The Rise and Fall of ECW
Encyclopedia
The Rise and Fall of ECW is a documentary
DVD
produced by World Wrestling Entertainment, now known as WWE. It chronicles the history of Philadelphia-based professional wrestling
promotion
Extreme Championship Wrestling
. The documentary features interviews with various performers who worked in the promotion including co-founder and former owner Paul Heyman
as well as performers Tazz
, Tommy Dreamer
, Dawn Marie
, Stevie Richards
, Mick Foley
, Chris Jericho
, Lance Storm
, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero
, Chris Benoit
, Rob Van Dam
, Rhyno, Nunzio, Spike Dudley
, Bubba Ray Dudley, and D'Von Dudley. A book was later published by WWE with Pocket Books
in 2006 with much of the information and transcribed interviews from the DVD included.
, as well as a bonus disc featuring 7 matches, 3 deleted scenes and easter eggs.
The documentary concludes with all the wrestlers giving their thoughts about what made ECW so special, and Paul Heyman closes it out by saying: "You cannot achieve success without the risk of failure. And I learned a long time ago, you cannot achieve success, if you fear failure. If you're not afraid to fail, man, you have a chance to succeed. But you're never gonna get there unless you risk it, all the way. I'll risk failure. Sometimes, half the fun is failing. Learning from your mistakes, waking up the next morning, and saying 'Okay. Watch out. Here I come again. A little bit smarter, licking my wounds, and really not looking forward to getting my ass kicked the way I just did yesterday.' So now, I'm just a little more dangerous."
2. Public Enemy
- Paul Heyman and Tazz talk about Johnny Grunge
and Rocco Rock
, The Public Enemy.
3. Tazz
- Tazz talks about how he was brought into ECW.
4. Sabu
- Sabu is discussed. Paul Heyman explains how he partly built ECW around Sabu, mainly because people could turn on TV, see Sabu, and go, "that's different", playing off Sabu's reputation in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
in Japan.
6. The Night The Line Was Crossed - The famous Sabu vs. Shane Douglas
vs. Terry Funk
three-way dance (the first ever one-on-one-on-one match). This event marked "the return of professional wrestling to North America."
7. Paul Heyman
vs. WCW
- Paul Heyman's history in WCW is explained and how, after they fired him, he cultivated an anti-WCW attitude that he instilled into his roster. As Tommy Dreamer
put it, "Joining WCW was like joining the Taliban, and Eric Bischoff
is Satan
," in Paul's eyes.
8. Tommy Dreamer
- Tommy Dreamer's ECW debut is discussed.
9. The Sandman - The Sandman is discussed. Heyman notes how the audience loved his entrance and antics so much, "his matches became secondary."
was revolutionary at the time, mainly due to the fact that it blurred the lines of reality in wrestling. It broke kayfabe
in the arena; When Tommy Dreamer and Sandman were brawling backstage babyfaces
and heels
were shown interacting backstage. It also, however, kept kayfabe
, because after Dreamer "accidentally blinded" Sandman, Sandman stayed out of the public eye; his wife would answer their door at home and confirm that Sandman was blind for the duration of the storyline.
11. ECW Evolution - Tommy Dreamer discusses how wrestling was filled with gimmicks in ECW's early days, and how ECW was different from every other company, mainly for targeting adult males, rather than children like WWE
and WCW
. Paul Heyman discusses how the times were changing in professional wrestling, and that ECW was the first company to try and cater to the current generation.
12. Cactus Jack
- Mick Foley recounts how he was traded to ECW from WCW in a talent exchange, and was mainly brought in to wrestle Sabu. Strangely, Foley claims he was brought to ECW to help further a working relationship between ECW and WCW. Tommy Dreamer, however, claims it was not nearly that friendly a trade. He claims he was brought as a result of a lawsuit settlement.
13. Mikey Whipwreck
- Paul Heyman explains that he hired Mikey Whipwreck as part of his ring crew. Then, one day, he saw Whipwreck fooling around in the ring, and hired him, but "never gave him an offensive move", causing the fans to get behind him.
14. The Extreme Begins - Paul Heyman says that he knew that he had to get out of the "old school" mentality of pro wrestling. The controversial moment occurred on August 27, 1994, where Shane Douglas
threw down the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
belt, declared Eastern Championship Wrestling's title to be the ECW World Heavyweight Championship
, and spurred ECW's departure from the NWA
is discussed
15. Philadelphia - Paul Heyman says that Philadelphia was the perfect place for ECW, because of its famous rowdy fans that WWE and WCW could not get, but ECW managed to attract.
16. The Technical Wrestlers - Explains how wrestlers like Chris Benoit
, Eddie Guerrero
, Dean Malenko
, 2 Cold Scorpio
and Ron Simmons
helped establish ECW as the home of better wrestlers than anywhere else, and that it was not just a place to hit people with chairs.
17. Production Value - Long time ECW Producer/Director Ron Buffone discusses how they wanted to create a reality-based product. Paul Heyman says that there was no way to compete with the WWE and WCW production value, so they hid their negatives (ECW's limited TV production budget, pyrotechnics
etc.) and showed off the positives (wrestling and interviews).
18. The Fans - Paul Heyman says that fan interaction was a main draw of the product. When they went to the arena, they knew they would be a part of the show, not just spectators to it, and appreciated that.
19. Raven/Tommy Dreamer - Paul Heyman says that he has never seen somebody embrace his character the way Scott Levy embraced the Raven character, and that it inspired him to be more creative. Raven's feud with Tommy Dreamer is discussed.
for more money is shown.
21. Tazz Breaks His Neck - Tazz talks about how he broke his neck in a match where he teamed with Eddie Guerrero
against Dean Malenko
and 2 Cold Scorpio
, and then walked into the hospital emergency room with Tommy Dreamer. Tazz says that Paul Heyman paid him his minimum guarantees per his contract every week when he was off TV.
22. Monday Night War
- Eric Bischoff
claims that despite what Paul Heyman would have you think (that ECW was the first victim of the Monday Night War by having top and irreplaceable talent leave ECW for WCW), WCW never 'raided' ECW. He claims Paul's wrestlers left because they weren't getting paid, and that the athletes knew WCW was a much larger place to showcase their talent. He does though make a fairly interesting point by asking if it was a "raid" on Vince McMahon's part when he took top talent from the local NWA territories in the 1980s because he was starting up a national expansion, and that it was not a "raid" in Vince McMahon's mind or in the minds of anyone currently employed at World Wrestling Entertainment. He concludes by saying that the people who left WWE and ECW to come and work for WCW were personal and moral decisions made by the wrestlers themselves, not a raid. Paul Heyman responded by saying "Eric Bischoff is full of shit and like many, never gave ECW the credit that ECW deserved." And that stealing his ideas and his innovations and pawning them off as his own ideas was what put WCW on the map. Curiously, he "praised" Eric for doing so because he was in a ratings war against a rival company and needed the talent and ideas to compete with them. Paul then shrugs and wonders aloud as to why Eric never fessed up and said, "I stole that from ECW." He then added with what appears to be a small smile that they sued WCW over blatant plagiarism "tons of times." Seconds later, Vince McMahon
admits that he raided ECW, and that WCW did too. He goes on, however, to state that he compensated Paul for hiring his talent, something Eric Bishoff did not do.
23. Lucha Libre! - Paul Heyman says that after WCW stole his talent, he called Konnan
, who sent over Rey Misterio Jr. and Psicosis, bringing Lucha Libre to North America. WCW eventually signed them too. Mysterio claims that's how his rising career started, as ECW talent. Heyman claims that he never would have made ECW the success it was without his father being a lawyer, as Heyman was sued "more times than Martha Stewart
."
24. Austin Comes to ECW - Steve Austin
was fired from WCW (over the phone) and went to ECW where he delivered several anti-WCW tirades.
25. Promos - Ron Buffone and Paul Heyman says that the promos delivered by Steve Austin and Cactus Jack (particularly the latter's "anti-hardcore" remarks) were "the best promos in the history of the business. Bar none."
26. Cactus Jack Leaves ECW - Cactus Jack gives his thanks to the fans before leaving ECW.
27. Tazz Returns - Tazz talks about the transformation of "The Tazmaniac" to "Taz", and his return to ECW. Paul Heyman says Taz brought a "big fight atmosphere" that was missing from pro wrestling. "Taz became our Ultimate Fight Style persona."
28. Sandman/Raven - The legendary Sandman vs. Raven feud is discussed, including Raven brainwashing The Sandman's son Tyler, and The Sandman breaking down and crying. Paul Heyman says it was the most emotional storyline ECW ever did.
29. The bWo
- The bWo (Blue World Order) is discussed, and how it was initially just another in a string of parodies of many aspects of pro wrestling, but almost immediately stuck.
pregnancy angle is discussed, and the first ever lesbian
angle in wrestling (between Beulah and Kimona Wanalaya
). ECW was subsequently removed from almost every TV station they were on.
31. ECW and WWE - Vince McMahon's curiosity with ECW is discussed, starting at the 1995 WWE pay-per-view
King of the Ring
in Philadelphia, when fans started chanting "ECW" during the show.
32. The Crucifixion - The infamous October 26, 1996 "crucifixion" of Sandman (by Raven) is discussed. Kurt Angle
explains how he was originally supposed to go to ECW, but left after the incident, threatening legal action if his image was aired on the same broadcast as the crucifixion. Paul Heyman claimed he did not know Raven was going to go that far.
33. The Importance of Pay-Per-View - Tazz says that the only way to expand the company was to get on pay-per-view
. Paul Heyman says that the fans were "their army.", and e-mailed PPV stations to get ECW on PPV. The PPV networks almost didn't put ECW on PPV, because they thought ECW was real.
34. ECW Loses Their Pay-Per-View - The Mass Transit Incident on November 23, 1996 is discussed and how it got Barely Legal
taken off the air on Christmas Eve, 1996.
35. The PPV is Back On! - Paul Heyman negotiates with the PPV networks, while ECW's fans bombard the same networks with e-mails and phone calls, to reinstate ECW's first PPV to the 1997 schedule.
36. WWE Co-Promotion - Vince McMahon
said that an ECW co-promotion was good business for all sides. Jerry Lawler
, barely hiding his contempt for ECW, even condemning them for having pride in themselves ("They actually thought that they were better than us, the WWE") , says that ECW was full of "miniature wrestlers". He questions again why Vince allowed ECW to be on their programming. Vince later goes on to say he himself wasn't quite sure what his mindset at the time was.
37. Barely Legal
: RVD
vs. Lance Storm
- Rob Van Dam vents his frustration with only being on the Pay-Per-View as a fill-in after his match.
38. Barely Legal: Tazz vs. Sabu - Tazz recaps his near year long feud with Sabu, saying it "made" both of them.
39. The Main Event at Barely Legal - Stevie Richards
says that he admitted to Terry Funk
before the main event that he "didn't know what he was doing here". (He was in the main event.) Paul Heyman says that Terry Funk's ECW World Heavyweight Championship
win was the impossible dream coming true. Stevie Richards says that not ten seconds after the PPV went off the air, the transformer blew, and they barely got the whole broadcast on the air. Paul Heyman says that after the show was over, everyone in the company was crying, because they all had a hand in getting them there.
Invades ECW - Paul Heyman feels that Raven leaving to return to WCW (he was Scotty Flamingo in WCW between 1992 and 1993) was mainly a creative disappointment than a business one. Jerry Lawler's "invasion" of ECW was shown. Tommy Dreamer says that the common reaction to Lawler being in the ECW Arena was "How dare Jerry Lawler show up at ECW". After the show ended, Jerry Lawler bolted out of the arena for fear of his safety. Jerry Lawler admits that he honestly thought that ECW was a trash promotion and that it was "Extremely Crappy Wrestling."
41. A Locker Room Mole? - Tod Gordon
's supposed activity as a mole is discussed, where he, Bill Alfonso
and Terry Taylor
attempted to get several ECW wrestlers to go to WCW
. It's worth noting that on the alternate documentary Forever Hardcore, this was claimed to have been a big work. On this documentary, however, the ECW alumni refer to it as a real occurrence.
42. The Superstars' Roles - Buh Buh Ray Dudley tells how he came to be in charge of hiring venues for ECW shows. Chris Jericho
mentions how Taz
's job was to create merchandise, and Tommy Dreamer
, Little Guido
and D-Von Dudley would ship the T-Shirts. Dreamer would also book the shows, Tazz ran ECW's wrestling school, the "ECW House of Hardcore", Stevie Richards ran the fan line, and Dreamer would also collect the money from the concession.
43. Paul Heyman's Creativity - The ECW wrestlers talk about how much of an asset Paul Heyman was, and how accessible he was to his roster. Al Snow
is also discussed, including the creation of his infamous mascot "Head."
44. WCW and WWE Imitation - The wrestlers' feel that in 1998 ECW was perhaps the number two wrestling organization in the world. Buh Buh Ray Dudley even felt (and to this day feels) that ECW could have perhaps taken over WCW. Eric Bischoff claims that ECW was never the number two promotion, mainly on the fact that in this time period WCW and WWE were having a back and forth struggle for number one. Vince McMahon admits that he stole several ideas from ECW, but never considered them a threat.
45. Tazz and The FTW Title
- Tazz discusses his feud with Bam Bam Bigelow in 1998 and the genesis of his FTW Title.
46. The Dudleys
: "The Most Hated Tag Team" - The Dudley Boyz
and Paul Heyman discuss the time period where the Dudleys would be so hated, they would insult the fans (including accusing a mother of teaching her daughter to perform oral sex, and calling fans epithets like "faggot" and "fat, bald motherfucker"), and start riots. Buh Buh Ray considered the most dangerous moment was at Heat Wave '99. D-Von later said that some of the fans waited in the parking lots after the shows just to say, "No security. Now what do you got?"
47. Financial Woes - The beginning of ECW's darkest days are discussed, where checks were beginning to bounce, (Tommy Dreamer states he wasn't paid for six months) and wrestlers were leaving. The wrestlers called Paul Heyman ECW's greatest asset, but was also its greatest detriment.
48. The TNN
deal and Tazz Leaves- ECW's debut on TNN is discussed, and how excited the wrestlers were about it. Vince McMahon recalls congratulating Paul at the time, saying "now you have to change, to appeal to a mainstream audience." Tazz's ECW departure is discussed with mixed feelings (Spike Dudley called his departure demoralizing, while Rob Van Dam
considered it as a case, where the individual is growing at a different rate than the company was).
49. The Dudleys Leave ECW - Buh Buh Ray claims that Paul never owed either Dudley any money, but the Dudleys needed to know what they had to gain by staying in ECW. He told Paul "make us want to stay." They even asked for a one dollar raise, but Paul's mindset was "you stay here cause you want to stay here." Feeling that Paul wasn't prepared to make them even a token offer, they jumped to WWE
in August 1999.
) Despite the fact that ECW was TNN's highest rated program, it had nothing to do with TNN's help. Paul Heyman relates how TNN never aired a commercial for ECW, never gave a newspaper radio ad or a press conference to promote the show. The only time that TNN aired a commercial for ECW was during the show itself. As a parody of their treatment by the network, ECW censored everything from their theme song (citing it was too "demonic") to the word "hate". (They preferred "intense dislike".) ECW's treatment by TNN was another factor in putting ECW out of business. Rob Van Dam is discussed.
51. Mike Awesome
Controversy and Tommy Dreamer Wins The Title - Mike Awesome
leaving ECW for WCW while still champion is discussed. They then go into Tazz
defeating Mike Awesome for the belt, and bringing it to WWE for a while (to help gain the belt and ECW some more exposure) before losing it to Tommy Dreamer.
52. The Demise of ECW - The closure of ECW is discussed. Vince McMahon
and Eric Bischoff
suggest that ECW went under mainly because of the one-dimensional nature of the ECW product, and that it appealed to only a small segment of a national audience, and therefore it was doomed to either go under or remain a small company. Several of the wrestlers stuck with it, but suspected they could never be paid the money they were owed. Even though attendance was high, the wrestlers knew ECW was done. Rhino
admits to being in denial about ECW going out of business. Several of the wrestlers felt that their whole world came crashing down. Buh Buh Ray felt that ECW went under because of the violence level, as well as Paul's mismanagement of the company, something many ECW alumni agree with. Paul, however feels that ECW went under because they had no (sympathetic) network television. "That's the only reason." He didn't stop there, saying that if anyone says otherwise is either "dead wrong" or "doesn't know what he is talking about."
53. Paul Heyman Debuts on Raw
- Paul Heyman debuts on Raw as an announcer. Paul feels that he had to go to WWE in order to move on, and get on with his life. The wrestlers feel that Paul's dream was to be his own boss, but did not get that opportunity. Vince McMahon feels that Paul Heyman should be commended for everything he accomplished, and that Paul's realization that he had to move on spoke very highly of his character.
vs. The Pitbulls
in a 2 out of 3 Falls Dog Collar Match for the ECW World Tag Team Championship
. (Gangsta's Paradise. Philadelphia, PA, 9/16/95)
2.Psicosis vs. Rey Misterio Jr. in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match (ECW Hardcore TV
. Philadelphia, PA, 10/17/95)
3.The Sandman vs. Mikey Whipwreck
in a Stairway to Hell Ladder Match for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship
(Hardcore TV. Philadelphia, PA, 10/28/95)
4.2 Cold Scorpio
vs. Sabu
for the ECW World Television Championship (CyberSlam. Philadelphia, PA, 2/17/96)
5.Raven vs. Tommy Dreamer
(Wrestlepalooza, Philadelphia, PA, 6/6/97)
6.Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Taz
for the ECW Television Championship (Living Dangerously, Asbury Park, New Jersey
, 3/1/98)
7.Jerry Lynn
vs. Rob Van Dam
for the ECW Television Championship. (Hardcore Heaven, Poughkeepsie, New York
, 5/16/99)
Stevie Richards
Apologizes for Leaving ECW
Tazz Seeks Paul Heymans Blessing
Paul Heyman: Travel Agent
of all-time, behind WrestleMania 21
, and led to the ECW One Night Stand
PPV
event. Also as a result of these sales, WWE has published a new ECW DVD titled Bloodsport - ECW's Most Violent Matches, released in February 2006.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter gave it the award of Best Pro Wrestling DVD of 2005. The success of the DVD led to a One Night Stand Pay Per View event in 2005 which would continue on an annual basis for a couple of years; after One Night Stand 2006, ECW was officially reborn as its own "brand," in the style of Raw or Smackdown, although later it distanced itself from the original ECW and continued to operate until 2010 when it was replaced with NXT
.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
produced by World Wrestling Entertainment, now known as WWE. It chronicles the history of Philadelphia-based professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
. The documentary features interviews with various performers who worked in the promotion including co-founder and former owner Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
as well as performers Tazz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
, Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Dawn Marie
Dawn Marie Psaltis
Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
, Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
, Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
, Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
, Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
, Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, Rhyno, Nunzio, Spike Dudley
Matt Hyson
Matthew "Matt" Hyson is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.In ECW, he was a two-time...
, Bubba Ray Dudley, and D'Von Dudley. A book was later published by WWE with Pocket Books
Pocket Books
Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books.- History :Pocket produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in America in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing industry...
in 2006 with much of the information and transcribed interviews from the DVD included.
Features
This DVD is rated TV-MA in America, and does not censor profanity (unless uncensored footage was not available or found at the time). The interviews given by the ECW alumni are all uncensored. On the Region 1 and Region 4 editions of the DVD before the main menu of the DVD is shown, a message appears, reading "Intended For Mature Audiences." The DVD is a 2-disc set featuring a documentary about Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
, as well as a bonus disc featuring 7 matches, 3 deleted scenes and easter eggs.
The documentary concludes with all the wrestlers giving their thoughts about what made ECW so special, and Paul Heyman closes it out by saying: "You cannot achieve success without the risk of failure. And I learned a long time ago, you cannot achieve success, if you fear failure. If you're not afraid to fail, man, you have a chance to succeed. But you're never gonna get there unless you risk it, all the way. I'll risk failure. Sometimes, half the fun is failing. Learning from your mistakes, waking up the next morning, and saying 'Okay. Watch out. Here I come again. A little bit smarter, licking my wounds, and really not looking forward to getting my ass kicked the way I just did yesterday.' So now, I'm just a little more dangerous."
1-9
1. Early ECW - ECW's early days are discussed.2. Public Enemy
The Public Enemy (professional wrestling)
The Public Enemy was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge. The duo competed in many promotions, including Extreme Championship Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , National Wrestling Alliance , and the World Wrestling Federation...
- Paul Heyman and Tazz talk about Johnny Grunge
Johnny Grunge
Michael "Mike" Durham was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Johnny Grunge...
and Rocco Rock
Rocco Rock
Theodore James Petty was an American professional wrestler better known as "Flyboy" Rocco Rock, one half of The Public Enemy.-Career:...
, The Public Enemy.
3. Tazz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
- Tazz talks about how he was brought into ECW.
4. Sabu
Sabu (wrestler)
Terry Michael Brunk , better known by his ring name Sabu, is an American professional wrestler best known for his extreme wrestling style...
- Sabu is discussed. Paul Heyman explains how he partly built ECW around Sabu, mainly because people could turn on TV, see Sabu, and go, "that's different", playing off Sabu's reputation in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded on July 28, 1989 by Atsushi Onita that specialized in hardcore wrestling involving weapons such as barbed wire and fire. They held their first show on October 6, 1989...
in Japan.
6. The Night The Line Was Crossed - The famous Sabu vs. Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
vs. Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
three-way dance (the first ever one-on-one-on-one match). This event marked "the return of professional wrestling to North America."
7. Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
vs. WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
- Paul Heyman's history in WCW is explained and how, after they fired him, he cultivated an anti-WCW attitude that he instilled into his roster. As Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
put it, "Joining WCW was like joining the Taliban, and Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
is Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
," in Paul's eyes.
8. Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
- Tommy Dreamer's ECW debut is discussed.
9. The Sandman - The Sandman is discussed. Heyman notes how the audience loved his entrance and antics so much, "his matches became secondary."
10-19
10. Sandman and Tommy Dreamer Feud- Paul Heyman discusses how the Sandman/Dreamer feudFeud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
was revolutionary at the time, mainly due to the fact that it blurred the lines of reality in wrestling. It broke kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
in the arena; When Tommy Dreamer and Sandman were brawling backstage babyfaces
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
and heels
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
were shown interacting backstage. It also, however, kept kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
, because after Dreamer "accidentally blinded" Sandman, Sandman stayed out of the public eye; his wife would answer their door at home and confirm that Sandman was blind for the duration of the storyline.
11. ECW Evolution - Tommy Dreamer discusses how wrestling was filled with gimmicks in ECW's early days, and how ECW was different from every other company, mainly for targeting adult males, rather than children like WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
. Paul Heyman discusses how the times were changing in professional wrestling, and that ECW was the first company to try and cater to the current generation.
12. Cactus Jack
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
- Mick Foley recounts how he was traded to ECW from WCW in a talent exchange, and was mainly brought in to wrestle Sabu. Strangely, Foley claims he was brought to ECW to help further a working relationship between ECW and WCW. Tommy Dreamer, however, claims it was not nearly that friendly a trade. He claims he was brought as a result of a lawsuit settlement.
13. Mikey Whipwreck
Mikey Whipwreck
John Watson , better known by his ring name Mikey Whipwreck, is a retired American professional wrestler best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling where he became the third ECW Triple Crown Champion....
- Paul Heyman explains that he hired Mikey Whipwreck as part of his ring crew. Then, one day, he saw Whipwreck fooling around in the ring, and hired him, but "never gave him an offensive move", causing the fans to get behind him.
14. The Extreme Begins - Paul Heyman says that he knew that he had to get out of the "old school" mentality of pro wrestling. The controversial moment occurred on August 27, 1994, where Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
threw down the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
belt, declared Eastern Championship Wrestling's title to be the ECW World Heavyweight Championship
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, and spurred ECW's departure from the NWA
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
is discussed
15. Philadelphia - Paul Heyman says that Philadelphia was the perfect place for ECW, because of its famous rowdy fans that WWE and WCW could not get, but ECW managed to attract.
16. The Technical Wrestlers - Explains how wrestlers like Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
, Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
, Dean Malenko
Dean Malenko
Dean Simon is a retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Dean Malenko. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling , New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling...
, 2 Cold Scorpio
2 Cold Scorpio
Charles Scaggs is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name 2 Cold Scorpio . Scaggs has competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment and Pro Wrestling Noah...
and Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
helped establish ECW as the home of better wrestlers than anywhere else, and that it was not just a place to hit people with chairs.
17. Production Value - Long time ECW Producer/Director Ron Buffone discusses how they wanted to create a reality-based product. Paul Heyman says that there was no way to compete with the WWE and WCW production value, so they hid their negatives (ECW's limited TV production budget, pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
etc.) and showed off the positives (wrestling and interviews).
18. The Fans - Paul Heyman says that fan interaction was a main draw of the product. When they went to the arena, they knew they would be a part of the show, not just spectators to it, and appreciated that.
19. Raven/Tommy Dreamer - Paul Heyman says that he has never seen somebody embrace his character the way Scott Levy embraced the Raven character, and that it inspired him to be more creative. Raven's feud with Tommy Dreamer is discussed.
20-29
20. Sabu Gets Fired - Tazz explains that even though he and Sabu were Tag Team Champions, they did not get along backstage. A clip of Paul Heyman announcing that Sabu was fired for no-showing an ECW Tag Title defense in favor of touring with New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
for more money is shown.
21. Tazz Breaks His Neck - Tazz talks about how he broke his neck in a match where he teamed with Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
against Dean Malenko
Dean Malenko
Dean Simon is a retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Dean Malenko. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling , New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling...
and 2 Cold Scorpio
2 Cold Scorpio
Charles Scaggs is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name 2 Cold Scorpio . Scaggs has competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment and Pro Wrestling Noah...
, and then walked into the hospital emergency room with Tommy Dreamer. Tazz says that Paul Heyman paid him his minimum guarantees per his contract every week when he was off TV.
22. Monday Night War
Monday Night Wars
Monday Night Wars is the common term describing the period of mainstream televised American professional wrestling from September 4, 1995, to March 26, 2001. During this time, the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw went head-to-head with World Championship Wrestling's Monday Nitro in a...
- Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
claims that despite what Paul Heyman would have you think (that ECW was the first victim of the Monday Night War by having top and irreplaceable talent leave ECW for WCW), WCW never 'raided' ECW. He claims Paul's wrestlers left because they weren't getting paid, and that the athletes knew WCW was a much larger place to showcase their talent. He does though make a fairly interesting point by asking if it was a "raid" on Vince McMahon's part when he took top talent from the local NWA territories in the 1980s because he was starting up a national expansion, and that it was not a "raid" in Vince McMahon's mind or in the minds of anyone currently employed at World Wrestling Entertainment. He concludes by saying that the people who left WWE and ECW to come and work for WCW were personal and moral decisions made by the wrestlers themselves, not a raid. Paul Heyman responded by saying "Eric Bischoff is full of shit and like many, never gave ECW the credit that ECW deserved." And that stealing his ideas and his innovations and pawning them off as his own ideas was what put WCW on the map. Curiously, he "praised" Eric for doing so because he was in a ratings war against a rival company and needed the talent and ideas to compete with them. Paul then shrugs and wonders aloud as to why Eric never fessed up and said, "I stole that from ECW." He then added with what appears to be a small smile that they sued WCW over blatant plagiarism "tons of times." Seconds later, Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
admits that he raided ECW, and that WCW did too. He goes on, however, to state that he compensated Paul for hiring his talent, something Eric Bishoff did not do.
23. Lucha Libre! - Paul Heyman says that after WCW stole his talent, he called Konnan
Konnan
Carlos Santiago Espada Moises , also known as Charles Ashenoff and better known by his ring name, Konnan, is a Cuban professional wrestler and rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
, who sent over Rey Misterio Jr. and Psicosis, bringing Lucha Libre to North America. WCW eventually signed them too. Mysterio claims that's how his rising career started, as ECW talent. Heyman claims that he never would have made ECW the success it was without his father being a lawyer, as Heyman was sued "more times than Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
."
24. Austin Comes to ECW - Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
was fired from WCW (over the phone) and went to ECW where he delivered several anti-WCW tirades.
25. Promos - Ron Buffone and Paul Heyman says that the promos delivered by Steve Austin and Cactus Jack (particularly the latter's "anti-hardcore" remarks) were "the best promos in the history of the business. Bar none."
26. Cactus Jack Leaves ECW - Cactus Jack gives his thanks to the fans before leaving ECW.
27. Tazz Returns - Tazz talks about the transformation of "The Tazmaniac" to "Taz", and his return to ECW. Paul Heyman says Taz brought a "big fight atmosphere" that was missing from pro wrestling. "Taz became our Ultimate Fight Style persona."
28. Sandman/Raven - The legendary Sandman vs. Raven feud is discussed, including Raven brainwashing The Sandman's son Tyler, and The Sandman breaking down and crying. Paul Heyman says it was the most emotional storyline ECW ever did.
29. The bWo
Blue World Order
The Blue World Order was a stable of professional wrestlers formed at Extreme Championship Wrestling's November to Remember 1996 event at the ECW Arena...
- The bWo (Blue World Order) is discussed, and how it was initially just another in a string of parodies of many aspects of pro wrestling, but almost immediately stuck.
30-39
30. Beulah and Dreamer - The Beulah McGillicuttyTrisa Hayes
Trisa Hayes Laughlin is an American professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name, Beulah McGillicutty. She is best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling in the late 1990s...
pregnancy angle is discussed, and the first ever lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
angle in wrestling (between Beulah and Kimona Wanalaya
Kristina Laum
Kristina Laum is a retired professional wrestling valet and manager in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling...
). ECW was subsequently removed from almost every TV station they were on.
31. ECW and WWE - Vince McMahon's curiosity with ECW is discussed, starting at the 1995 WWE pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
King of the Ring
King of the Ring
King of the Ring is a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by WWE. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1990 and 1992, and from 1993 to 2002 the tournament was produced as a pay-per-view event....
in Philadelphia, when fans started chanting "ECW" during the show.
32. The Crucifixion - The infamous October 26, 1996 "crucifixion" of Sandman (by Raven) is discussed. Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
explains how he was originally supposed to go to ECW, but left after the incident, threatening legal action if his image was aired on the same broadcast as the crucifixion. Paul Heyman claimed he did not know Raven was going to go that far.
33. The Importance of Pay-Per-View - Tazz says that the only way to expand the company was to get on pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
. Paul Heyman says that the fans were "their army.", and e-mailed PPV stations to get ECW on PPV. The PPV networks almost didn't put ECW on PPV, because they thought ECW was real.
34. ECW Loses Their Pay-Per-View - The Mass Transit Incident on November 23, 1996 is discussed and how it got Barely Legal
ECW Barely Legal
Barely Legal was the first professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Extreme Championship Wrestling . It took place on April 13, 1997 from the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Production:...
taken off the air on Christmas Eve, 1996.
35. The PPV is Back On! - Paul Heyman negotiates with the PPV networks, while ECW's fans bombard the same networks with e-mails and phone calls, to reinstate ECW's first PPV to the 1997 schedule.
36. WWE Co-Promotion - Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
said that an ECW co-promotion was good business for all sides. Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, barely hiding his contempt for ECW, even condemning them for having pride in themselves ("They actually thought that they were better than us, the WWE") , says that ECW was full of "miniature wrestlers". He questions again why Vince allowed ECW to be on their programming. Vince later goes on to say he himself wasn't quite sure what his mindset at the time was.
37. Barely Legal
ECW Barely Legal
Barely Legal was the first professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Extreme Championship Wrestling . It took place on April 13, 1997 from the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Production:...
: RVD
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
vs. Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
- Rob Van Dam vents his frustration with only being on the Pay-Per-View as a fill-in after his match.
38. Barely Legal: Tazz vs. Sabu - Tazz recaps his near year long feud with Sabu, saying it "made" both of them.
39. The Main Event at Barely Legal - Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
says that he admitted to Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
before the main event that he "didn't know what he was doing here". (He was in the main event.) Paul Heyman says that Terry Funk's ECW World Heavyweight Championship
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
win was the impossible dream coming true. Stevie Richards says that not ten seconds after the PPV went off the air, the transformer blew, and they barely got the whole broadcast on the air. Paul Heyman says that after the show was over, everyone in the company was crying, because they all had a hand in getting them there.
40-49
40. Raven Goes to WCW and Jerry LawlerJerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
Invades ECW - Paul Heyman feels that Raven leaving to return to WCW (he was Scotty Flamingo in WCW between 1992 and 1993) was mainly a creative disappointment than a business one. Jerry Lawler's "invasion" of ECW was shown. Tommy Dreamer says that the common reaction to Lawler being in the ECW Arena was "How dare Jerry Lawler show up at ECW". After the show ended, Jerry Lawler bolted out of the arena for fear of his safety. Jerry Lawler admits that he honestly thought that ECW was a trash promotion and that it was "Extremely Crappy Wrestling."
41. A Locker Room Mole? - Tod Gordon
Tod Gordon
Tod Gordon is the President of Carver W. Reed Co. Inc, a Philadelphia jewelry store and loan office that was established in 1860. He is also the founder of both defunct Professional wrestling promotions Eastern Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling...
's supposed activity as a mole is discussed, where he, Bill Alfonso
Bill Alfonso
William Matthew "Bill" Alfonso is a former professional wrestling referee and manager. He achieved his greatest success in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the mid to late 1990s...
and Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor , is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
attempted to get several ECW wrestlers to go to WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
. It's worth noting that on the alternate documentary Forever Hardcore, this was claimed to have been a big work. On this documentary, however, the ECW alumni refer to it as a real occurrence.
42. The Superstars' Roles - Buh Buh Ray Dudley tells how he came to be in charge of hiring venues for ECW shows. Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
mentions how Taz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
's job was to create merchandise, and Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Little Guido
James Maritato
James Maritato is an American professional wrestler, of Italian origin, currently working on the independent circuit. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment and Extreme Championship Wrestling under the ring names Little Guido Maritato and Nunzio.-Starting out:While...
and D-Von Dudley would ship the T-Shirts. Dreamer would also book the shows, Tazz ran ECW's wrestling school, the "ECW House of Hardcore", Stevie Richards ran the fan line, and Dreamer would also collect the money from the concession.
43. Paul Heyman's Creativity - The ECW wrestlers talk about how much of an asset Paul Heyman was, and how accessible he was to his roster. Al Snow
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent.-Early career:Sarven...
is also discussed, including the creation of his infamous mascot "Head."
44. WCW and WWE Imitation - The wrestlers' feel that in 1998 ECW was perhaps the number two wrestling organization in the world. Buh Buh Ray Dudley even felt (and to this day feels) that ECW could have perhaps taken over WCW. Eric Bischoff claims that ECW was never the number two promotion, mainly on the fact that in this time period WCW and WWE were having a back and forth struggle for number one. Vince McMahon admits that he stole several ideas from ECW, but never considered them a threat.
45. Tazz and The FTW Title
ECW FTW Heavyweight Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling FTW Heavyweight Championship was an alternate World Heavyweight Championship in the professional wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling...
- Tazz discusses his feud with Bam Bam Bigelow in 1998 and the genesis of his FTW Title.
46. The Dudleys
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
: "The Most Hated Tag Team" - The Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
and Paul Heyman discuss the time period where the Dudleys would be so hated, they would insult the fans (including accusing a mother of teaching her daughter to perform oral sex, and calling fans epithets like "faggot" and "fat, bald motherfucker"), and start riots. Buh Buh Ray considered the most dangerous moment was at Heat Wave '99. D-Von later said that some of the fans waited in the parking lots after the shows just to say, "No security. Now what do you got?"
47. Financial Woes - The beginning of ECW's darkest days are discussed, where checks were beginning to bounce, (Tommy Dreamer states he wasn't paid for six months) and wrestlers were leaving. The wrestlers called Paul Heyman ECW's greatest asset, but was also its greatest detriment.
48. The TNN
Spike TV
Spike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
deal and Tazz Leaves- ECW's debut on TNN is discussed, and how excited the wrestlers were about it. Vince McMahon recalls congratulating Paul at the time, saying "now you have to change, to appeal to a mainstream audience." Tazz's ECW departure is discussed with mixed feelings (Spike Dudley called his departure demoralizing, while Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
considered it as a case, where the individual is growing at a different rate than the company was).
49. The Dudleys Leave ECW - Buh Buh Ray claims that Paul never owed either Dudley any money, but the Dudleys needed to know what they had to gain by staying in ECW. He told Paul "make us want to stay." They even asked for a one dollar raise, but Paul's mindset was "you stay here cause you want to stay here." Feeling that Paul wasn't prepared to make them even a token offer, they jumped to WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
in August 1999.
50-53
50. Disappointment with TNN/RVD-"The Whole F'N Show" - (Main Article: ECW on TNNECW on TNN
ECW on TNN was a weekly American professional wrestling television program that aired on The Nashville Network from August 27, 1999 to October 6, 2000...
) Despite the fact that ECW was TNN's highest rated program, it had nothing to do with TNN's help. Paul Heyman relates how TNN never aired a commercial for ECW, never gave a newspaper radio ad or a press conference to promote the show. The only time that TNN aired a commercial for ECW was during the show itself. As a parody of their treatment by the network, ECW censored everything from their theme song (citing it was too "demonic") to the word "hate". (They preferred "intense dislike".) ECW's treatment by TNN was another factor in putting ECW out of business. Rob Van Dam is discussed.
51. Mike Awesome
Mike Awesome
Michael Lee Alfonso , better known by his ring name Mike Awesome, was an American professional wrestler best known in America for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and in World Wrestling Federation and also in Japan for his work with Frontier Martial-Arts...
Controversy and Tommy Dreamer Wins The Title - Mike Awesome
Mike Awesome
Michael Lee Alfonso , better known by his ring name Mike Awesome, was an American professional wrestler best known in America for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and in World Wrestling Federation and also in Japan for his work with Frontier Martial-Arts...
leaving ECW for WCW while still champion is discussed. They then go into Tazz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
defeating Mike Awesome for the belt, and bringing it to WWE for a while (to help gain the belt and ECW some more exposure) before losing it to Tommy Dreamer.
52. The Demise of ECW - The closure of ECW is discussed. Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
suggest that ECW went under mainly because of the one-dimensional nature of the ECW product, and that it appealed to only a small segment of a national audience, and therefore it was doomed to either go under or remain a small company. Several of the wrestlers stuck with it, but suspected they could never be paid the money they were owed. Even though attendance was high, the wrestlers knew ECW was done. Rhino
Terry Gerin
Terrance "Terry" Gerin is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by the ring name Rhino . He is best known for his career in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
admits to being in denial about ECW going out of business. Several of the wrestlers felt that their whole world came crashing down. Buh Buh Ray felt that ECW went under because of the violence level, as well as Paul's mismanagement of the company, something many ECW alumni agree with. Paul, however feels that ECW went under because they had no (sympathetic) network television. "That's the only reason." He didn't stop there, saying that if anyone says otherwise is either "dead wrong" or "doesn't know what he is talking about."
53. Paul Heyman Debuts on Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
- Paul Heyman debuts on Raw as an announcer. Paul feels that he had to go to WWE in order to move on, and get on with his life. The wrestlers feel that Paul's dream was to be his own boss, but did not get that opportunity. Vince McMahon feels that Paul Heyman should be commended for everything he accomplished, and that Paul's realization that he had to move on spoke very highly of his character.
Disc 2: Matches and deleted scenes
1.Raven and Stevie RichardsStevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
vs. The Pitbulls
The Pitbulls
The Pitbulls were a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of "Pitbull #1" Gary Wolfe and "Pitbull #2" Anthony Durante. They were best known for their tenure in Extreme Championship Wrestling, where they were one-time World Tag Team Champions...
in a 2 out of 3 Falls Dog Collar Match for the ECW World Tag Team Championship
ECW Tag Team Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling...
. (Gangsta's Paradise. Philadelphia, PA, 9/16/95)
2.Psicosis vs. Rey Misterio Jr. in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match (ECW Hardcore TV
ECW Hardcore TV
ECW Hardcore TV was the weekly professional wrestling television program of Philadelphia-based promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling composed of footage from live shows and recorded interviews....
. Philadelphia, PA, 10/17/95)
3.The Sandman vs. Mikey Whipwreck
Mikey Whipwreck
John Watson , better known by his ring name Mikey Whipwreck, is a retired American professional wrestler best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling where he became the third ECW Triple Crown Champion....
in a Stairway to Hell Ladder Match for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
(Hardcore TV. Philadelphia, PA, 10/28/95)
- This is not a traditional ladder match where the belt is hung above the ring. The match ends in pinfall or submission.
4.2 Cold Scorpio
2 Cold Scorpio
Charles Scaggs is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name 2 Cold Scorpio . Scaggs has competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment and Pro Wrestling Noah...
vs. Sabu
Sabu (wrestler)
Terry Michael Brunk , better known by his ring name Sabu, is an American professional wrestler best known for his extreme wrestling style...
for the ECW World Television Championship (CyberSlam. Philadelphia, PA, 2/17/96)
5.Raven vs. Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
(Wrestlepalooza, Philadelphia, PA, 6/6/97)
- This match has Tommy Dreamer and Jonathan CoachmanJonathan CoachmanJonathan William Coachman , also known as "The Coach", is a former professional wrestling color commentator and authority figure. He is also a former college basketball player, and football play-by-play announcer...
on alternate commentary.
6.Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Taz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
for the ECW Television Championship (Living Dangerously, Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
, 3/1/98)
- This match has alternate commentary from Michael ColeMichael ColeMichael Sean Coulthard , better known by his ring name Michael Cole, is an American professional wrestling commentator, currently signed to WWE on both its Rawand SmackDown brands. Coulthard is a former news journalist....
and Tazz.
7.Jerry Lynn
Jerry Lynn
Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
vs. Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
for the ECW Television Championship. (Hardcore Heaven, Poughkeepsie, New York
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, 5/16/99)
- This match has Michael Cole and Rob Van Dam on alternate commentary.
Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
Apologizes for Leaving ECW
Tazz Seeks Paul Heymans Blessing
Paul Heyman: Travel Agent
Reception
According to some sources, in June 2005, the 2-disc set has become the second best-selling WWE wrestling DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
of all-time, behind WrestleMania 21
WrestleMania 21
WrestleMania 21 was the twenty-first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 3, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. It started off with an interpormotional battle royal, for which Booker T...
, and led to the ECW One Night Stand
ECW One Night Stand (2005)
ECW One Night Stand was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was held on June 12, 2005 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, New York. The main event was a tag team match between The Dudley Boyz and the team of Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman...
PPV
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
event. Also as a result of these sales, WWE has published a new ECW DVD titled Bloodsport - ECW's Most Violent Matches, released in February 2006.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter gave it the award of Best Pro Wrestling DVD of 2005. The success of the DVD led to a One Night Stand Pay Per View event in 2005 which would continue on an annual basis for a couple of years; after One Night Stand 2006, ECW was officially reborn as its own "brand," in the style of Raw or Smackdown, although later it distanced itself from the original ECW and continued to operate until 2010 when it was replaced with NXT
WWE NXT
WWE NXT is a sports entertainment television program produced by WWE that debuted on February 23, 2010. Described as a hybrid between reality television and WWE's scripted live event shows, the premise of the show follows select talent contracted to WWE's developmental territory Florida...
.