The Kimster's UK Top Ten wrestlers: Kicking Off the Countdown
- Kimmie Funk
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Welcome to the start of my definitive list of the greatest UK wrestlers of all time! Over the few days, I'll be honoring the champions, rebels, and game-changers who shaped wrestling history.
We’re kicking things off with a bang, celebrating two colossal figures who couldn't have been more different—one a quiet giant, the other a flamboyant pioneer.
Today, we honor the men I rank at #10 and #9 in the UK Top Ten: Giant Haystacks and "Exotic" Adrian Street!
#10: Giant Haystacks (The Gentle Giant)
Landing at #10 is the man whose presence was truly larger than life, Giant Haystacks (Martin Austin Ruane). Despite his colossal 6-FOOT-11 frame and his fearsome in-ring persona, Ruane was, at his core, a gentle, private, and deeply principled champion. While his legendary battles with Big Daddy are the stuff of British wrestling folklore, Haystacks was a decorated international competitor. He dominated the UK scene, capturing the British Heavyweight Championship in 1978.
His travels took him to Canada’s Stampede Wrestling, where he won tag gold alongside Dynamite Kid, and even to WCW in the US, where he challenged Hulk Hogan as "Loch Ness."
But the true measure of the man was his dedication to his roots. Born with Irish heritage, he called Salford, Greater Manchester, home for life. A staunch Catholic, he famously refused to wrestle on Sundays to attend church. Ruane shunned the celebrity life to be with his family, with his son Stephen offering a rare glimpse into his character: "He was a big family man... He loved nothing more than telling stories about his travels... Dad was my hero."
Giant Haystacks was proof that even the biggest monster could have the gentlest heart.
Haystacks sadly passed away at his home in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, after being diagnosed with lymphoma (cancer) a short time earlier. His wrestling career spanned over three decades, from his debut in 1967 until his retirement shortly before his passing in 1998. halo's up to a legend who is gone , but never forgot.
Coming in at #9 "Exotic" Adrian Street ( The Glittering Game-Changer)
We celebrate the man who broke every mold and then covered the pieces in sequins: "Exotic" Adrian Street! Born in 1940, Adrian defied the expectation of a hard life in the coal mines of Brynmawr, South Wales, to chase the bright lights of the ring.
Starting his career in 1957, Street became a revolutionary, bringing a stunningly flamboyant, yet genuinely menacing, persona to the UK before conquering North America in the 1980s.
With his iconic valet, Miss Linda, he earned the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's "Best Gimmick" award in 1986. Street's career was a psychological masterclass in showmanship, blowing kisses while applying his punishing "Street Sleeper."
Street was fiercely proud of his working-class origins and how far he’d come. He captured this sentiment perfectly in the definitive quote about his self-made success:
"I want to show them what I've made of my life, what I've become since leaving Wales."
This quote came during his famous 1974 photoshoot, where he posed in his full wrestling regalia beside his coal-miner father.
But Adrian's influence didn't stop there. As a celebrated costumier with Miss Linda, running The Bizarre Bazaar, his creative touch influenced the next generation. Astonishingly, they designed the famous tie-dye suit for Mick Foley’s legendary comedic persona, Dude Love! Street proved that true strength and artistry can be found beneath the flashiest of exteriors.
Sadly Street passed away at Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, on 24 July 2023, at age 82. The cause of death was sepsis that had developed from a bout of colitis. halo's up to a true wrestling legend who may be gone but he will never be forgotten.