Gangrel was one of the more interesting outlandish gimmicks of the Attitude Era, but it wasn't the first time the man under the frilly shirt had played such a character. As The Vampire Warrior, he wrestled for U.S. independents en route to being voted Pro Wrestling Illustrated's 1993 Rookie of the Year. In 1995, Vampire Warrior popped up in ECW, where he feuded with Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer won the bout, but The Vampire Warrior stuck around for matches with Hack Myers and The Pitbulls.