Ox Baker obit

Wrestling legend Ox Baker passes away today

 

He was not on the list.

Wrestling legend Ox Baker -- who famously battled Kurt Russell in "Escape from New York" -- has died at the age of 80.

Baker was awesome -- he wrestled with everyone from Hulk Hogan to Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka ... and even had a rivalry with "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

After he retired from wrestling, Baker got into acting ... landing the role of Slag in the famous gladiator-style fight scene in the 1981 classic "Escape from New York."

Baker also appeared on Jackie Chan's "The Big Brawl" and a weird sci-fi wrestling movie called "Blood Circus."

He also had one of the more famous appearances as a contestant on "The Price is Right."

WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler posted the following on Twitter, confirming the passing of wrestling legend Ox Baker (Douglas Baker) earlier this morning at the age of 80:

“Just got the sad news that my friend and wrestling great, Ox Baker passed away a couple of hours ago. RIP OX”

In 2005, a documentary based on the life and career of Baker was filmed, directed by Halfbreed Billy Gram, with the working title of I Love the People I Hurt: The Life and Legend of the Mighty Ox Baker. A short comedy feature titled My Smorgasboard with Ox, co-written and co-starring Baker and Gram, was also filmed during this time, with both remaining in post-production status.

In 2006, the North Carolina-based indie band the Mountain Goats released a song on their Babylon Springs EP titled "Ox Baker Triumphant", in which Baker is betrayed by the wrestling community and rises up to strike vengeance upon them. In 2011, Baker self-published his own cookbook, which included recipes and stories during his time in the wrestling business. In 2015, Veteran Pro Wrestling out of Groton, Connecticut held the first annual Ox Baker Memorial Cup. The winner for 2015 was Bad News Walter Swan and US Army Veteran "The Patriot Paul Severe", aka Jared Keefe. In 2016, the winner was "Rescue 911", aka Christopher Annino.

In 2013, appeared in Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of Fear as The Butcher.