‘Madman’ keeps perspective on crazy business

Every town has to be excited when someone returns home. Whether it is for a wedding, family reunion, or Christmas, they welcome them with open arms.
Well, that was the case Sunday when the Canadian Wrestling Federation came to town with its travelling show. And for Emo-raised CWF star Dean “Madman” Martin, this definitely was the case.
“For me it’s a good chance to see everybody,” said Martin, 34, after Sunday’s show at the Ice for Kids Arena here. “I don’t get to town much these days.”
Since his debut in the CWF in 2000 against his current teammate EZ Ryder, Martin has shot his way to the top as a Hardcore champion.
He is the current Can-Am heavyweight champ, a belt he’s held since February.
Martin captured the heavyweight title against Steve Wild, a man who held the Can-Am championship for three years.
They squared off in front of 600 people at a Medicine Hat bar.
Martin lost a lot of blood after cutting his head on the ringpost. But with his last ounce of strength, “Madman” rolled over “Wild” for the win that certainly boosted his career in Canada.
“I was really nervous,” said Martin. “ It had to be the hardest fought match I have had.
“It is amazing what you can pull from deep down inside when you want something bad enough,” he remarked. “And the fact that they have kept the belt on me this long shows I must be doing something right.”
“Madman” has just finished an eight-week Can-Am tour with former WWF standout Phil Lafon, who has since taken Martin on as his student. It was through these travels that made a big difference in the way he looks at the business of professional wrestling.
It’s obvious training with Lafon has been great for “Madman.” Now knowing different styles, including Japanese shoot fighting, he could really make it.
“Not only is he a terrific wrestler, but he is a great shoot fighter,” Martin said of Lafon. “He has taken me under his wing and says I may have a good chance at getting a shot [at the bigger leagues].
Martin will be leaving in May for another eight-week tour. After that, he’ll look to move around the east coast of Canada for 10-12 weeks.
He started his professional wrestling career just three years ago and has been really pushing himself to complete every task he starts in this business.
After he finishes his tour on the east coast, Martin will be looking to head overseas to Japan or Korea. If that doesn’t pan out, he might even look to go south to Mexico.
The tours have been rough on the “Madman” since 90 percent of the wrestling business involves travelling. He recently moved to Winnipeg as his family still lives in Red Lake.
As a family man, Martin does have a tough time with the distance.
“I only get to see them for a weekend every three months,” he said. “I am telling you, though, it can bring even the biggest of guys down.
“But the payoff could be there for us in the end.”
After injuring his knee in the fall and then reinjuring it in February, Martin has been doing his best to work around it by taping it up for every match.
He will also will be seeing a doctor soon to see what can be done for it.
Right now, though, all he is focusing on is taking care of himself, wrestling more, getting as much ring time as he can, building a body for TV, and becoming “one miserable son of a gun” in the ring.
As a fan of wrestling since the days of Hulk Hogan, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, and Ricky “The Dragon,” Martin used to emulate those moves with his imaginary friend all the time.
Years later, as he watched a biography on “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Martin realized he wanted to try out the business. So he dialed up Winnipeg and got the number for the CWF.
After talking to Ernie Todd, head promoter and CEO of the CWF, “Madman” headed out to a training session in Winnipeg.
“I was most intrigued with the psychology [story-telling within a match],” Martin said. “Psychology is wrestling. Without it, all you have is trash.
“When I get in to the ring, what I am looking to do is taking the audience, putting them in a car, and taking [them] on a roller coaster ride.
“I want to take you up and then bring you down. I want to play with their emotions.”
The most important he’s learned since starting has been the respect factor. While it’s a wrestler’s job to hate his opponent in the ring, once they’re in the locker room, it is customary to show respect to them.
It’s one of the most important things Martin has learned.
“Disrespect in the back room is going to get you in trouble,” he remarked. “It will get your butt kicked and get you off the card.”
“But if you honestly want to get into the business, you really have to try hard,” he added.
“You have to train in the gym so hard, have respect for the business, practice, have a heart, and don’t have an ego, because one thing is for sure—an ego will destroy you.”