WWE Superstar inspired by "Monster" Ed Gein?

Ed Gein has been the inspiration for a number of serial killers over the years, but it seems that there was also a WWE star inspired by the "monster."

Ed Gein has become a household name over the past week following the release of "Monster-The Ed Gein Story" on Netflix, and whilst the series delves into the films and characters that were inspired by Gein's actions, there was one former WWE star who was inspired by Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Leatherface, a character that was created based on the antics of Ed Gein in his farm in Plainfield, Wisconsin, was someone who went on to inspire Corporal Kirchner.

While he portrayed a military hero throughout his time in WWE, he was part of NJPW in the late 1980s, where he portrayed a character called Leatherface who was straight out of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Leatherface was a character that needed no introduction and continued the level of reach that Ed Gein had produced long after his passing.

Did Leatherface ever make his debut in a match in WWE?

"Corporal Kirchner" was the character that was used throughout Michael Penzel's time in World Wrestling Entertainment which surprisingly came before his run in NJPW.

Penzel wrestled Nikolai Volkoff at WrestleMania 2 in a Flag Match, which he won before departing the company in the late 1980s. The surprising part here is the fact that he was announced for a gimmick battle royal back in 2001 that could have seen him bring his Leatherface character to America, but he was removed from the match before WrestleMania 17.

After a lengthy wrestling career, Penzel passed away from a heart attack in December 2021 in North Carolina, more than 15 years after the company had already announced his passing as part of a misunderstanding connected to his real name.

Edited by Phillipa Marie