The history of pro wrestling features many notable stars who managed to venture outside of the sport to have some influence in wider American pop culture. In addition to icons like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Andre The Giant is Ox Baker, who was a well-known commodity in the territories in the 1970s, showing up in NWA territories that would eventually evolve into WCW.
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While his look is certainly recognizable — especially to fans of John Carpenter movies — modern fans might not know much about this icon of pro wrestling. Let’s take a look at Ox Baker’s life and career and what fans should know about him, including his signature finishing maneuver and his charming appearance on a long-running game show.
10 Got His Look From Lord Jonathan Boyd
Born Douglas Baker in Missouri, the future Ox Baker received training from NWA World Heavyweight Champion Pat O’Connor and wrestler/promoter Bob Geigel. Debuting in the 1960s, in his early years Baker worked a very different gimmick, often as a bespectacled hillbilly character. However, in the early 1970s he was encouraged to change his look by Lord Jonathan Boyd, an Australian wrestler who’d later manage the Bushwackers in their pre-WWE days. As a result, Baker styled his eyebrows and mustache to create his striking look.
9 Became A Traveling Wrestler
At his peak, Ox Baker developed a kayfabe reputation as a dangerous man (see below), which made him an impressive draw in the territory days. As a result, Baker was able to be one of those traveling attraction wrestlers not unlike Andre the Giant or Abdullah the Butcher, where he would show up in a territory to challenge the company’s top babyfaces, only to ultimately lose and move on to the next town. Some territories where Ox Baker did notable work included Minnesota, Texas, and Florida.
8 His Signature Maneuver Was The Heart Punch
More of a brawler than a technical mastermind, Ox Baker in his early days used the bear hug as a finisher. However, he eventually opted to use his arms in a different way and settled on the Heart Punch, a stiff strike to the chest.
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Ox Baker was the wrestler who made the Heart Punch famous, but it was 1970s WWE Champion Stan Stasiak who innovated the move. When Stasiak raised a stink about Baker ripping him off, Ox renamed his version of the move, calling it the Hurt Punch.
7 The Heart Punch Was Touted To Have Killed Some Wrestlers
While some consider the maneuver kind of silly due to its use by guys like WWE’s Crush, The Heart Punch was the key to Ox Baker’s infamy in pro wrestling, but it was due to some unfortunate coincidences. In the summer of 1971, Ox Baker was wrestling a tag match in Nebraska against Alberto Torres and Bob Ellis, and Torres died days later due to heart disease. However, it was claimed that Baker’s Heart Punch was the cause. Over a year later, it happened again — Baker wrestled Georgia promoter/wrestler Ray Gunkel, who died of unrelated causes after the match, and once again it was attributed to Ox Baker’s Heart Punch.
6 His Catchphrase Was “I Like To Hurt People”
Fans can certainly think of iconic pro wrestling catchphrases like “You can’t see me,” “Acknowledge me,” or “Rest in peace,” but wrestlers had catchphrases even back in the old days. An amazing promo in addition to being an intimidating figure, Ox Baker was no exception to this, with his catchphrase being the remarkably simple but effective “I like to hurt people.” The phrase ended up serving as the title for the 1985 film I Like To Hurt People, a mockumentary following pro wrestling that features Baker among others.
5 Appeared On The Price Is Right
Television viewers outside of wrestling got a surprising look at Ox Baker when he appeared on the long-running game show The Price Is Right in January of 1981. A contestant chosen from the audience, the sight of Ox Baker standing next to Bob Barker is already surreal even before Baker actually begins playing the game. Used to being on television, Baker's presence on the show made for a fun segemtn as he came out of The Price Is Right with a furniture set and a wall clock.
4 The Heart Punch Once Caused A Riot
In the old days, fans got a lot more passionate and intense at wrestling shows, sometimes to a violent degree. Given Ox Baker’s kayfabe dangerousness, he was bound to draw the ire of crowds to an intense degree, which happened at 1974 National Wrestling Federation show in Minnesota.
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Football player/wrestler “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd was a beloved figure in the territory, and after a match with Johnny Powers, Baker staged a run-in and delivered his infamous Heart Punch to Ladd — multiple times. The crowd got so hostile that they began rushing the ring and throwing chairs at Baker.
3 Trained The Undertaker And Others In His School
After retiring in 1988, Ox Baker ended up opening up his own wrestling school, the appropriately named Ox Baker’s Wrestling School. Among Baker’s trainees at this school were Bryan Clark — better known as Adam Bomb in WWE or Wrath in WCW — and the legendary WWE star The Undertaker. Baker’s influence on them can be seen in their early days, too, as ‘Taker used the Heart Punch in his WCW days as Mean Mark Callous, and Baker actually managed Bryan Cark in the American Wrestling Association.
2 Acted In Several Movies
Ox Baker’s size, look, and charisma made him a natural fit for the movies, especially as a physical threat against the good guys. After an appearance alongside Jackie Chan in 1980’s The Big Brawl (a.k.a. Battle Creek Brawl), Baker secured his place in movie history appearing alongside Kurt Russell in the John Carpenter classic Escape From New York. In it, Baker plays a gladiator-esque fighter named Slag who takes on Russell’s Snake Plissken — in a wrestling ring, no less.
1 Wrote His Own Cookbook
While Ox Baker spent his retirement years making occasional appearances and even competing in the odd match, he also showed off a non-wrestling passion in cooking. In his early days with minimal pay, he’d cook big meals for his travel buddies instead of going out to restaurants, so it’s only appropriate that Baker write a wrestling themed cookbook. Titled Ox Baker’s Cookbook: A Tribute to the Fallen Warriors, the book features 50 recipes — including Baker’s signature garlic-heavy meatloaf — paired with tributes to wrestlers Baker admired, including Owen Hart, Bobo Brazil, Adrian Adonis, and Dick The Bruiser.
