Wrestling legend Adrian Street passes away at 82

  • Ian Carey
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The wrestling world has lost a legend and a trailblazer.

Adrian Street has passed away. His family confirmed to the BBC that the 82-year-old died at Cwmbran’s Grange University Hospital in South Wales on Monday. He had been recovering from recent brain surgery.

Street’s wife Linda, also his longtime manager known as Miss Linda, spoke about her husband’s recent health issues. 

“He’d had a heart problem a while ago which was resolved,” she said.

“But then he had a stroke earlier this month which resulted in a bleed on the brain.”

“He was recovering from that at home when he developed colitis – a chronic inflammatory bowel disease – which later turned into sepsis. That’s what killed him.”

“It all came about so quick. I’ve still not come to terms with it yet.”

Linda continued to pay tribute to her husband, referring to him as “the kindest, most lovely and loving man I’ve ever known. The total opposite to how he behaved on stage.”

She plans to have Street cremated and will spread his ashes on the mountains near the couple’s home in Cwmbran. 

“He loved the outdoors and we’d go on long walks in the countryside all the time. He’d really be at peace up there,” Linda said.

Street was born in Brynmawr, Wales, on December 5, 1940. He was the son of a pit worker, who Street would later say laughed at his plans to become a pro-wrestler. He ran away to London as a teenager and started his career as Kid Tarzan Jonathan. He’d later adopt the “Exotic” Adrian Street persona, completing the look with a feather boa, face paint, and pigtails. Street would rile up crowds by planting a big kiss on his opponent’s forehead, leaving behind a mark made from his lipstick. 

Street didn’t begin his North American career until he was already in his forties. He spent the 1980s wrestling for various territories including Mid-South and Continental Championship Wrestling. He later opened Skull Krushers Wrestling School in Florida until it was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan. Street and Linda would move back to Wales shortly after. 

Street was voted “Best Gimmick” in the 1986 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards. He was honored with Cauliflower Alley Club’s Gulf Coast/GAC Honoree Award in 2005 as well.  

The documentary “Adrian Street: Imagine What I Could Do To You” was released on the WWE Network in 2019.