ECW facts, tidbits, and stuff people forgot

[Guest Super Leather]

Here's one I'm curious about. At what point did Mikey Whipwreck turn from "loveable ECW jobber-cum-world champion" to "fat 'Satanic' jackass with dyed hair and bad taste in button-up shirts" and what was the reason for it, if any?

 

And a more general question, wondering if there was ever an "office politics" sort of tendency in the locker room, and with whom. I don't know, I suppose it's worth asking.

[Placebo Effect 0]

Here's one I'm curious about. At what point did Mikey Whipwreck turn from "loveable ECW jobber-cum-world champion" to "fat 'Satanic' jackass with dyed hair and bad taste in button-up shirts" and what was the reason for it, if any?

 

And a more general question, wondering if there was ever an "office politics" sort of tendency in the locker room, and with whom. I don't know, I suppose it's worth asking.

 

I believe Mikey went with Sinister Minister almost immediately upon returning from WCW.

 

The one backstage politics story that I can recall off the top of my head is that Tommy Dreamer hated Corino and tried his best to keep him away from the main event. Corino talks about it in one of his shoots, and at one point actually says, "Francine was Tommy's girlfriend. Hopefully Tommy's wife isn't listening" is a serious tone of voice.

[Guest Connzilla]

Was there any reason behind why Paul jobbed Kentaro Kanemura out to Balls Mahoney in 1:58 at Living Dangerously 2000, or was Paul on an Eric Bishoff sized piwer trip during ECW's last year.

[cabbageboy 0]

In 2000 I sent an email to Dave Scherer (back then on 1wrestling.com, also ran ECW's site) in response to some ECW article. Basically I pointed out all the frustrations I felt about the company (not giving RVD the title, pushing Justin, foolishly badmouthing TNN the way they did, etc). Scherer actually sent this to Heyman and Heyman responded. Here is a summary what Heyman said:

 

--There was every intention of putting the title on RVD, but Heyman was waiting for a better TV deal. He seriously put the badmouth on TNN and defended burying the network on the air, but never addressed the point I made of it being tough to get another TV deal when you go out of your way to attack the current network on the air.

 

--He agreed with the point I made about having the ring intros take less time, just announce guys as they come to the ring. Of course he never FIXED this.

 

--Heyman seriously hated Raven at this point, almost to the point of accusing him of taking money under false pretenses. He couldn't wait until Raven's contract was up so he could sign with the WWF.

 

--He said Justin Credible was busting his ass and that he was sick of people saying he was biased towards Justin and Rhino.

 

--I mentioned that the RVD/Lynn feud was very stale, but he compared it to the Rock/HHH feud in the WWF at the time, saying it still had legs and produced a great match. On the same note I pondered what exactly RVD's motivation was at that point. Why did he care about the TV title after holding it for 2 years? Why not just say "Screw the TV belt, I want the world title?" The response: "RVD feels the TV title is HIS belt and wants it back." Needless to say I wasn't thrilled with that response, since I was desperate for an RVD world title push.

 

Anyway, I hope this sheds some light on the subject. If I still had the original email I'd post it (I did post it on the old Rantsylvania site actually).

[Dobbs 3K 0]

What was the deal with Jason Knight? He was around with ECW for almost the entire run of the company, but never did anything big. I remember he worked some matches, but was mainly a manager (notably with the Impact Players). I don't remember him talking much or anything, though. Was he a friend of Heyman's that just needed a job or something?

[chaosrage 0]

--I mentioned that the RVD/Lynn feud was very stale, but he compared it to the Rock/HHH feud in the WWF at the time, saying it still had legs and produced a great match.

 

You really thought RVD/Lynn was stale? Didn't they only have one match in 2000? And the match before that one is the ECW on TNN match that we both loved.

[Timmy8271 0]

Oh! I got a question...this is about Stevie Richards' comeback in 1997 after leaving WCW. Obviously it did not last long, as he would reinjure his neck (which led to a surgery that messed Stevie's vocal cords some, which is why he has the raspy voice he has today). Back then, there was a story about how it happened in a match with Chris Chetti, and it was because Taz told Chetti (his cousin, of course) to work stiff during the match, because of the heat Stevie had when going to WCW. True story?

 

Probably a true story. Paul was pissed that Stevie went to WCW. Stevie mentions all this on the ECW dvd.

 

Was there any reason behind why Paul jobbed Kentaro Kanemura out to Balls Mahoney in 1:58 at Living Dangerously 2000, or was Paul on an Eric Bishoff sized piwer trip during ECW's last year.

 

Probably ran out of time. I remember reading somewhere that Kanemura wanted a full time job in ECW.

 

What was the deal with Jason Knight? He was around with ECW for almost the entire run of the company, but never did anything big. I remember he worked some matches, but was mainly a manager (notably with the Impact Players). I don't remember him talking much or anything, though. Was he a friend of Heyman's that just needed a job or something?

 

He had a feud with Sandman in 93/94. He Managed the Pitbulls, Jason the Terrible and Mr. Hughes. I think he was good friends with Paul E.

 

Now my questions:

 

What's the story about Vader going to ECW? Any truth to it?

 

What's the real story about Beniot going to ECW in 99 after leaving WCW? Why didn't it go through?

 

How long were Super Calo, Psicosis(2nd run) and Mosco in ECW?

 

And about Johnny Smith, he had a short run in ECW in 1996. He beat Louie Spicolli.

[Guest Connzilla]

Everyone on this board probably already knows this but ECW ran a show on may 14, 1998 at the elks lodge in Queens Titled This Ain't Sienfield as on account of it being on the same night as the Sienfield Siries Finealie.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I think we have a new record for misspelled words in one sentence.

[TheFranchise 0]

Sienfield Siries Finealie.

 

 

I think we have a new record for misspelled words in one sentence.

 

Awesome.

[cabbageboy 0]

Chaosrage, yeah I did think the RVD/Lynn feud in its TV title incarnation was highly stale. How many times does Lynn get a shot and come up short? He needed some wins in the feud and the only one he really got was Hardcore Heaven 2000 (which had a Scotty Anton heel turn and about 30 run ins). I would have finally let Jerry get a win for the TV title, then RVD moves on to the world title. At some point you can then go back to the feud again only this time for the world title. Make sense?

[Guest Connzilla]

http://prowrestlinghistory.com/ecw/results/1993d.html

Holiday Hell 1993

December 26, 1993 in Philadelphia, PA

ECW Arena drawing 800

 

Tommy Dreamer won a "lights out battle royal

I was looking at some old ecw results and saw this and was wondering was the lights out battle royal planned or did the power go out in the biulding and they decieded to finish the show because i know this was a few months after Heyman took over the book from Gilbert and it sounds like something Heyman would do.

[chaosrage 0]

Chaosrage, yeah I did think the RVD/Lynn feud in its TV title incarnation was highly stale. How many times does Lynn get a shot and come up short?

 

Only 4 times that I can remember. The first one that came out of nowhere during the Summer of 98. Living Dangerously 99. Hardcore Heaven 99. And the ECW Arena show on TNN in late 99. Super Crazy/Tajiri and HHH/Rock's feuds were way more stale than that. But I agree that they screwed Jerry Lynn over.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

The British Bulldog, Davey Boy Smith, was signed to work for several ECW dates after leaving the World Wrestling Federation in late 1992.

 

PWI and The Wrestler covered it, and in an interview with Smith (a real one, not a worked "campy" one), that addressed Smith's use of steroids, Smith claimed that he would be working for ECW soon (early 1993) and exploring the possibilities of signing with WCW (which he did).

[cabbageboy 0]

I remember that exact interview with DBS and I don't remember anything about ECW being in it. Not that it wasn't, but I remember him saying something about New Japan and pondering taking some Japan dates. He mentioned that WCW hadn't yet offered him a deal, and that in addition to the roids one major factor causing tension with Vince was his marketing in Europe. Something like with European tours or signings Vince was going to send guys who weren't that marketable in Europe, meanwhile Davey Boy has to stay in the US and wrestle in Fargo, ND.

 

There was also a mention of Bulldog facing Tatanka in a face vs. face match if DBS had stayed (this would be 1993 at some point). It would have been in the UK or somewhere in Europe, and been a streak vs. streak type deal. Bulldog's "streak" in Europe vs. Tatanka's overall win streak.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Yes, you're thinking of that one.

 

He says WCW didn't make an offer, but then mentions he wants to work there. He says WWF pulled him from the Lennox Lewis boxing fight and other commercials/promotions overseas.

 

He mentions his upcoming ECW dates, too. And the interviewer mentions them.

[GODSON 0]

That was during the Eastern days,talking about Bulldog.

 

Did ECW ever made it in the green? It seem like they drew decent minor leagues audience around 1-3000 people per show. But they had a crazy roster and I know those guys did not come cheap.

 

I use to watch ECW on TNN and I will make a bold statement and call it the WORST wrestling show ever. The Sci Fi WWE version,Impact,WCW Pro was all better. I take Russo's Nitro over it anyday. I can't think of any wrestling show I hated more.

[chaosrage 0]

That was during the Eastern days,talking about Bulldog.

 

Did ECW ever made it in the green? It seem like they drew decent minor leagues audience around 1-3000 people per show. But they had a crazy roster and I know those guys did not come cheap.

 

I use to watch ECW on TNN and I will make a bold statement and call it the WORST wrestling show ever. The Sci Fi WWE version,Impact,WCW Pro was all better. I take Russo's Nitro over it anyday. I can't think of any wrestling show I hated more.

 

No show that gave us matches like this deserves to be called the worst wrestling show ever.

[cabbageboy 0]

Godson is way off base. ECW on TNN was a bizarre show at times that focused too much on the silly Network storyline, but there were some truly awesome matches that were on the TNN show. The RVD/Lynn match mentioned above, the various Tanaka/Awesome matches (Christmas and New Year's). How about Mikey and Tajiri vs. the FBI from 2000?

 

If anything I always thought ECW gave away too much stuff on free TV that they never could quite match on PPV.

[Guest Connzilla]

What's the story about Vader going to ECW? Any truth to it?

 

Vader's first choice was to go to ECW and stay in the U.S. ECW owner Paul Heyman only wanted Vader to job to ECW Champion Taz though so Vader decided to go to All Japan Pro Wrestling.

 

Credit- http://www.wrestleview.com/info/faq/vader.shtml

[snuffbox 0]

I use to watch ECW on TNN and I will make a bold statement and call it the WORST wrestling show ever. The Sci Fi WWE version,Impact,WCW Pro was all better. I take Russo's Nitro over it anyday. I can't think of any wrestling show I hated more.

 

 

I don't think 'bold' is the right word to use there...'bruatlly incorrect' works well for GODSON's sentence.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

If anything I always thought ECW gave away too much stuff on free TV that they never could quite match on PPV.

 

No kidding hell alot of times they would show the WHOLE PPV matches on TNN. Meaning they would piss off the people that did order the PPV and make people not want to order them.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

 

 

I use to watch ECW on TNN and I will make a bold statement and call it the WORST wrestling show ever. The Sci Fi WWE version,Impact,WCW Pro was all better. I take Russo's Nitro over it anyday. I can't think of any wrestling show I hated more.

 

 

I don't think 'bold' is the right word to use there...'bruatlly incorrect' works well for GODSON's sentence.

It's a pattern he's developed. As chaotic as ECW on TNN was, in no way was it as bad as some of the shit Russo crapped out and put on the air. The Russo era in WCW saw some of the worst TV of the modern era.

[GODSON 0]

If anything I always thought ECW gave away too much stuff on free TV that they never could quite match on PPV.

 

No kidding hell alot of times they would show the WHOLE PPV matches on TNN. Meaning they would piss off the people that did order the PPV and make people not want to order them.

 

That's why I consider it the worst show ever. They gave no effort and when they did we was stuck with The Network crap. The production was terrible as well. Besides, 1998 and 99 ECW got to be their worst years in terms of quality. Paul Heyman must had writer's block those two years.

[Guest East.Coast.J]

If anything I always thought ECW gave away too much stuff on free TV that they never could quite match on PPV.

 

No kidding hell alot of times they would show the WHOLE PPV matches on TNN. Meaning they would piss off the people that did order the PPV and make people not want to order them.

 

That's why I consider it the worst show ever. They gave no effort and when they did we was stuck with The Network crap. The production was terrible as well. Besides, 1998 and 99 ECW got to be their worst years in terms of quality. Paul Heyman must had writer's block those two years.

 

I have seen some brutally bad wrestling television in my day, and I would wholeheartedly agree that ECW on TNN was amongst the worst sixty minutes of television of that era. I wouldn't say it was better or worse than Russo era WCW, but WCW during that period I at least found to be perversely entertaining to watch. That's why it is funny to me to hear Paul Heyman crying about how ECW got screwed by TNN for not promoting the show well enough when ECW on TNN couldn't even keep it's own audience from tuning out a lot of times.

[Jericholic82 0]

Godson is way off base. ECW on TNN was a bizarre show at times that focused too much on the silly Network storyline, but there were some truly awesome matches that were on the TNN show. The RVD/Lynn match mentioned above, the various Tanaka/Awesome matches (Christmas and New Year's). How about Mikey and Tajiri vs. the FBI from 2000?

 

If anything I always thought ECW gave away too much stuff on free TV that they never could quite match on PPV.

is that the mikey/tajiri-fbi tag title change? if so yea I liked that match too, I also remember it being superstiff

 

I agree, ECW on TNN was rather sucky for the most part, and had too much backstage segments and crappy ymatches (though we did get some gems as well), plus their production values were bad, which stuck out on a real network and may have turned off casual fans

[Guest Connzilla]

This link http://prowrestlinghistory.com/ecw/index.html has all the ECW results from the debut show in 1992 to the last show on 1/13/01 to hardcore homecoming to 8/21/06 check it out.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

http://prowrestlinghistory.com/ecw/results/1993d.html

Holiday Hell 1993

December 26, 1993 in Philadelphia, PA

ECW Arena drawing 800

 

Tommy Dreamer won a "lights out battle royal

I was looking at some old ecw results and saw this and was wondering was the lights out battle royal planned or did the power go out in the biulding and they decieded to finish the show because i know this was a few months after Heyman took over the book from Gilbert and it sounds like something Heyman would do.

a "Lights Out" match is an old wrestling term, that doesn't literally mean the lights in the building are out. It's a term for a match that means either the participants are blindfolded, or (more likely) it is simply another term for a no-disqualification match.

[Timmy8271 0]

Isn't there a story in Ian Rotten's shoot interview that mentions a battle royal where the lights went out?

[Guest netslob]

what's the point of a match nobody can see?