Top Horror Gimmicks In Modern Pro-Wrestling

When asked to write a piece on the top horror gimmicks in professional wrestling I immediately said “YES!” A wrestler’s gimmick is basically their character.  Horror and pro-wrestling have a long and sordid history, but no one horror angle stands out more than The Undertaker a.k.a Mark William Callaway. He debuted in 1987 and tried many different gimmicks over the years. It wasn’t until WWF rebranded him in the ‘90s as the horror-themed, macabre entity “The Undertaker” that his career took off.

As the popularity of The Undertaker grew so did the influx of horror gimmicks in wrestling. There was the vampire Gangrel, voodoo priest Papa Shango, the sick and demented Mankind, and of course you can’t forget The Undertaker’s maniac brother Kane.

All of these are pretty famous. So much so, that even non-wrestling fans know these names.

Taking that into consideration, I decided to focus this list of horror-themed wrestlers on more modern yet lesser-known performers.

10) Sage Sin Supreme, “The Pumpkin Queen” (appearances w/PPW, Unholy Warfare, and CCW)

There is possibly no active professional wrestler more fit for spooky season than Sage Sin Supreme. She is a fiercely underrated talent.

Supreme can hold her own in straightforward wrestling, inter-gender matches, or hardcore matches. Dressed in all black and having her face painted up like a crazy jack-o-lantern instantly establishes her character. Like a slasher in a sleazy direct-to-streaming horror movie, if you see her coming…you better run the other way.

9) Charles Mason, “The Billionaire Playboy” (appearances w/CZW, GCW, and Impact Wresting)

Initially Charles Mason’s gimmick of being a rich over-privileged asshole came across as pretty basic bad guy (or “heel”) character.

It wasn’t until recently that I would even consider him “horror-themed”. But he’s adopted a sort of Patrick Bateman from AMERICAN PSYCHO (2000) persona. Now, instead of just being a jerk, his main goal is to kill the poor. His promos are unnerving. Strangling people with plastic bags, curb stomping others. It’s disgusting and I love it.

8) Satu Jinn, “Death Match Genie” (appearances w/ICW No Holds Barred, No Peace Underground, and Horror Slam)

I first saw Satu Jinn in 2020’s

Death Match tournament, INSANE 8. Upon viewing his parachute pants and lack of a shirt, I jokingly said to my friend Wendi, “I’ve never seen a ‘genie wrester’ before.”

Little did I know that’s exactly what this man represented. Since then, Satu Jinn has left a trail of blood in his path. Quite literally! Hold your breath, count to three, make a wish and poof there he is slicing up his opponent’s face with a backless Japanese saw—a freakin’ kataba! Violence and originality is always a winning combination.

7) Otis Cogar, “The Evil Incarnate” (appearances w/No Peace Underground, Horror Slam, and GCW)

In “death match” wrestling—which is basically wrestling but also with weapons and lots of blood—it’s hard to come up with anything that’s going to come across as shocking.

Somehow, the literal split tongue Otis Cogar has found a way to up the ante. This monster of a man has been known to cut open his opponent’s foreheads with a straight edge razor. If that isn’t disturbing enough, after Cogar defeats his opponent, he has been known to drape the skinned flesh of a pig’s head over their face. He is an unforgettable force to be reckoned with.

6) The Carver of Cutter’s Alley, “The Best From The Mid-West” (appearances w/Timebomb Pro Wrestling, Horror Slam, and ICW No Holds Barred)

Leatherface from the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE franchise has always been one of my favorite cinematic characters.

Sure, the idea of Leatherface has been attempted as a wrestling gimmick before, but never as well as when The Carver of Cutter’s Alley does it. First of all, his gear is top notch cannibal-inspired madness. Dirty work clothes and a mask made of what looks like human flesh help create the visage of a monster—but it’s The Carver’s impressive penchant for inventive brutality that makes him so entertaining to watch.

5) Su Yung, “The Undead Bride” (appearances w/ACW, No Peace Underground, and Impact Wrestling)

I don’t think there has been another western professional wrestler that has taken inspiration for their character from Japanese horror to the extent of Su Yung.

Her kabuki-styled make-up and long gnarly hair bring to mind films like KURONEKO (1968) and THE GHOST OF YOTSUYA (1959), but with a more updated twist to it. Not only is Su Yung an amazing storyteller—playing both her “Undead Bride” horror character and her innocent anti-violence personality “Susie” to craft narratives for matches and build heat—but she is also formidable opponent in the ring that has taken on some intense challenges.

4) G-Raver (appearances w/H20, GCW, and No Peace Underground)

Heavy metal and pro-wrestling have gone hand in hand for decades.

A little face paint and some spikes on the gear is one thing—but mixing in black metal themes and Satanic imagery pushes the gimmick to the extreme, and that’s exactly what G-Raver does. If his foes aren’t intimidated by his entrance and ring attire, then the fact that he’s an exceptional technical wrestler, a gifted high-flyer, and proficient death match fighter, should definitely worry them.

Oh yeah…and the fact that he pounds actual tattoo needles into his opponents’ foreheads is pretty crazy as well.

3) Abadon, “The Living Dead Girl” (appearances w/RWW, RMP, and AEW)

Throughout the history of professional wrestling, I can’t think of a zombie gimmick that ever worked. That is except for Abadon.

With her red-and-black gear and goth makeup, she is truly terrifying. When Abadon enters the ring, the whole mood the building changes. It feels like we’re no longer watching a pro-wrestling event but are now engaged in a re-enactment of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3. There’s nothing more exciting than watching Abadon rip her competition to shreds.

2) Bray Wyatt, “Eater Of Worlds” (appearances w/FCW and WWE)

I purposefully tried to stay away from wrestlers that are better known in the mainstream, but when Master of Horror and special effects legend Tom Savini helps design a wrestler’s ring gear, then that self-imposed task is made impossible.

At 6’03” and 300 lbs, Bray Wyatt is already an imposing wrestler—but add in his demonic alter ego of “The Fiend” makes him go immediately from intimidating to terrifying. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how much I loved his demented “Firefly Family” segments. You give me psychotic puppets and I’m 100% in!

1) Danhausen, “Kid Gorgeous” (appearances w/Freelance Wrestling, GCW, and Ring of Honor)

The best horror is presented with a healthy dose of comedy, and that’s what Danhausen brings to the ring.

Yes, he’s amazing to watch wrestle—but even more impressive is how his charisma is through the roof. I could watch him all day, every day. If Tim Burton were to write a movie about a professional wrestler, it would be about Danhausen. He’s downright silly with his dislike of swearing, love of money, and when does the “tequila dance” from PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE in the middle of matches…it’s perfection. Rest assured besides being very nice, he’s also very evil.

You can tell by his face paint, Satanic imagery on his gear, and the jar of human teeth he carries to the ring with him. My favorite type of horror is the kind that is fun and you can enjoy with friends, and that’s exactly what Danhausen brings to the table.