8 Wrestling Gimmicks Based On Serial Killers
1. Stone Cold Steve Austin ('Ice Man' Richard Kuklinski)
By far the most prolific (real-life) murderer on this list, the exploits of Richard Kuklinski have been documented on film; a HBO special on Kuklinski revealed that he had killed over 100 people during his work as a hitman for the Mafia, before he was then caught by an undercover investigation in 1986.
Looking for something different to catch attention in the WWF, an enterprising Steve Austin watched that same HBO documentary in awe and later said he could relate to the 'Ice Man' killer.
Elements of Kuklinski's personality (including his steely stare and generally cold demeanour) were obvious in Austin's early work as 'Stone Cold' in the WWF; this is what Austin's entire 'Don't Trust Anybody' character was based on, as the wrestler lifted Kuklinski's callous nature and lone wolf personality for his own use in pro wrestling.
The Stone Cold persona would be tweaked to become more of a beer-drinking, anti-hero renegade over time, but Austin's initial plan was to portray Kuklinski and be an ice-cold animal any time he appeared on camera.
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What other wrestling gimmicks do you know of that were based on serial killers, real or fictional? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments section below!