Brothers in Paint: 10 best face painted wrestlers of all time

#9 The Great Kabuki

The Great Kabuki

Wrestling pundits are divided over who first started the face paint wearing tradition in wrestling, but they can all agree on the man who made it famous; The Great Kabuki.

Mera Akahisa was sent to the US, as many Japanese wrestlers are, to pick up new aspects of his game and improve his in-ring work. While working in the southern promotions, he created a heel persona that fans just couldn't get enough of.

The Great Kabuki's face paint and deadly 'Asian Mist' made him stand out even more than his Japanese heritage. Collecting dozens of titles over his career, he was the first to prove a face painted wrestler could be a big draw and not just a silly gimmick.