He was 33 years old.

Martin, a native of Whitby, Ontario, joined the WWE in 1998 and was quickly thrust into a top level role in the promotion’s storylines.  He held most of the major titles including the Intercontinental, European and Hardcore championships as well as the WWE tag team title with Booker ‘Booker T’ Huffman.   During his tenure with the WWE he worked matches with most of their major superstars including Bobby Lashley, Edge, Chris Jericho and current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. 

He achieved equal notoriety for his “storyline” romances with Stacy Keibler and Stephanie McMahon, the real-life daughter of WWE chairman Vince McMahon.    In both cases, the romance continued off screen.  While his relationship with McMahon was fairly short term, he was involved with Stacy Keibler (better known to American television viewers for her run on the popular reality show ‘Dancing With the Stars’) for several years.

Martin’s first WWE run ended after a back injury necessitated spinal fusion surgery in 2004.  He was released by the company shortly thereafter without comment though, ironically, there are some suggestions that his relationship with Stephanie McMahon proved to be his undoing.  McMahon would eventually become head of the WWE’s creative department and marry (in real life) wrestling superstar Triple H.  Some suggest that Martin became persona non grata in the organization for obvious reasons.

He would work on the independent circuit for awhile before attempting a WWE comeback in 2007 that was cut short for a violation of the promotion’s “wellness policy” which usually signifies a failed test for performance enhancing or recreational drugs.  He worked with rival promotion TNA as “The Punisher” for a short time before announcing his retirement from pro wrestling in late 2007.  Aside from a DUI arrest in 2008, little was heard from him after that.

No cause of death was immediately confirmed pending an autopsy, but Tampa police have indicated their belief that foul play was not involved.  Tragically, Martin was the fourth professional wrestler to die in the Tampa area in the past two years.