10 pictures of WWE Superstars without the face paint

Modified Jan 27, 2019 05:14 GMT

Sting is one of the most iconic wrestlers of his generation

In the world of professional wrestling, your look is almost as important as the rest of your character. A few simple choices deciding what you look like can mean the difference between a gimmick getting over or falling flat. Can you imagine if The Shield had actually come out with riot shields? They would never have been taken seriously.

That is why things like masks and face paints are such an integral part of some of the most famous wrestlers to have ever walked the face of the planet. Sting with the face paint and Sting without his face paint are two very very different people. The first is a megastar of the industry while the second is just another dude.

Face paints have helped brings out an extra dimension in a lot of superstars over the years in the WWE, and today, we are here to see just what the people under all the paint really look like. So, without any further ado, here is our list of 10 WWE superstars without the face paint:

#10 Doink the Clown

The man behind the Doink paint passed away in 2013

The idea of Doink was a pretty innovative one as the WWE looked to introduce a miserable clown character during the whacky days of the early 1990s. The man chosen to play the role went by the name of Matt Osborne.

Despite some mediocre success, the novelty soon wore off and Doink drifted around before being released. He made sporadic appearances over the years before he sadly passed away in 2013.

#9 Papa Shango

Papa Shango later became The Godfather

While Papa Shango was a pretty outlandish character, the man behind the paint was one of many talents and faces. After his less than stellar run under the guise of the shamanic Papa Shango, Charles Wright then took up the gimmick of Kama.

But, he would experience his most successful run as The Godfather – the beloved pimp of the WWE’s Attitude Era. All of his work for the WWE even earned Charles Wright a place in the WWE’s Hall of Fame in 2016.

#8 Kamala

Kamala’s story is a sad one

Kamala was a pretty big attraction in the 1990s where he was billed as a giant from the African nation of Uganda. He had a number of high profile matches and his painted appearance gave him quite a scary look.

The man behind the paint, James Harris, is now unfortunately ridden with illness. He has had to have both of his legs amputated and lives off a combination of disability checks and selling handmade wooden chairs.

#6 Demolition

If you were around for WWE’s programming over the past year, you know that The New Day broke the record for longest reigning tag team champion in WWE history. The record holders before Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods? Demolition.

The face-painted duo was a terrifying force in the WWE’s tag team division in the 1980s and 1990s.

#5 Umaga

While he originally debuted in the WWE as Jamal from 3-Minute Warning, Edward Fatu found most of his success as the face painted monstrosity, Umaga. While he had a hot run as a heel, his momentum came to a crashing halt at the hands of John Cena and various Wellness Policy violations due to his issues with drug use.

In 2006, at just 36 years of age, he passed away from a drug overdose induced heart attack.

#4 Goldust

Dustin Runnels has been pulling off the face painted gimmick of Goldust since the 1990s and has recently experienced a renaissance following a heel turn and a throwback to his glory days.

The Bizarre One, he might be while in character, but Dustin is very much a member of the legendary Rhodes family outside the squared circle.

#3 The Road Warriors

Hawk and Animal were one of the top tag teams of their day

The Road Warriors – Animal and Hawk – are one of the most well-known tag teams in the history of wrestling and a large part of that was the legendary attire and face paint. They were a fearsome duo who are now considered one of the legendary tag teams of wrestling.

#2 The Ultimate Warrior

Warrior endured a frosty relationship with Vince McMahon

The Ultimate Warrior was one of the few face painted superstars who rose all the way to the top of the ladder in the early 1990s with his feuds against the likes of Hulk Hogan. Unfortunately, a dispute with Vince McMahon kept Warrior away from the WWE for a long long time.

It was a privilege that the two reconciled and were able to see him return to the company just before he passed away.

#1 Sting

Sting is perhaps the most famous face painted wrestler of all-time and one that we never thought we would see in the WWE. After all, he had rejected Vince McMahon advances ever since WCW went out of business.

But, lo and behold, just a few years ago, Sting made a surprise WWE debut and has even been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Edited by Staff Editor