Rick Martel has never turned down the WWE Hall of Fame, despite years of online speculation suggesting otherwise.

That is according to Bertrand Hebert, who manages Martel, and made it clear that no such offer has ever been made. Speaking on the Wrestling Nostalgia podcast, Hebert pushed back strongly against the long standing narrative and insisted that if the call ever comes, there will be no hesitation.

“No matter what Bruce Prichard said, he has never been offered the WWE Hall of Fame,” Hebert said. “And if he’s offered the WWE Hall of Fame, I will make sure personally that he accepts the offer.”

Hebert explained that some of the confusion may stem from Martel declining past WrestleMania Axxess signing opportunities. One example included an appearance in San Francisco, which Martel passed on due to the travel involved and the lack of an official role tied to the event.

“The idea of traveling to sign autographs, maybe for a few hours, for not a lot of money, and do all that traveling from Quebec City to San Francisco, was the big no no for him,” Hebert said. “And especially to return and to be asked to just sit around and have no official role or no invitation to the Hall of Fame. He didn’t think it was the right timing.”

Hebert believes those decisions were later misinterpreted as Martel rejecting a Hall of Fame induction, which he says is completely inaccurate.

He went on to make a strong case for Martel’s credentials, pointing to a decorated career that spans multiple promotions now owned by WWE’s tape library. From his time as AWA World Heavyweight Champion to his memorable WWE run as The Model and his tag team success, Hebert believes the resume speaks for itself.

“He should be there,” Hebert said. “Three time Tag Team Champion, The Model, one of the most memorable gimmicks in their history. And they own the AWA library. He was the AWA World Heavyweight Champion. Compared to some of the guys already in the Hall of Fame, if he doesn’t deserve it, I don’t know who does.”

Hebert also noted that WWE holds footage from every major chapter of Martel’s career, including his runs in AWA, WWE, and WCW, making an induction even more logical.

“They own everything,” Hebert said. “For the AWA, WWE, and WCW. And they have Tony Garea and Tito Santana that can induct him. I think it’s a no brainer to send that invitation.”

With Demolition set to enter the Hall of Fame this year, comparisons have naturally been made given their shared history with Martel, particularly the Strike Force rivalry.

Another factor, Hebert explained, is that Martel has largely stayed away from the wrestling scene in retirement and does not rely on appearances for income. Having invested wisely during his career, Martel has remained financially secure, which has contributed to his absence from conventions and events.

“He doesn’t need to do those appearances. And that’s hard for people in the business to understand,” Hebert said. “But for the guys outside of the business, not doing shows every weekend, being recognized by WWE means something. He was there. He worked there. He helped build the company to where it was and is. For him, it’s a recognition that means something.”

Hebert added that time is becoming a factor, noting that Martel recently turned 70 and should be honored while he can still fully experience the moment.

“I think it should be done in the next few years,” Hebert said. “Because obviously at 70 years old, he’s not getting any younger. Let’s do it while he can still attend and enjoy and appreciate everything.”

He also pointed out that Martel’s legacy is often misunderstood by modern fans, who may only remember parts of his WWE run rather than his full career. During the mid 1980s, Martel stood alongside the biggest names in wrestling as one of the industry’s top champions.

“There was that time, that quick time period in ’85 ’86, there were three World Champions: Hogan, Ric Flair, and Rick Martel,” Hebert said. “There’s that famous poster from Pro Wrestling Illustrated, and they were the top three guys in the business.”

Hebert added that WWE has never fully spotlighted that chapter of Martel’s career.

“Even the AWA DVD by WWE is kind of a revisionist history,” Hebert said. “They barely mention it, because for WWE fans, Rick was just the middle of the card and a tag team wrestler. But he had been AWA World Champion.”

Martel is set to step back into the public eye this weekend, appearing at The Big Event convention in Brentwood, New York, where he will be signing alongside Tito Santana and Tony Garea.