He was a guy that grew to become an icon back in here in Finland in the 90s. It was a time of economic turmoil, and many people latched unto his image as an "undefeated, strong, traditional and masculine" man. He despised homosexuals, leftists, and immigrants; most likely supported Nazism in some form; was pretty boorish in many ways, and not just in a "elites and hipsters hate this man" kind of way.
But he was a true people's man. He knew how to get to the guy on the street. He knew what people wanted, and it was thanks to him that the nationalistic "True Finns" (later just "The Finns") party entered the Finnish parliament, where they have now grown to a major force.
However, his own life was full of contradictions. For example, while he hated drug users, he himself used a lot of drugs and alcohol. Also rather ironically, he himself didn't think too highly of wrestling, and as soon it was possible, he made the switch to boxing.
Personally, my opinions on him are a little mixed due to personal reasons. My father's best friend and my godfather hanged around his posse in Helsinki during the late 90s. It was most likely through him that my godfather ended up getting addicted to alcohol and drugs, which ultimately ended in leaving by his own hand a decade before Halme did.
