My favourites, picking wrestlers who've pretty much stuck with their masked personas (thereby discounting the various tiger masks and Mankind) and particularly ones where it's the wrestler rather than the costume that makes the character;

Kendo Nagasaki ('nuff said already)
Jushin Liger (a legend, a classic gimmick and _style_)
Shark Boy (one of the best current masked men)
Big Van Vader (especially in his 1991-93 Harley-Race managed WCW phase when he was the most dominant monster heel around)

Other mentions due to popularity (who haven't been mentioned yet); Mil Mascaras, Mr. Wrestling, Mr. Wrestling II, Villianos IV+V, The Patriot

The Emperor - Bill Bromley

Does anyone remember the late Exorcist - had huge feuds with Roach and had a steel toe capped boat

Did they flood the ring for his contests ??

David - let's not forget the first time that Kendo unmasked in the ring. I'm sure you can enlighten me on the date.
It was a televised bout against the tough northerner Billy Howes. Kendo's head was busted open and he removed his own mask to enable him to get the blood out of his eyes. He then made a hasty retreat. Even my wife felt sorry for him on that occasion.
In the rematch a couple of weeks later, the bout was stopped after Kendo smashed Howes in the mouth causing profuse bleeding. Honour was thus restored.

According to Kendo's website, that bout was back on 28th July 1971. Kendo had made his first television appearance, previously promoters had been reluctant to put Nagasaki onto television because his violent ring nature regularly saw the opposition covered in blood and fearing that the television watchdogs would show disapproval they had not dared to feature Nagasaki in a televised bout despite his very name assuring packed halls throughout the country. Finally, they relented and held their breath as Kendo took on top heavyweight Billy Howes before the cameras at Catterick.

It was indeed an explosive contest, both wrestlers colliding in fearsome combat as millions watched at home during the World Of Sport Saturday afternoon ITV ritual. Such was the violence that Kendo’s head was cut open and the blood and swelling were restricting his breathing, he half pulled the mask off his head in an attempt to continue but with Billy Howes intent on illegally unmasking him, Kendo pulled off the mask himself and fled into the dressing room area demanding that Howes be disqualified. Letters poured in from the viewers at home, not only commenting on the extraordinary man they had seen for the first time from their arm chairs but also wanting to see him again against other top wrestlers. This was the start of innumerable appearances on the small screen for Kendo Nagasaki, the mystery growing with each bout.


However, when I went looking for any reference to such bouts that year in TVTimes, I found earlier bouts pitting "Mystery Man Kendo Nagasaki" (as he was then billed) against Pete Roberts and, IIRC, Les Kellett.

Interestingly I know that Billy Howes was a major heel (he was a big influence on Klondyke Kate - "He could make you hate him by just looking at you") and your account makes it sound as tho Kendo was actually the babyface!

Thanks David. Kendo certainly didn't start out as the 'babyface' but such was the onslaught by Howes ( unprecedented, I think, for a televised bout) a great deal of sympathy wet out to Kendo on that particular occasion.
But, as I stated previously, most of Kendo's best contests were never filmed, and many of them were uncompromising afairs - Kendo never gave quarter and certainly never expected any !