“Exotic” Adrian Street is remembered as one of wrestling’s true originals — a legitimately tough shooter hidden behind the flamboyant exterior of a playboy.
His wife, Linda, told the BBC that Street was “the kindest, most lovely and loving man I’ve ever known.” Street was 82 years old, having died following a stroke which caused a bleed on the brain; sepsis eventually killed him after he developed colitis, a form of bowel disease.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born in 1940 in Gwent, Wales, Adrian Street grew up, in his own words, “in a rough, tough mining town,” which gave him “an endless supply of roughnecks to practice on.”
He had his first professional wrestling match in 1957.
Running away as a teenager to London, he pursued his wrestling dream, knowing it would not be easy. Reflecting later, he explained that the mentality of the business was simple: “you had to get tough or die.”
Creating “Exotic” Adrian Street
Realising that as a smaller man he would need to stand out in a crowded industry, Street drew influence from Gorgeous George and “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers to create his flamboyant “Exotic” persona.
Wearing glitter, make-up, and elaborate gowns, Street strutted to the ring with an air of arrogance that enraged audiences. He would kiss opponents, preen, and strut, drawing nuclear heat for a character many later credited as being ahead of its time.
“The Sadist in Sequins” understood his own worth. As he wrote in his book The Wrestler: “Most were on £9 a night and I was on £35 or £40.”
A Legitimate Tough Man
Street’s toughness was never in doubt. He famously pummeled Jimmy Savile during their meetings in the ring, recalling how he ripped out clumps of Savile’s hair and dropped him on his head: https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/jimmy-savile-wrestling/
The match between the two was highly lopsided. For multiple rounds, Street bashed the radio presenter around the ring. He describes that he even ended up with clumps of Savile’s hair in his hands, which he had pulled out. In addition, a dropkick was so powerful Savile landed right on his head before applying a near-back-breaking submission.
“Exotic,” Adrian added, “I drew it out as long as I could because I was enjoying myself.”
He became a household name through ITV’s World of Sport, sharing billing with icons like Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks.
International Success
In the 1980s, Street travelled to the United States, where he feuded with stars such as Dusty Rhodes and Barry Windham in Florida. In Memphis, he once got into a heated altercation with a pre-WWE “Macho Man” Randy Savage.
He later rejected an offer from WWE, which wanted him to manage a neo-Nazi British tag team. Street noted that WWE likely would not have wanted him to wrestle, because:
“If I’d wrestled with his so-called stars at the time, I’d have shown them up.”
Reputation and Longevity
Described as “one of the toughest men ever in wrestling” by Jim Ross, Street wrestled right up until a month before his 70th birthday, ultimately competing in more than 10,000 matches.
His life and legacy were explored in the WWE Network documentary Adrian Street: Imagine What I Could Do To You.
Personal Life
Street proposed to and later married his long-time manager and partner, Miss Linda, in 2005. He had previously beaten cancer in 2001, but his final battle with illness proved too great.
Tributes
Street’s passing drew tributes from across the wrestling world. Triple H described him as:
“A genre-bending pioneer whose larger-than-life presence and ruthlessness between the ropes changed the wrestling world forever.”
Fellow Brit Drew McIntyre called him:
“A genuine trailblazer and one of the toughest men you could wish to meet.”
William Regal, Mark Andrews, and Nick Aldis also honoured his memory.
Legacy & Influence
Adrian Street’s impact reached far beyond his own career. His flamboyant persona, blending sequins and make-up with legitimate toughness, challenged stereotypes and pushed boundaries in an era when such self-expression was rare in wrestling. Without Street, it is hard to imagine characters like Adrian Adonis, Goldust, or even modern flamboyant performers being embraced.
He was also one of the first British wrestlers to successfully transition to the American scene, proving that the UK’s stars could hang with the best in the world. His unique look even spilled into pop culture — from glam-rock fashion to his own music recordings, Street blurred the lines between wrestling and performance art.
Most importantly, he showed that wrestling characters could be larger-than-life, outrageous, and still command respect in the ring. For all the glitter and showmanship, fans and wrestlers alike knew Street could back it up with legitimate toughness.
Legacy
A true wrestling innovator, Street paved the way for countless future gimmicks, influencing characters from Adrian Adonis to Goldust to Rico. He remains a British wrestling icon who left behind a legacy of toughness, originality, and fearless individuality.
As his former manager Jim Cornette once summed up on Jim Cornette’s Drive Thru Episode 303.
“There’s nobody else like him.”
