Frenchy Martin

Jean Gagné (born May 25, 1950) is a French Canadian retired professional wrestler and manager, best known under the ring name Frenchy Martin. During his World Wrestling Federation heyday in the 1980s as the manager of Canadian wrestler Dino Bravo, he was known for his trademark sign that read "USA is not OK". Gagné, however, began his career in Canada, primarily in Stampede Wrestling, and Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council. In 1990, Gagné left the WWF and retired from professional wrestling.

Professional wrestling career

Canada and Puerto Rico

Jean Gagné began his career in 1971 in Quebec and in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling.^[2] In June 1977, Gagné, under the name Frenchy Martin, won the IW North American Heavyweight Championship in Trans-Canada Wrestling. In July, he lost the title to Leo Burke.

In Stampede Wrestling in February 1976, he held the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship under the name Don Gagné. In October 1977, Gagné, still wrestling under the name Don Gagné, won the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship in a tournament final after the former champion Dan Kroffat retired and vacated the title. In January, however, he lost the title to old rival Leo Burke. Gagné defeated Burke for the Stampede Championship in November 1979 but lost it to Mr. Sekigawa in December.

Meanwhile, Jean Gagné also wrestled in Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council under his own name, and in the first half of 1978, he and partner Huracán Castillo traded the WWC World Tag Team Championship with the tag team of Invader I and José Rivera, holding the title once. He also held the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship and the WWC North American Tag Team Championship, the latter he held four time; one of the times was with Michel Martel as part of a tag team called The Mercenaries.^[2][3] While in Puerto Rico, he wrestled Ric Flair in a match to a 60-minute time limit draw.^[2] Gagné also wrestled under the name Mad Dog Martin in Australasia and the South Pacific during the mid ot-late 1970s. On September 28, 1978, he won the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship from Steve Rickard and defended the title for several months before dropping it to Leo Burke the following year.^[4]

World Wrestling Federation

Martin debuted in the WWF in October 1986. Initially a full-time wrestler, he would primarily be used as an enhancement talent, losing the majority of his matches. In August 1987, he began to be the host of a WWF's skit "Le Studio" (presented only in Canada, during Superstars of Wrestling). Martin began managing Dino Bravo in late 1987. During his alliance with Bravo, Martin regularly carried a sign down to ringside that read "USA is not OK".^[5] In March 1988, he managed Bravo at WrestleMania IV in a match against Don Muraco. During a rematch at SummerSlam in August, Martin distracted Bravo's opponent Muraco to allow Bravo to get the victory.^[6] In October at the King of the Ring, Martin managed Bravo in a win over Jim Duggan in a flag match. He also appeared at Bravo's side at Saturday Night's Main Event XVII at the end of October for Bravo's match against Ken Patera. On Thanksgiving night, he also appeared at Survivor Series.

At the Royal Rumble in January 1989, Bravo, accompanied by Martin, teamed with The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) but lost a two out of three falls match against Jim Duggan and The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart).^[7] At WrestleMania V at April 1989, after Bravo's match with Ron Garvin, Martin attacked Garvin, and as a result, Garvin performed his signature maneuver, the "Garvin Stomp" on him.^[8] Bravo eventually dropped Martin in favor of Jimmy Hart.

Later, Martin appeared as an occasional enhancement talent on weekly WWF television broadcasts, reviving his initial role with the company when he joined the WWF in 1986. By mid-1990, Gagné retired and became eventually became head booker for IWA PR. He still makes a guest appearance for indy shows across Canada and the US.^[2]

Outside the WWF

In Montreal's Lutte Internationale in January 1984, Gagné won the Canadian International Tag Team Championship with partner Pierre Lefebvre from the team of Gino Brito and Tony Parisi, but lost them in a rematch on February 20. In June, Gagné and Lefebvre won the title back, but lost it to Raymond Rougeau and Jacques Rougeau, Jr. in the beginning of July.

In 1980, under the name Masked Cyclops, Gagné won the NWA Pacific International Championship from Tor Kamata, but he lost it later that year to Siva Afi.

At the International Wrestling 2000 card at the Centre Pierre Charbonneau, Gagné as Frenchy Martin managed Richard Charland in the semi-main event against King Kong Bundy.^[9]

He has a son and a nephew who have wrestled, Jean Gagne Jr. and George Martel.

In wrestling

• Wrestlers managed
  • Abdullah the Butcher
  • Dino Bravo^[1]
  • Jos Leduc

Championships and accomplishments

• Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling
  • AGPW International Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• Lutte Internationale
  • Canadian International Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Pierre Lefebvre

• NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions
  • NWA Pacific International Championship (1 time)

• NWA New Zealand
  • NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version) (1 time)

• Trans-Canada Wrestling
  • IW North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Stampede Wrestling
  • NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (1 time) - with Ripper Collins
  • Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• World Wrestling Council
  • WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • WWC North American Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
  • WWC North American Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Michel Martel (1), Rick Martel (2) and Mr. Fuji (1)
  • WWC World Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Huracán Castillo (1), Invader I (1), Gino de la Serra (1) and Gran Apolo (1)

Footnotes

References

• Shields, Brian (2006). Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s (4th ed.). Pocket Books. pp. 174–177. ISBN 978-1-4165-3257-6.