Rick Martel Debunks Suggestions That He Turned Down WWE Hall of Fame Induction Offer

Veteran wrestler Rick Martel has shot down suggestions that he declined a WWE Hall of Fame induction in the past.

Martel, who became one of WWF’s biggest heels during the late 1980s and early 1990s, recently appeared on Sean Mooney’s show, where he was asked if he would accept the Hall of Fame induction should the WWE come calling.

Martel revealed that he got a call from the company “a while back,” but he felt he wasn’t ready at the time.

“I did a while back, you know. I got a call, but I wasn’t ready. I’m not sure if I would go, or right now I’m enjoying myself. I’m enjoying with all of this, and we’ll see; you know, every offer needs to. It’s just like… real estate; you gotta see how the deal is.” [H/T: WrestlingNews.co]

This led many to believe that he turned down the offer to be inducted into the prestigious club. However, earlier today, Rick Martel took to X to clarify that that is not the case.

Martel revealed that he turned down WWE’s invitation to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony back in 2015 because he felt he wasn’t ready to make a wrestling appearance at the time.

He wrote:

“In 2015, I was offer to appear at Axxess in San Francisco and attend the Hall of Fame as a spectator. Flattered, I still turned it down, as I was not ready to go back to wrestling for appearances like I am now. I didn’t turn down an offer to be inducted in[to] the WWE HOF. Thank you!”

In 2015, I was offer to appear at Axxess in San Francisco and attends the Hall of Fame as a spectator. Flattered I still turned it down as I was not ready to go back to wrestling for appearances like I am now. I didn’t turn down an offer to be inducted in the WWE HOF. Thank you!

— Rick Martel (@RickMartel2021) June 8, 2026

Martel had a couple of stints with the then-WWF between 1980 and 1995. After a two-year tenure with the company at the turn of the 1980s, he returned to the promotion in 1986.

During his tenure, the Canadian won the WWF Tag Team Championship thrice. He is also a former AWA World Heavyweight Champion.