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Chris Jericho’s Painmaker is a strong candidate for his goofiest gimmick—not because the character lacked a purpose, but because its horror-villain premise came wrapped in such theatrical excess. Jericho wanted a more violent, lunatic presentation for his Japanese matches; the lurid makeup and spiked jacket made that reinvention impossible to miss.
Why Jericho created the Painmaker
After wrestling Kenny Omega, Jericho felt his earlier presentation—with its scarf, light-up jacket and tights—did not fit the direction he wanted. He began with a deliberately unsettling question: “What would a serial killer be if he was a wrestler?” He imagined a horror-film villain like Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers, according to a 2020 Wrestling Inc. interview report.
The concept was a way to make his Japanese work feel distinct from his familiar persona. In a 2020 Sports Illustrated interview, Jericho said, “This fits where I’m at right now.” He described the character as suited to that moment, not necessarily a look he would use indefinitely.
How the makeup and name came together
In a 2026 retrospective interview with Monthly Puroresu, Jericho described the visual design as “a combination of ‘A Clockwork Orange’ and Alice Cooper.” He said he adjusted the makeup after an initial test and added lipstick that ran off the sides of his mouth. The result pushed the serial-killer idea into conspicuous stage-horror territory.
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- Action figure Detailed 6.5” Chris Jericho figure makes an incredible addition to your collection!
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The Painmaker name came later than the look. Jericho said it emerged during his feud with Kazuchika Okada: Okada was known as the Rainmaker, so Jericho became the Painmaker. The distinction matters—the makeup and character concept were already developing before the name made the comparison explicit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What makes the gimmick goofy—and what makes it work
“Goofiest” is a judgment, not an established career ranking. The available interviews explain Jericho’s intentions; they do not show that audiences or critics collectively ranked the Painmaker as his silliest persona.
Rank #2
- Product Type :Toys And Games
- Package Dimensions :6.0" L X2.5" W X10.5" H
- Country Of Origin :China
- Package Weight :0.5Lbs
Still, the case for the label is easy to see. A supposedly menacing wrestler styled as a slasher-film killer, with exaggerated makeup, smeared lipstick and a spiked jacket, sits close to theatrical parody. The look is so heightened that its menace and its absurdity arrive together.
That excess was also the point. Jericho was not presenting the Painmaker as an understated change of clothes; he wanted a more brutal, lunatic character that would stand apart in Japan. The same visual choices that make the gimmick look goofy also made it immediately distinct.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Measures approximately 10" high
- Detailed sculpting and paint applications
- Full-color window box
- Designed by Gabriel Cassata
- Sculpted by Oluf W. Hartvigson
Rank #4
Rank #3
- COLLECTIBLE FIGURE: Official AEW Unrivaled Collection Series 15 action figure featuring wrestling superstar Saray, figure #149 in the collection
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- DISPLAY READY: Perfect for collectors and wrestling fans to showcase alongside other AEW Unrivaled Collection figures
- ARTICULATION: Features multiple points of articulation allowing for dynamic pose possibilities and action-packed display options
- PERFECT SCALE: Sized to match other figures in the AEW Unrivaled Collection series for consistent display and play value
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