Olympic gold-medal winner and ex-wwe and Tna wrestler Kurt Angle is about to add another title to his growing filmography.
The sportsman, who has had numerous minor roles in films such as Pain & Gain and The Last Witch Hunter, has joined upcoming pro-wrestling comedy In the Ring and is set to star alongside former WWE women's champion Mickie James and Extreme Championship Wrestling legend Tommy Dreamer.
Coming from upstart U.K. banner BoxFly Pictures, In the Ring is written by Tony Lee, who was announced last year as the writer of the Hollywood Gang's upcoming futuristic take on Robin...
The sportsman, who has had numerous minor roles in films such as Pain & Gain and The Last Witch Hunter, has joined upcoming pro-wrestling comedy In the Ring and is set to star alongside former WWE women's champion Mickie James and Extreme Championship Wrestling legend Tommy Dreamer.
Coming from upstart U.K. banner BoxFly Pictures, In the Ring is written by Tony Lee, who was announced last year as the writer of the Hollywood Gang's upcoming futuristic take on Robin...
- 1/12/2017
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Balls Mahoney, a professional wrestler whose real name was Jonathan Rechner, died Tuesday. He was 44. His death was confirmed by Johnny Candido, the brother of the late Chris Candido, who simply said: “he died suddenly.” Mahoney was an original Ecw (Extreme Championship Wrestling) personality and wrestled in the company until it folded after being bought by the WWE. He has been wrestling independently since being released by the WWE in 2008. Also Read: WWE 'Monday Night Raw': 9 Things You Didn't See on TV He is best known for his appearances with Ecw during the late 1990s and early 2000s,...
- 4/13/2016
- by Debbie Emery
- The Wrap
WWE.com
Standing there adorned in his cape and crown, the 1995 King Of The Ring winner soaked up boos from the World Wrestling Federation’s fans. ‘King’ Mabel had been crowned, defeating the likes of The Undertaker and Savio Vega on his way to becoming only the third ‘King’ in the history of the event on pay-per-view. There was only one major problem, fans weren’t booing because they detested Mabel as a top heel, they were jeering because they hated the idea of him being in main events.
People recoiled instantly at the mere thought of seeing Mabel vs. Diesel at that year’s SummerSlam. Previous King Of The Ring winners like Bret Hart and Owen Hart had seemed deserved, due to their incredible skill inside the ring. Mabel was simply an extremely large man, a physical attribute Vince McMahon seemed to think would be enough to explain why he was headlining.
Standing there adorned in his cape and crown, the 1995 King Of The Ring winner soaked up boos from the World Wrestling Federation’s fans. ‘King’ Mabel had been crowned, defeating the likes of The Undertaker and Savio Vega on his way to becoming only the third ‘King’ in the history of the event on pay-per-view. There was only one major problem, fans weren’t booing because they detested Mabel as a top heel, they were jeering because they hated the idea of him being in main events.
People recoiled instantly at the mere thought of seeing Mabel vs. Diesel at that year’s SummerSlam. Previous King Of The Ring winners like Bret Hart and Owen Hart had seemed deserved, due to their incredible skill inside the ring. Mabel was simply an extremely large man, a physical attribute Vince McMahon seemed to think would be enough to explain why he was headlining.
- 3/17/2016
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com/Pwi
Most fans of the original Extreme Championship Wrestling agree that matches between Taz and Sabu on pay-per-view failed to live up to the hype. Ironically, the pair would have some decent bouts on television, but those were mainly tag-team scraps featuring others. At both the Barely Legal 1997 and Living Dangerously 1999 pay-per-view events, many fans were left disappointed by the disjointed action served up by both men.
It was baffling to most why Taz and Sabu didn’t gel despite their lengthy rivalry. With others, such as Shane Douglas and Rob Van Dam, both guys had excellent matches. Indeed, one such bout between Taz and Douglas from Guilty As Charged 1999 should be considered under-rated. That’s exactly what is analysed and assessed here, 10 different Ecw pay-per-view matches that aren’t often given the credit they deserve.
It’s important to note that all 10 of these bouts come from the original incarnation of Ecw,...
Most fans of the original Extreme Championship Wrestling agree that matches between Taz and Sabu on pay-per-view failed to live up to the hype. Ironically, the pair would have some decent bouts on television, but those were mainly tag-team scraps featuring others. At both the Barely Legal 1997 and Living Dangerously 1999 pay-per-view events, many fans were left disappointed by the disjointed action served up by both men.
It was baffling to most why Taz and Sabu didn’t gel despite their lengthy rivalry. With others, such as Shane Douglas and Rob Van Dam, both guys had excellent matches. Indeed, one such bout between Taz and Douglas from Guilty As Charged 1999 should be considered under-rated. That’s exactly what is analysed and assessed here, 10 different Ecw pay-per-view matches that aren’t often given the credit they deserve.
It’s important to note that all 10 of these bouts come from the original incarnation of Ecw,...
- 2/18/2016
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Paul Heyman liked the idea of taking pro wrestling’s misfits and turning them into success stories. If there’s one thing that appealed to wrestling’s ‘mad scientist’, it was putting a friendly arm around those who otherwise would have been shunned by companies like the WWF and WCW.
This is largely how Heyman built the Ecw roster during the 1990s.
The original Extreme Championship Wrestling (not the watered-down WWE version of the group) was a barmy place. It was home to some of the most wacky characters in the entire industry, and that was something Heyman and his crew were incredibly proud of. Ecw was a diverse place, there were no strict rules governing how performers managed to get themselves over with the fervent fan base.
All of the characters profiled here could accurately be described as ridiculous. However, that doesn’t mean some weren’t...
Paul Heyman liked the idea of taking pro wrestling’s misfits and turning them into success stories. If there’s one thing that appealed to wrestling’s ‘mad scientist’, it was putting a friendly arm around those who otherwise would have been shunned by companies like the WWF and WCW.
This is largely how Heyman built the Ecw roster during the 1990s.
The original Extreme Championship Wrestling (not the watered-down WWE version of the group) was a barmy place. It was home to some of the most wacky characters in the entire industry, and that was something Heyman and his crew were incredibly proud of. Ecw was a diverse place, there were no strict rules governing how performers managed to get themselves over with the fervent fan base.
All of the characters profiled here could accurately be described as ridiculous. However, that doesn’t mean some weren’t...
- 2/9/2016
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The name still rings out in promotions around the world today; ‘E-c-w, E-c-w, E-c-w’. By all accounts the third promotion in major North American professional wrestling during the heady days of the 1990s, Extreme Championship Wrestling was the rule-breaking rebellious youngest son of the pro graps family.
It would go on to become a humongous influence on both professional wrestling today and professional wrestling over the 15 years since the doors closed on the original incarnation. Well, original incarnation isn’t exactly true, as before it was taking things to the Extreme the promotion was merely Eastern Championship Wrestling.
The Ecw championship was introduced in April 1992, with Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka crowned the first champion by defeating Salvatore Bellomo to become the first champion. Numerous men had reigns under the Eastern banner, but it wasn’t until Shane Douglas picked up the title in 1994 that things really took off. This...
The name still rings out in promotions around the world today; ‘E-c-w, E-c-w, E-c-w’. By all accounts the third promotion in major North American professional wrestling during the heady days of the 1990s, Extreme Championship Wrestling was the rule-breaking rebellious youngest son of the pro graps family.
It would go on to become a humongous influence on both professional wrestling today and professional wrestling over the 15 years since the doors closed on the original incarnation. Well, original incarnation isn’t exactly true, as before it was taking things to the Extreme the promotion was merely Eastern Championship Wrestling.
The Ecw championship was introduced in April 1992, with Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka crowned the first champion by defeating Salvatore Bellomo to become the first champion. Numerous men had reigns under the Eastern banner, but it wasn’t until Shane Douglas picked up the title in 1994 that things really took off. This...
- 1/19/2016
- by John Bills
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Extreme Championship Wrestling may have only lasted for nine years, but it left a huge mark on the wrestling landscape. Seen as a cooler, more contemporary alternative to WWE and WCW, the company gained a small, but loyal, fanbase that was so devoted that not only did they help keep the company in business, but they practically became part of the show. Seeking to capitalize on this mania, WWE and WCW adopted some of Ecw’s signature flourishes (sex and violence, primarily), ushering in the wrestling boom of the late 1990s and eventually making WWE a billion-dollar company.
It wasn’t just angles that WWE and WCW took – many future superstars spent time in Ecw until the big leagues came calling. Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Mick Foley, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, and more all spent time in Ecw, and they’ve all been quick to credit their experiences...
Extreme Championship Wrestling may have only lasted for nine years, but it left a huge mark on the wrestling landscape. Seen as a cooler, more contemporary alternative to WWE and WCW, the company gained a small, but loyal, fanbase that was so devoted that not only did they help keep the company in business, but they practically became part of the show. Seeking to capitalize on this mania, WWE and WCW adopted some of Ecw’s signature flourishes (sex and violence, primarily), ushering in the wrestling boom of the late 1990s and eventually making WWE a billion-dollar company.
It wasn’t just angles that WWE and WCW took – many future superstars spent time in Ecw until the big leagues came calling. Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Mick Foley, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, and more all spent time in Ecw, and they’ve all been quick to credit their experiences...
- 10/13/2015
- by Scott Fried
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Poor management and a lack of proper booking oversight can create an environment where a botched move or a botched promo is actually more likely to happen: we’ve touched on a few of those in another article on the erstwhile World Championship Wrestling.
In WWF/WWF, one person was, and still is, in complete control of the company. That level of micromanagement allows for its own screw-ups, of course (and we’ve gone through a fair few of those here and here). So what about a company also run by a single charismatic workaholic control freak, Paul Heyman: a company which, however, was also a byword for chaos, mayhem and flying by the seat of its pants?
What about Extreme Championship Wrestling?
Well, that’s a can of worms. Botched moves were pretty much de riguer on Ecw shows, for a variety of reasons. Don’t forget,...
Poor management and a lack of proper booking oversight can create an environment where a botched move or a botched promo is actually more likely to happen: we’ve touched on a few of those in another article on the erstwhile World Championship Wrestling.
In WWF/WWF, one person was, and still is, in complete control of the company. That level of micromanagement allows for its own screw-ups, of course (and we’ve gone through a fair few of those here and here). So what about a company also run by a single charismatic workaholic control freak, Paul Heyman: a company which, however, was also a byword for chaos, mayhem and flying by the seat of its pants?
What about Extreme Championship Wrestling?
Well, that’s a can of worms. Botched moves were pretty much de riguer on Ecw shows, for a variety of reasons. Don’t forget,...
- 9/8/2015
- by Ben Cooke
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The design of Tag Team wrestling is to increase the amount of action and drama in a particular match. Four wrestlers can pull off certain moves and tell certain stories that two wrestlers alone could never do, such as blind tags and double team manoeuvres.
Ecw revolutionized the wrestling business in the 90’s with hardcore action, mature storylines, and highly technical and competitive matches showcasing different styles. Their tag team division was not only a pivotal part of the show, but they exuded the essence of the art by increasing the excitement in a promotion that was already extreme.
The Ecw Tag Team titles were originally introduced in 1992 under the promotional moniker of Eastern Championship Wrestling and an affiliate of the National Wrestling Alliance (Nwa). Seven tag teams held that incarnation of the championship until the promotion left the Nwa in September 1994, when the company and the belts were rechristened Extreme Championship Wrestling.
The design of Tag Team wrestling is to increase the amount of action and drama in a particular match. Four wrestlers can pull off certain moves and tell certain stories that two wrestlers alone could never do, such as blind tags and double team manoeuvres.
Ecw revolutionized the wrestling business in the 90’s with hardcore action, mature storylines, and highly technical and competitive matches showcasing different styles. Their tag team division was not only a pivotal part of the show, but they exuded the essence of the art by increasing the excitement in a promotion that was already extreme.
The Ecw Tag Team titles were originally introduced in 1992 under the promotional moniker of Eastern Championship Wrestling and an affiliate of the National Wrestling Alliance (Nwa). Seven tag teams held that incarnation of the championship until the promotion left the Nwa in September 1994, when the company and the belts were rechristened Extreme Championship Wrestling.
- 6/12/2015
- by Atlee Greene
- Obsessed with Film
The WWE is cashing in on Eddie "Hot Stuff" Gilbert even though he's been dead for 20 years ... at least according to his family, which is dragging the league to court to get a cut of the action. According to docs ... Eddie's dad, Tommy Gilbert, is in charge of the estate and says the WWE is plastering his son's image and likeness all over TV and other media platforms without permission -- and, more importantly, without paying them a dime.
- 4/19/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
WWE.com
At One Night Stand 2006, Rob Van Dam cashed in his Money In The Bank contract to defeat John Cena for the WWE Championship. It, and its 2005 predecessor, sparked a reinvigorated interest in Extreme Championship Wrestling, something Vince McMahon was clearly keen to cash-in on.
Following on from the huge success of the event, the WWE decided to bring back the still-beloved Ecw name as a third brand alongside Raw and Smackdown’s weekly shows. It was billed as a hard-hitting, extreme alternative to the company’s usual sports entertainment style, bringing back some old faces from Paul Heyman’s game-changing Philadelphia promotion alongside hot new stars.
It was a good idea in theory. In practice, however, the whole thing is commonly regarded as an abject failure. It was a far cry from the original Ecw, featuring watered-down “violence”, disastrous booking decisions, and some of the worst in-ring action in WWE history.
At One Night Stand 2006, Rob Van Dam cashed in his Money In The Bank contract to defeat John Cena for the WWE Championship. It, and its 2005 predecessor, sparked a reinvigorated interest in Extreme Championship Wrestling, something Vince McMahon was clearly keen to cash-in on.
Following on from the huge success of the event, the WWE decided to bring back the still-beloved Ecw name as a third brand alongside Raw and Smackdown’s weekly shows. It was billed as a hard-hitting, extreme alternative to the company’s usual sports entertainment style, bringing back some old faces from Paul Heyman’s game-changing Philadelphia promotion alongside hot new stars.
It was a good idea in theory. In practice, however, the whole thing is commonly regarded as an abject failure. It was a far cry from the original Ecw, featuring watered-down “violence”, disastrous booking decisions, and some of the worst in-ring action in WWE history.
- 4/13/2015
- by Jack G King
- Obsessed with Film
So, we’re over a year on from the launch of the WWE Network. It launched in the United Kingdom (and some other places that didn’t get it when it initially hit the market) in January (2015) at the price of £9.99. The price-point annoyed plenty of UK consumers who are paying more than the Us customers due to the exchange rate, and WWE not making an effort to offer the UK market an in-line price of around £6.50. It still got plenty of customers though and is one of the reasons that the sign-ups for WWE Network grew at a decent rate in 2015.
Now available in many countries, and expected to launch in those yet to receive it, the WWE Network has received plenty of press since its inception, with much of that being related to its disappointing subscriber numbers, or its very-good amount of content. Yeah, however you slice it,...
Now available in many countries, and expected to launch in those yet to receive it, the WWE Network has received plenty of press since its inception, with much of that being related to its disappointing subscriber numbers, or its very-good amount of content. Yeah, however you slice it,...
- 4/12/2015
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
WWE.com
There’s long been a rumour that Ecw were working alongside WCW in the mid-to-late-90’s, at least temporarily. The tale revolves around Todd Gordon apparently brainstorming ideas with top brass in Atlanta, looking to run a storyline which would see several top Ecw stars invade WCW.
Reportedly, Paul Heyman had nothing to do with this, and was furious when he found out about it. This would spell the end of Gordon’s run in power at Ecw, and likely would have threatened any relationship between Heyman and Vince McMahon, who was feeding Ecw money around the same time.
Exactly how successful such an angle would have been is up for debate, but a lot of Ecw performers would eventually make their way to WCW in the last few years before both companies folded. The vast majority of the time, this was because WCW could offer better money and stability to wrestlers,...
There’s long been a rumour that Ecw were working alongside WCW in the mid-to-late-90’s, at least temporarily. The tale revolves around Todd Gordon apparently brainstorming ideas with top brass in Atlanta, looking to run a storyline which would see several top Ecw stars invade WCW.
Reportedly, Paul Heyman had nothing to do with this, and was furious when he found out about it. This would spell the end of Gordon’s run in power at Ecw, and likely would have threatened any relationship between Heyman and Vince McMahon, who was feeding Ecw money around the same time.
Exactly how successful such an angle would have been is up for debate, but a lot of Ecw performers would eventually make their way to WCW in the last few years before both companies folded. The vast majority of the time, this was because WCW could offer better money and stability to wrestlers,...
- 4/6/2015
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
heymanhustle.com
On television, Paul Heyman is regularly referred to as the “greatest manager in the history of sports entertainment” by the likes of Jbl and Michael Cole. Even fan-friendly babyface announcers like Jerry Lawler are instructed to admit that, whilst they don’t like the guy, everything he touches turns to gold when it comes to developing talent.
Nobody can deny that Heyman was more than a little in over his head with the original Extreme Championship Wrestling. The man’s credentials are undeniable, but he faced an uphill task to keep the hardcore promotion afloat, especially when it became clear he’d have to do so without TV exposure. Simply put, Ecw became too big for itself – too large to be a small company, and too small to mix with the big boys.
Looking past the business side of things, Heyman has one true calling life, and that...
On television, Paul Heyman is regularly referred to as the “greatest manager in the history of sports entertainment” by the likes of Jbl and Michael Cole. Even fan-friendly babyface announcers like Jerry Lawler are instructed to admit that, whilst they don’t like the guy, everything he touches turns to gold when it comes to developing talent.
Nobody can deny that Heyman was more than a little in over his head with the original Extreme Championship Wrestling. The man’s credentials are undeniable, but he faced an uphill task to keep the hardcore promotion afloat, especially when it became clear he’d have to do so without TV exposure. Simply put, Ecw became too big for itself – too large to be a small company, and too small to mix with the big boys.
Looking past the business side of things, Heyman has one true calling life, and that...
- 2/17/2015
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
Ring Of Honor
Ring Of Honor is arguably the third largest wrestling promotion in North America after WWE and Tna. Formed in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky (who had worked closely with Paul Heyman during the heady days of Extreme Championship Wrestling), it initially began because Rf Video, a wrestling video distribution service that sold Ecw product, needed something new to sell after Ecw went out of business. Feinstein was Rf Video’s owner at this time, so he decided to create his own wrestling promotion whose DVD’s would exclusively be sold through his company.
While Roh is not available to UK or European fans on television, it has a fiercely loyal fan following on YouTube and DVD. They have recently pulled off quite a coup, signing Alberto El Patron (known as Alberto Del Rio during his time in WWE). He left WWE under a cloud in 2014 (much...
Ring Of Honor is arguably the third largest wrestling promotion in North America after WWE and Tna. Formed in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky (who had worked closely with Paul Heyman during the heady days of Extreme Championship Wrestling), it initially began because Rf Video, a wrestling video distribution service that sold Ecw product, needed something new to sell after Ecw went out of business. Feinstein was Rf Video’s owner at this time, so he decided to create his own wrestling promotion whose DVD’s would exclusively be sold through his company.
While Roh is not available to UK or European fans on television, it has a fiercely loyal fan following on YouTube and DVD. They have recently pulled off quite a coup, signing Alberto El Patron (known as Alberto Del Rio during his time in WWE). He left WWE under a cloud in 2014 (much...
- 1/19/2015
- by Michael Gordon
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Longtime fans of professional wrestling understand the effect that renegade promotion Ecw, owned and operated by the evil genius Paul Heyman, had on the sport. It introduced elements of sexuality and extreme violence to the industry and motivated Vince McMahon to inject his company with a certain attitude that eventually led to WWE overcoming WCW in the Monday Night Wars and, ultimately, putting Ted Turner’s empire out of business.
Unfortunately, Extreme Championship Wrestling closed its doors days before WCW, meaning today’s generation of young fans have no real idea what the legacy of the most revolutionary promotion of all-time really is. Thankfully, the launch of the WWE Network has created the opportunity for fans of all ages to relive the matches, moments and angles that captivated fans for nearly a decade. More importantly, it gives the men and women who performed for the company a new...
Longtime fans of professional wrestling understand the effect that renegade promotion Ecw, owned and operated by the evil genius Paul Heyman, had on the sport. It introduced elements of sexuality and extreme violence to the industry and motivated Vince McMahon to inject his company with a certain attitude that eventually led to WWE overcoming WCW in the Monday Night Wars and, ultimately, putting Ted Turner’s empire out of business.
Unfortunately, Extreme Championship Wrestling closed its doors days before WCW, meaning today’s generation of young fans have no real idea what the legacy of the most revolutionary promotion of all-time really is. Thankfully, the launch of the WWE Network has created the opportunity for fans of all ages to relive the matches, moments and angles that captivated fans for nearly a decade. More importantly, it gives the men and women who performed for the company a new...
- 1/15/2015
- by Erik Beaston
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The Extreme Championship Wrestling brand in its original form has been dead since 2001, yet it’s still celebrated by wrestling fans as a revolutionary company that had a huge impact on the business. It only existed for seven years, yet it will never truly die because wrestling fans and people in wrestling will never forget it.
Paul Heyman was the driving force behind Ecw. He was a wrestling manager before the launch of Ecw, but once the brand started he became the main booker. It seemed like it was the right role for him because he has such a great mind in terms of telling stories while always getting the most out of talents.
There are many things that Heyman has said about being behind the creative direction of a wrestling show, but one of the things that always made sense was that he wanted to accentuate the...
The Extreme Championship Wrestling brand in its original form has been dead since 2001, yet it’s still celebrated by wrestling fans as a revolutionary company that had a huge impact on the business. It only existed for seven years, yet it will never truly die because wrestling fans and people in wrestling will never forget it.
Paul Heyman was the driving force behind Ecw. He was a wrestling manager before the launch of Ecw, but once the brand started he became the main booker. It seemed like it was the right role for him because he has such a great mind in terms of telling stories while always getting the most out of talents.
There are many things that Heyman has said about being behind the creative direction of a wrestling show, but one of the things that always made sense was that he wanted to accentuate the...
- 1/9/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
Global Force Wrestling’s first pay-per-view event — New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 9 airs on Jan. 4 from the Tokyo Dome. Remember the pro wrestling boom of the 1990s? For several years, millions tuned in every week to watch Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment, Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling, or Paul Heyman’s Extreme Championship Wrestling. The competition between these major brands resulted in huge pop culture permeation … arenas were always sold out, T-shirts were everywhere, and some jabroni named “The Rock” even used his popularity to create a nice little movie career. Fifteen years later, times have changed. … Continue reading →
The post Interview with Global Force Wrestling’s Jeff Jarrett on New Japan Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 9 appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
The post Interview with Global Force Wrestling’s Jeff Jarrett on New Japan Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 9 appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
- 1/2/2015
- by Gerry Strauss
- ChannelGuideMag
wwe.com
Aired between 1997-1999, the then-World Wrestling Federation’s program Shotgun Saturday Night is unique in likely moreso than anything WWE’s Monday Night Raw ever did (in that era). The show was initially more directly influenced by Extreme Championship Wrestling than any other WWF program. Similar to Ecw, the show aired anywhere between 11 Pm – 3 Am on Saturday night via syndicated TV channels throughout America.
Vince McMahon counter-programming against Paul Heyman is certainly bizarre, and when one contemplates what eventually became of Shotgun Saturday Night, it was ultimately an idea doomed to failure. The WWF was not able to match Ecw for exciting light heavyweight action or sexually explicit (or otherwise risque) content. When the program stopped airing in 1999, the more Ecw-friendly broadcast style had been absorbed by Monday Night Raw, making Shotgun, in theory, expendable.
However, between wrestling legends making rare appearances on the show, or...
Aired between 1997-1999, the then-World Wrestling Federation’s program Shotgun Saturday Night is unique in likely moreso than anything WWE’s Monday Night Raw ever did (in that era). The show was initially more directly influenced by Extreme Championship Wrestling than any other WWF program. Similar to Ecw, the show aired anywhere between 11 Pm – 3 Am on Saturday night via syndicated TV channels throughout America.
Vince McMahon counter-programming against Paul Heyman is certainly bizarre, and when one contemplates what eventually became of Shotgun Saturday Night, it was ultimately an idea doomed to failure. The WWF was not able to match Ecw for exciting light heavyweight action or sexually explicit (or otherwise risque) content. When the program stopped airing in 1999, the more Ecw-friendly broadcast style had been absorbed by Monday Night Raw, making Shotgun, in theory, expendable.
However, between wrestling legends making rare appearances on the show, or...
- 12/30/2014
- by Marcus K. Dowling
- Obsessed with Film
wwe
Steve Austin had a long, strange journey to get to the top of the mountain at WWF. A former high school and college football player, Steve Williams was a life-long wrestling fan and started training with “Gentleman” Chris Adams at the Dallas Sportatorium in 1989.
He debuted for the Von Erichs’ World Class Championship Wrestling against Frogman LeBlanc. When Wccw merged with Jerry Jarrett’s Continental Wrestling Association, he was dubbed “Steve Austin” by Dutch Mantell, the man who would become Zeb Colter.
His long and storied career would take him all over America, first at World Championship Wrestling as “Stunning” Steve Austin, then briefly in Extreme Championship Wrestling. He joined World Wrestling Federation in 1995 as “The Ringmaster” but that character never felt quite right. He transitioned to the “Stone Cold” character that made him a superstar and in 1996 he delivered his famous “Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your...
Steve Austin had a long, strange journey to get to the top of the mountain at WWF. A former high school and college football player, Steve Williams was a life-long wrestling fan and started training with “Gentleman” Chris Adams at the Dallas Sportatorium in 1989.
He debuted for the Von Erichs’ World Class Championship Wrestling against Frogman LeBlanc. When Wccw merged with Jerry Jarrett’s Continental Wrestling Association, he was dubbed “Steve Austin” by Dutch Mantell, the man who would become Zeb Colter.
His long and storied career would take him all over America, first at World Championship Wrestling as “Stunning” Steve Austin, then briefly in Extreme Championship Wrestling. He joined World Wrestling Federation in 1995 as “The Ringmaster” but that character never felt quite right. He transitioned to the “Stone Cold” character that made him a superstar and in 1996 he delivered his famous “Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your...
- 11/18/2014
- by Kieran Shiach
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion was beloved by wrestling fans from the time it became extreme in 1994 right until its end in 2001. Fans loved that they were willing to say and do things that no other wrestling would even think of doing. They prided themselves on taking things to the extreme.
The Ecw Title became a World Championship when Shane Douglas threw down the Nwa Title and announced this new company that would be run by Paul Heyman. Since Shane’s reign started on March 26, 1994 is when WWE started to recognize the title that’s when we will too.
Rhyno was the last Ecw Champion when the company died in early 2001. In 2006, WWE brought back the Ecw brand with Rob Van Dam becoming its first champion. The WWE version of Ecw lasted for about four years before WWE decided to end the experiment.
While the Ecw World Title...
The Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion was beloved by wrestling fans from the time it became extreme in 1994 right until its end in 2001. Fans loved that they were willing to say and do things that no other wrestling would even think of doing. They prided themselves on taking things to the extreme.
The Ecw Title became a World Championship when Shane Douglas threw down the Nwa Title and announced this new company that would be run by Paul Heyman. Since Shane’s reign started on March 26, 1994 is when WWE started to recognize the title that’s when we will too.
Rhyno was the last Ecw Champion when the company died in early 2001. In 2006, WWE brought back the Ecw brand with Rob Van Dam becoming its first champion. The WWE version of Ecw lasted for about four years before WWE decided to end the experiment.
While the Ecw World Title...
- 11/7/2014
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
Ecw invading WWE wasn’t exclusive to 2001. Paul Heyman brought his band of hardcore merry men to the WWE first in 1997 for a series of epic Raw shows. This article will run down everything you need to know about that original Invasion.
The original Ecw had a die-hard fan base that couldn’t, and perhaps will never be, matched as far as undying loyalty goes. Vince McMahon saw this and revived the promotion in 2006 after it went out of business five years earlier. He thought it would translate into big business. However, to say that it was a colossal failure would be an understatement. A corporate spin on a grass roots, anti-establishment wrestling promotion was a glaring reminder to fans that this wasn’t the land of hardcore that they used to know. However, in the mid-90’s, the professional wrestling landscape was a much different place.
WWE,...
Ecw invading WWE wasn’t exclusive to 2001. Paul Heyman brought his band of hardcore merry men to the WWE first in 1997 for a series of epic Raw shows. This article will run down everything you need to know about that original Invasion.
The original Ecw had a die-hard fan base that couldn’t, and perhaps will never be, matched as far as undying loyalty goes. Vince McMahon saw this and revived the promotion in 2006 after it went out of business five years earlier. He thought it would translate into big business. However, to say that it was a colossal failure would be an understatement. A corporate spin on a grass roots, anti-establishment wrestling promotion was a glaring reminder to fans that this wasn’t the land of hardcore that they used to know. However, in the mid-90’s, the professional wrestling landscape was a much different place.
WWE,...
- 10/30/2014
- by Atlee Greene
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Twenty years ago, the pro wrestling landscape was in a completely different place. Take a look at July 1994 and where mainstream pro wrestling was. WWE was in a transitional period; moving away from Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage to pushing new stars like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was acquiring mainstream talent, like Hogan and Savage, that shifted momentum in the world of pro wrestling into their direction. Meanwhile, a little promotion in Philadelphia, Eastern Championship Wrestling, was on the verge of taking things to “The Extreme.”
Here we are in 2014; taking a look back into the annals of pro wrestling history with just one major company in play. While Tna & Ring of Honor are doing what they can to make a splash, WWE is still the mark of excellence in professional wrestling; overcoming the onslaught of competitors along the way.
WWE is the place to be.
Twenty years ago, the pro wrestling landscape was in a completely different place. Take a look at July 1994 and where mainstream pro wrestling was. WWE was in a transitional period; moving away from Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage to pushing new stars like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was acquiring mainstream talent, like Hogan and Savage, that shifted momentum in the world of pro wrestling into their direction. Meanwhile, a little promotion in Philadelphia, Eastern Championship Wrestling, was on the verge of taking things to “The Extreme.”
Here we are in 2014; taking a look back into the annals of pro wrestling history with just one major company in play. While Tna & Ring of Honor are doing what they can to make a splash, WWE is still the mark of excellence in professional wrestling; overcoming the onslaught of competitors along the way.
WWE is the place to be.
- 10/29/2014
- by Jay Alletto
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
In eight years, Extreme Championship Wrestling created a cult-like following based not so much on great in-ring action as on presenting captivating entertainers who engendered love and respect from pro wrestling fans worldwide. The key to Ecw winning over its fanbase was in perpetuating an atmosphere wherein wins and losses maybe didn’t matter as much as creating a “love-in” environment for violence, mayhem and aggression. The promotion itself was always the winner, and its best loved combatants could be wrestlers who didn’t look like wrestlers, almost never won matches, legitimately damaged themselves (or one another) or did things in a wrestling ring that in any other (non-wrestling) situation could easily be deemed as punishable by imprisonment.
For as much as wrestlers like “Full Blooded Italian” Jt Smith, Terry Funk or The Public Enemy could be on this list, they’re not. This list prides itself on...
In eight years, Extreme Championship Wrestling created a cult-like following based not so much on great in-ring action as on presenting captivating entertainers who engendered love and respect from pro wrestling fans worldwide. The key to Ecw winning over its fanbase was in perpetuating an atmosphere wherein wins and losses maybe didn’t matter as much as creating a “love-in” environment for violence, mayhem and aggression. The promotion itself was always the winner, and its best loved combatants could be wrestlers who didn’t look like wrestlers, almost never won matches, legitimately damaged themselves (or one another) or did things in a wrestling ring that in any other (non-wrestling) situation could easily be deemed as punishable by imprisonment.
For as much as wrestlers like “Full Blooded Italian” Jt Smith, Terry Funk or The Public Enemy could be on this list, they’re not. This list prides itself on...
- 10/15/2014
- by Marcus K. Dowling
- Obsessed with Film
Tna.com
The news was revealed last month that Tna Superstar Bully Ray (formerly Bubba Ray Dudley in WWE & Ecw) informed the Tna roster that his contract his up. He told his peers that he wasn’t sure if he was going to stick around. Since Tna is hurting right now and the future of the company is very much in doubt, fans started to speculate that maybe he’ll go back to World Wrestling Entertainment. He hasn’t said anything about it publicly, but it has to be something he’s thinking about.
Following his WWE departure in 2005, Ray went to Tna Wrestling with his partner Devon. They couldn’t use the Dudley Boys name because WWE owned the rights to it, so they wrestled as Team 3D. For the next five years they proved that they were still one of the best tag teams in the history of wrestling.
The news was revealed last month that Tna Superstar Bully Ray (formerly Bubba Ray Dudley in WWE & Ecw) informed the Tna roster that his contract his up. He told his peers that he wasn’t sure if he was going to stick around. Since Tna is hurting right now and the future of the company is very much in doubt, fans started to speculate that maybe he’ll go back to World Wrestling Entertainment. He hasn’t said anything about it publicly, but it has to be something he’s thinking about.
Following his WWE departure in 2005, Ray went to Tna Wrestling with his partner Devon. They couldn’t use the Dudley Boys name because WWE owned the rights to it, so they wrestled as Team 3D. For the next five years they proved that they were still one of the best tag teams in the history of wrestling.
- 9/3/2014
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Extreme Championship Wrestling was always viewed as a rebel organization. The company eschewed the norms in professional wrestling, offering an edgier — and at times, more controversial — product for fans and viewers.
To many fans, Ecw was the exact opposite of World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. The promotion presented a more realistic product compared to the more hackneyed visions of the so-called “big two.”
The WWE and WCW quickly changed their ways, capitalizing on the growing young adult market of wrestling fans. Both companies began to provide an edgier — but still more mainstream — product to fans the world over. Ecw, however, always maintained its cult following, which continued to grow over time.
While Ecw and its visionary, Paul Heyman, consistently relied on building and establishing their own homegrown stars, the company did frequently bring in well known performers for brief appearances. Cactus Jack, Terry Funk, Steve Austin,...
Extreme Championship Wrestling was always viewed as a rebel organization. The company eschewed the norms in professional wrestling, offering an edgier — and at times, more controversial — product for fans and viewers.
To many fans, Ecw was the exact opposite of World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. The promotion presented a more realistic product compared to the more hackneyed visions of the so-called “big two.”
The WWE and WCW quickly changed their ways, capitalizing on the growing young adult market of wrestling fans. Both companies began to provide an edgier — but still more mainstream — product to fans the world over. Ecw, however, always maintained its cult following, which continued to grow over time.
While Ecw and its visionary, Paul Heyman, consistently relied on building and establishing their own homegrown stars, the company did frequently bring in well known performers for brief appearances. Cactus Jack, Terry Funk, Steve Austin,...
- 8/28/2014
- by Douglas Scarpa
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
When a wrestler gets injured in WWE, the old saying “the show must go on” comes into play. Many times a wrestler will be expected to get on with the job, suck up the pain and put forth the best match possible. Such is the talent of some wrestlers, they still actually manage to put on a first rate match-up even when injured. There’s been many examples of this over the years, top stars who were injured but unwilling to take time off. They end up working through the pain and pulling off unlikely classics.
We’ve witnessed men going into matches barely able to walk, yet still somehow producing the goods. Then you have the guys who get injured mid-match, they refuse to give up and somehow steal the show. Here we take a look at 10 wrestlers who had great matches when injured.
But firstly, an honourable mention,...
When a wrestler gets injured in WWE, the old saying “the show must go on” comes into play. Many times a wrestler will be expected to get on with the job, suck up the pain and put forth the best match possible. Such is the talent of some wrestlers, they still actually manage to put on a first rate match-up even when injured. There’s been many examples of this over the years, top stars who were injured but unwilling to take time off. They end up working through the pain and pulling off unlikely classics.
We’ve witnessed men going into matches barely able to walk, yet still somehow producing the goods. Then you have the guys who get injured mid-match, they refuse to give up and somehow steal the show. Here we take a look at 10 wrestlers who had great matches when injured.
But firstly, an honourable mention,...
- 8/26/2014
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Recently released to rave reviews, the “Ladies And Gentlemen, My Name Is Paul Heyman” DVD release from WWE is built around a tremendous documentary on Heyman. In terms of quality, it’s up there with their Ecw and Cm Punk documentaries. It doesn’t pull most of its punches when it comes to Heyman’s flaws over the years.
For a number of reasons, Heyman has developed a less than stellar relationship over the years. Most notably, wrestlers in Ecw had a terribly hard time getting paid at the end, either going without any paychecks or getting them and seeing them bounce when they went to the bank. Some wrestlers had to learn when the Ecw bank account would have cash in it so they could try to deposit their checks, while others got paid by third parties, like the videotape dealer who set up shop at every Ecw show.
Recently released to rave reviews, the “Ladies And Gentlemen, My Name Is Paul Heyman” DVD release from WWE is built around a tremendous documentary on Heyman. In terms of quality, it’s up there with their Ecw and Cm Punk documentaries. It doesn’t pull most of its punches when it comes to Heyman’s flaws over the years.
For a number of reasons, Heyman has developed a less than stellar relationship over the years. Most notably, wrestlers in Ecw had a terribly hard time getting paid at the end, either going without any paychecks or getting them and seeing them bounce when they went to the bank. Some wrestlers had to learn when the Ecw bank account would have cash in it so they could try to deposit their checks, while others got paid by third parties, like the videotape dealer who set up shop at every Ecw show.
- 8/25/2014
- by WhatCulture
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Rey Mysterio is turning 40 years old this year and has been seen wrestling on American television for the past 20 years. He burst onto the scene in Ecw, then WCW snatched him up in his early 20s. Rey was so good that he was considered one of the best workers alive when he was just 22 years old when he had that epic match with Eddie Guerrero at WCW’s Halloween Havoc 1997. Few wrestlers have ever been that good at such a young age.
When WCW died in 2001, Mysterio wasn’t one of their stars that was brought into WWE right away. It probably would have been good for WWE if he was, but due to contract reasons (a lot of WCW talents still got paid) he wasn’t brought into WWE until the summer of 2002.
Mysterio’s one of the oldest guys on WWE’s roster and in...
Rey Mysterio is turning 40 years old this year and has been seen wrestling on American television for the past 20 years. He burst onto the scene in Ecw, then WCW snatched him up in his early 20s. Rey was so good that he was considered one of the best workers alive when he was just 22 years old when he had that epic match with Eddie Guerrero at WCW’s Halloween Havoc 1997. Few wrestlers have ever been that good at such a young age.
When WCW died in 2001, Mysterio wasn’t one of their stars that was brought into WWE right away. It probably would have been good for WWE if he was, but due to contract reasons (a lot of WCW talents still got paid) he wasn’t brought into WWE until the summer of 2002.
Mysterio’s one of the oldest guys on WWE’s roster and in...
- 8/24/2014
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
With Brock Lesnar’s stunning one-sided destruction of John Cena at SummerSlam, Paul Heyman has once again become the manager of the wrestler at the very pinnacle of World Wrestling Entertainment. Heyman is once again on top of the world in 2014, but it’s been a long and storied journey for the lifelong wrestling fan from Scarsdale, New York. While Paul Heyman, the character (formerly known as Paul E Dangerously), is a man with the gift of the gab and an eye for making money, Paul Heyman, the real life person, is, well, pretty much the same. Like so many good wrestling characters, the Heyman we see on screen is, from all accounts, just the real man with the volume turned up.
After starting a business from home selling sports memorabilia aged just 11, Heyman dipped his toe into the wrestling waters by becoming a wrestling photographer and journalist,...
With Brock Lesnar’s stunning one-sided destruction of John Cena at SummerSlam, Paul Heyman has once again become the manager of the wrestler at the very pinnacle of World Wrestling Entertainment. Heyman is once again on top of the world in 2014, but it’s been a long and storied journey for the lifelong wrestling fan from Scarsdale, New York. While Paul Heyman, the character (formerly known as Paul E Dangerously), is a man with the gift of the gab and an eye for making money, Paul Heyman, the real life person, is, well, pretty much the same. Like so many good wrestling characters, the Heyman we see on screen is, from all accounts, just the real man with the volume turned up.
After starting a business from home selling sports memorabilia aged just 11, Heyman dipped his toe into the wrestling waters by becoming a wrestling photographer and journalist,...
- 8/18/2014
- by Dean Ayass
- Obsessed with Film
robschamberger.com
Imagine taking your passion, and turning it into your livliehood. For most people, it just can’t be done. Sure, many would love to give up their unsatisfying office jobs to own their own coffee shop, write the great American novel, or become an astronaut, but they don’t. They never make it into outer space. They may be afraid to give up the security, or there may only be so many of those job openings available.
And what if your passion takes you to places that no one has been to before?
How many people just want to paint wrestlers full-time and have the actual talent to do so? Just one, and his name is Rob Schamberger. He may be the only person in the history of the planet to have this occupation.
robschamberger.com
From August 15-17, Rob will be at the SummerSlam Confidential Panel in Los Angeles,...
Imagine taking your passion, and turning it into your livliehood. For most people, it just can’t be done. Sure, many would love to give up their unsatisfying office jobs to own their own coffee shop, write the great American novel, or become an astronaut, but they don’t. They never make it into outer space. They may be afraid to give up the security, or there may only be so many of those job openings available.
And what if your passion takes you to places that no one has been to before?
How many people just want to paint wrestlers full-time and have the actual talent to do so? Just one, and his name is Rob Schamberger. He may be the only person in the history of the planet to have this occupation.
robschamberger.com
From August 15-17, Rob will be at the SummerSlam Confidential Panel in Los Angeles,...
- 8/14/2014
- by Andrew Soucek
- Obsessed with Film
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For the last couple of years there’s been one performer in the WWE who has been supremely entertaining and has guaranteed a rousing reception from crowds all over the world. No, I’m not talking about Cm Punk, or John Cena, or even Daniel Bryan. I’m talking about Paul Heyman.
Currently milking his king heel status ever since Brock Lesnar ended the Undertaker’s streak at Wrestlemania XXX, a fact that he has mentioned, oh, only every single time he’s appeared live or on television since, Heyman continues to prove just way so many people consider him not only to be a great manager, but quite possibly the greatest manager that the wrestling industry has ever seen.
As a WWE fan I’ve been aware of Heyman for a good few years now, from his days in Ecw to the present,...
For the last couple of years there’s been one performer in the WWE who has been supremely entertaining and has guaranteed a rousing reception from crowds all over the world. No, I’m not talking about Cm Punk, or John Cena, or even Daniel Bryan. I’m talking about Paul Heyman.
Currently milking his king heel status ever since Brock Lesnar ended the Undertaker’s streak at Wrestlemania XXX, a fact that he has mentioned, oh, only every single time he’s appeared live or on television since, Heyman continues to prove just way so many people consider him not only to be a great manager, but quite possibly the greatest manager that the wrestling industry has ever seen.
As a WWE fan I’ve been aware of Heyman for a good few years now, from his days in Ecw to the present,...
- 8/7/2014
- Shadowlocked
Tna
With Tna’s next set of tapings at New York City’s Manhattan Center slated for next week, the company is going all out to promote their shows and increase ticket sales for the event. Throughout the weekend, Tna has announced several big matches in which will go down during the tapings.
A major tag team match has been added, with tag team champions the Wolves taking on Team 3D and the Hardy Boyz, but no word as of yet if the tag titles will be on the line.
Samoa Joe vs. Low Ki has also been announced, as the two X-Division stars will lock horns for the first time in years in an X-Division title match. Tna previously announced that former Ecw and WWE star Tajiri will also be in action during the tapings.
In addition to these matches, a four way Knockout’s title match was set,...
With Tna’s next set of tapings at New York City’s Manhattan Center slated for next week, the company is going all out to promote their shows and increase ticket sales for the event. Throughout the weekend, Tna has announced several big matches in which will go down during the tapings.
A major tag team match has been added, with tag team champions the Wolves taking on Team 3D and the Hardy Boyz, but no word as of yet if the tag titles will be on the line.
Samoa Joe vs. Low Ki has also been announced, as the two X-Division stars will lock horns for the first time in years in an X-Division title match. Tna previously announced that former Ecw and WWE star Tajiri will also be in action during the tapings.
In addition to these matches, a four way Knockout’s title match was set,...
- 8/3/2014
- by Sean Ross Sapp
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Paul Heyman is making the media rounds for his upcoming DVD release, titled “My Name is Paul Heyman,” including British site The Independent. Heyman spoke about how he and Ecw changed the wrestling business, and why it needed to happen.
Heyman, the former owner of Ecw is often credited with aiding in the push of more risque and controversial storylines throughout the 1990′s.
“I thought that the business, the industry, the presentation needed to change in the same way music had changed. Because music was all about Poison and Mötley Crüe and Winger and all these hair bands, and then along came Nirvana and *Bam*! The whole industry changed. So in the same way, I thought wrestling needed to change, in that wrestling had become the equivalent of hair bands, and we needed wrestling’s version of Nirvana to come along and just shake everything up,” Heyman said.
Paul Heyman is making the media rounds for his upcoming DVD release, titled “My Name is Paul Heyman,” including British site The Independent. Heyman spoke about how he and Ecw changed the wrestling business, and why it needed to happen.
Heyman, the former owner of Ecw is often credited with aiding in the push of more risque and controversial storylines throughout the 1990′s.
“I thought that the business, the industry, the presentation needed to change in the same way music had changed. Because music was all about Poison and Mötley Crüe and Winger and all these hair bands, and then along came Nirvana and *Bam*! The whole industry changed. So in the same way, I thought wrestling needed to change, in that wrestling had become the equivalent of hair bands, and we needed wrestling’s version of Nirvana to come along and just shake everything up,” Heyman said.
- 8/1/2014
- by Sean Ross Sapp
- Obsessed with Film
Tna Wrestling is currently without a new deal for their flagship Impact program, but that isn’t stopping them from hyping their next set of tapings from the Manhattan Center next week.
The company has said there will be a major announcement regarding the tapings, which will be the second set in which Tna has done from the arena, which hosted Monday Night Raw during its early years.
Tna has already announced that former Ecw and WWE superstar Yoshihiro Tajiri will be present at the show, continuing the trend of former Ecw stars appearing on the program. Recently both Rhino and Tommy Dreamer have been brought in to participate in a high-profile program with surging star Ethan Carter III and Bully Ray. Ray’s longtime tag team partner Devon Dudley also made his return to the show during the last set of tapings, which has received positive reviews from fans.
The company has said there will be a major announcement regarding the tapings, which will be the second set in which Tna has done from the arena, which hosted Monday Night Raw during its early years.
Tna has already announced that former Ecw and WWE superstar Yoshihiro Tajiri will be present at the show, continuing the trend of former Ecw stars appearing on the program. Recently both Rhino and Tommy Dreamer have been brought in to participate in a high-profile program with surging star Ethan Carter III and Bully Ray. Ray’s longtime tag team partner Devon Dudley also made his return to the show during the last set of tapings, which has received positive reviews from fans.
- 7/31/2014
- by Sean Ross Sapp
- Obsessed with Film
Now, I have been a “Paul Heyman Guy” or rather a “Paul Heyman Fan” since the nineties when I first discovered Extreme Championship Wrestling and discovered that the man who had previously worked as a manager in WCW, Paul E. Dangerously, was now booking for Ecw and later, the owner.
I was excited when I heard that WWE were going to be putting out a Paul Heyman documentary in the way they have done with many big-time wrestlers in the past, Heyman’s is a story that is both intriguing and entertaining, and there are many people within the wrestling industry that have differing opinions of “The Messiah of the Extreme”. This, in itself, was enough to intrigue me into anticipation for this release.
The Blu-ray release comes on two discs, as usual, with the first disc being the documentary portion. A very well put-together documentary, we are given a...
I was excited when I heard that WWE were going to be putting out a Paul Heyman documentary in the way they have done with many big-time wrestlers in the past, Heyman’s is a story that is both intriguing and entertaining, and there are many people within the wrestling industry that have differing opinions of “The Messiah of the Extreme”. This, in itself, was enough to intrigue me into anticipation for this release.
The Blu-ray release comes on two discs, as usual, with the first disc being the documentary portion. A very well put-together documentary, we are given a...
- 7/31/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
WWE.com
In today’s WWE, women and men are strictly prohibited from wrestling one another. The current “PG” television rating does not allow for that sort of interaction and, quite frankly, neither does the society in which we live. The days of men giving women their comeuppance in a physical manner, such as those dished out by Tommy Dreamer to Dawn Marie or Justin Credible to Francine during the height of Paul Heyman’s Ecw, are a thing of the past. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin will not be delivering a crowd-pleasing Stone Cold Stunner to Stephanie McMahon anytime soon nor will Honky Tonk Man be deliberately shoving Miss Elizabeth to the ground. And that is not a bad thing.
Violence against women is an understandably touchy topic, one that WWE does not feel comfortable presenting to its family-friendly audience. It is not okay, understandable or justifiable for a man...
In today’s WWE, women and men are strictly prohibited from wrestling one another. The current “PG” television rating does not allow for that sort of interaction and, quite frankly, neither does the society in which we live. The days of men giving women their comeuppance in a physical manner, such as those dished out by Tommy Dreamer to Dawn Marie or Justin Credible to Francine during the height of Paul Heyman’s Ecw, are a thing of the past. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin will not be delivering a crowd-pleasing Stone Cold Stunner to Stephanie McMahon anytime soon nor will Honky Tonk Man be deliberately shoving Miss Elizabeth to the ground. And that is not a bad thing.
Violence against women is an understandably touchy topic, one that WWE does not feel comfortable presenting to its family-friendly audience. It is not okay, understandable or justifiable for a man...
- 7/27/2014
- by Erik Beaston
- Obsessed with Film
wwe
The forthcoming ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name Is Paul Heyman’ is WWE’s most high profile DVD / Blu Ray release of the year. Available from August 4th, the biggest selling point is a two hour plus documentary that details Heyman’s three decade career in pro wrestling, which for many WWE fans – particularly the internet wrestling community – will make the DVD a must buy.
Given his popularity and high regard, Heyman was definitely a wise choice for a WWE DVD subject: he is a cult figure; he gained a lofty reputation for his innovative promotion in Ecw, further boosting his status by shining as an on-screen manager character in WWE.
Right now, the wrestling DVD business faces marginalisation from the on-demand WWE Network, where fans can watch almost any match at any time, and with that in mind, WWE are looking toward unique and exclusive documentaries for DVD releases.
The forthcoming ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name Is Paul Heyman’ is WWE’s most high profile DVD / Blu Ray release of the year. Available from August 4th, the biggest selling point is a two hour plus documentary that details Heyman’s three decade career in pro wrestling, which for many WWE fans – particularly the internet wrestling community – will make the DVD a must buy.
Given his popularity and high regard, Heyman was definitely a wise choice for a WWE DVD subject: he is a cult figure; he gained a lofty reputation for his innovative promotion in Ecw, further boosting his status by shining as an on-screen manager character in WWE.
Right now, the wrestling DVD business faces marginalisation from the on-demand WWE Network, where fans can watch almost any match at any time, and with that in mind, WWE are looking toward unique and exclusive documentaries for DVD releases.
- 7/25/2014
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Ecw.
The mere mention of it brings out strong memories and emotions in all wrestling fans. Some of them are positive, while others aren’t exactly all that great. The original company has been out of business for a little over 13 years now, but fans and haters alike remain as intense as ever with their feelings towards what Paul Heyman and Tod Gordon presented to the wrestling world.
In another edition of a continuing series, this article will take a look back at the original Ecw and discuss ten of the better gimmicks that the company featured, but as always, there is a catch to these proceedings. These ten gimmicks may have been something special, but they were given to people who simply weren’t all that good in the ring. Maybe they made it work, anyway, and maybe they didn’t, but the fact of the matter...
Ecw.
The mere mention of it brings out strong memories and emotions in all wrestling fans. Some of them are positive, while others aren’t exactly all that great. The original company has been out of business for a little over 13 years now, but fans and haters alike remain as intense as ever with their feelings towards what Paul Heyman and Tod Gordon presented to the wrestling world.
In another edition of a continuing series, this article will take a look back at the original Ecw and discuss ten of the better gimmicks that the company featured, but as always, there is a catch to these proceedings. These ten gimmicks may have been something special, but they were given to people who simply weren’t all that good in the ring. Maybe they made it work, anyway, and maybe they didn’t, but the fact of the matter...
- 7/25/2014
- by Aaron Hyden
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
You caught me on a good day. Much is going on in my life at the time, and it is truly time for me to just sit back and reflect. Life is all about decisions—we make some good ones, we make some bad ones. However, at the end of every life lesson, all that really matters is what did we learn about ourselves. How can we take each and every experience and make us better human beings for it. Because, quite frankly, that’s really all we can do with our mistakes. We can’t rewind, we can’t do over, we just have to live, learn and move on.
The things I would have done differently throughout my wrestling career didn’t really consist of “moments”. There weren’t too many “moments” in the wrestling business that had I decided to go another way, my life would be dramatically different.
You caught me on a good day. Much is going on in my life at the time, and it is truly time for me to just sit back and reflect. Life is all about decisions—we make some good ones, we make some bad ones. However, at the end of every life lesson, all that really matters is what did we learn about ourselves. How can we take each and every experience and make us better human beings for it. Because, quite frankly, that’s really all we can do with our mistakes. We can’t rewind, we can’t do over, we just have to live, learn and move on.
The things I would have done differently throughout my wrestling career didn’t really consist of “moments”. There weren’t too many “moments” in the wrestling business that had I decided to go another way, my life would be dramatically different.
- 7/20/2014
- by Vince Russo
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
As my most recent piece on Terry Funk demonstrates, Ecw changed the face of professional wrestling. Well, to be more exact, it busted open the face of professional wrestling…Then it rubbed sandpaper into the gaping wound, but whatever…
Now, everybody and his wife have written articles about how, why and when Ecw inexorably altered the landscape of the sport we all know and love, but what is a little less considered, I feel, is how career-beneficial Ecw turned out to be for so many of its alumni.
Like all professional athletes, pro wrestlers strive to make as much money as possible, over as short a time period as possible because, as Rey Mysterio has warned us on every WWE DVD made in the last ten years “injuries can happen at any moment”.
In addition, there’s a lot of pride in pro wrestling and, like any ‘legitimate’ sport,...
As my most recent piece on Terry Funk demonstrates, Ecw changed the face of professional wrestling. Well, to be more exact, it busted open the face of professional wrestling…Then it rubbed sandpaper into the gaping wound, but whatever…
Now, everybody and his wife have written articles about how, why and when Ecw inexorably altered the landscape of the sport we all know and love, but what is a little less considered, I feel, is how career-beneficial Ecw turned out to be for so many of its alumni.
Like all professional athletes, pro wrestlers strive to make as much money as possible, over as short a time period as possible because, as Rey Mysterio has warned us on every WWE DVD made in the last ten years “injuries can happen at any moment”.
In addition, there’s a lot of pride in pro wrestling and, like any ‘legitimate’ sport,...
- 7/19/2014
- by Chris Quicksilver
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Paul Heyman is one of the most talented men that has ever worked in the wrestling business. He’s also done it all. He grew up as a fan of the business that started out as a photographer, then he became involved as a manager, he made it to the big time in Nwa/WCW when he was just 23 years old and he’s spent the last 25 years doing everything he could to make the business better.a
Heyman is known for a number of roles in his career. When he left WCW he ended up as the guy that ran this startup company called Extreme Championship Wrestling from the mid 1990s until it died in 2001. From there he worked for WWE as an announcer, manager, writer and he even had a few matches that usually saw him getting his ass kicked. He left WWE in 2006 and it...
Paul Heyman is one of the most talented men that has ever worked in the wrestling business. He’s also done it all. He grew up as a fan of the business that started out as a photographer, then he became involved as a manager, he made it to the big time in Nwa/WCW when he was just 23 years old and he’s spent the last 25 years doing everything he could to make the business better.a
Heyman is known for a number of roles in his career. When he left WCW he ended up as the guy that ran this startup company called Extreme Championship Wrestling from the mid 1990s until it died in 2001. From there he worked for WWE as an announcer, manager, writer and he even had a few matches that usually saw him getting his ass kicked. He left WWE in 2006 and it...
- 7/18/2014
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The mid to late nineties in the WWE was the much vaunted Attitude Era. Family friendly viewing was put on the back burner and we got a hard hitting, bloodier, sexier, grittier product. Most definitely influenced by the underground success of Paul Heyman’s Ecw, the Attitude Era was full of characters who had just that, an edge of attitude.
From guys like Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mick Foley, to the Dudley Boyz and Degeneration X, the babyfaces were no longer clean cut square jawed heroes and the bad guys were more sinister and demented than even the most dastardly heel from years gone by.
Many of the guys from this era set the bar when it comes to mic work and the art of cutting a promo. Everyone that followed used the same wheel these guys reinvented and although some of them are still around in the wrestling business today,...
The mid to late nineties in the WWE was the much vaunted Attitude Era. Family friendly viewing was put on the back burner and we got a hard hitting, bloodier, sexier, grittier product. Most definitely influenced by the underground success of Paul Heyman’s Ecw, the Attitude Era was full of characters who had just that, an edge of attitude.
From guys like Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mick Foley, to the Dudley Boyz and Degeneration X, the babyfaces were no longer clean cut square jawed heroes and the bad guys were more sinister and demented than even the most dastardly heel from years gone by.
Many of the guys from this era set the bar when it comes to mic work and the art of cutting a promo. Everyone that followed used the same wheel these guys reinvented and although some of them are still around in the wrestling business today,...
- 7/16/2014
- by Mark Bradley
- Obsessed with Film
The 2001 WWE Invasion PPV was held on July 22, 2001 in Cleveland, Ohio. It was the only time that WWE used the Invasion title for a PPV because it was the only occasion where it would have fit. That’s because the main story at the time was about the WCW brand led by Shane McMahon and the Ecw brand led by Stephanie McMahon & Paul Heyman were trying to take over Vince McMahon’s WWE. It was a dream storyline that fans had wanted to see for years.
While it wasn’t perfect for a lot of reasons, they did a fantastic job of building up the event, which did great business for WWE with a reported 775,000 PPV buys. From a financial standpoint it was one of the most successful WWE PPVs ever.
This show was unique because there wasn’t a WWE Title match in the main event slot. That’s...
While it wasn’t perfect for a lot of reasons, they did a fantastic job of building up the event, which did great business for WWE with a reported 775,000 PPV buys. From a financial standpoint it was one of the most successful WWE PPVs ever.
This show was unique because there wasn’t a WWE Title match in the main event slot. That’s...
- 7/16/2014
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE Extreme Rules 2014 see the action from the Izod Centre New Jersey, where John Cena continues his feud with the Wyatt Family taking on Bray in a steel cage match. Evolution take on the The Shield in the battle of the the old and new factions and Kane goes back behind the mask to challenge Daniel Bryan for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, plus much more.
Extreme Rules Pre-show Match – WeeLC Match – Hornswoggle vs. El Torito (a DVD/Blu-ray Extra)
What the hell is a WeeLC match, you may ask. Well, I asked the same damn thing. Is it a match in which combatants can use chairs, ladders and urine to defeat their opponents? No, it isn’t, though that sure would have been a spectacle. The WeeLC match is WWE’s way of amusing itself with puns. This is a midget TLC match in which no holds are barred.
Extreme Rules Pre-show Match – WeeLC Match – Hornswoggle vs. El Torito (a DVD/Blu-ray Extra)
What the hell is a WeeLC match, you may ask. Well, I asked the same damn thing. Is it a match in which combatants can use chairs, ladders and urine to defeat their opponents? No, it isn’t, though that sure would have been a spectacle. The WeeLC match is WWE’s way of amusing itself with puns. This is a midget TLC match in which no holds are barred.
- 7/16/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
WWE.com
The mid to late Nineties were a fantastic time to be a wrestling fan. The WWE(F!) were in the midst of the Attitude Era, their most profitable period ever, with a stacked roster comprised of the likes of Steve Austin, The Rock, Mankind/Mick Foley, The Undertaker, Goldust and Degeneration X.
Their competition, WCW, were also going from strength to strength at this period of time, competing directly with Vince’s company and actually beating them in the ratings for a stretch. They had an equally talented roster made up of the likes of Sting, Nash, Hogan, Hall and Luger, not to mention the spectacular cruiserweight division filled with guys like Dean Malenko, Billy Kidman, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit.
Fans who are old enough remember this period fondly as The Monday Night Wars, but the back and forth between WWE and WCW was only two third of the story.
The mid to late Nineties were a fantastic time to be a wrestling fan. The WWE(F!) were in the midst of the Attitude Era, their most profitable period ever, with a stacked roster comprised of the likes of Steve Austin, The Rock, Mankind/Mick Foley, The Undertaker, Goldust and Degeneration X.
Their competition, WCW, were also going from strength to strength at this period of time, competing directly with Vince’s company and actually beating them in the ratings for a stretch. They had an equally talented roster made up of the likes of Sting, Nash, Hogan, Hall and Luger, not to mention the spectacular cruiserweight division filled with guys like Dean Malenko, Billy Kidman, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit.
Fans who are old enough remember this period fondly as The Monday Night Wars, but the back and forth between WWE and WCW was only two third of the story.
- 7/11/2014
- by Mark Bradley
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
This week on the WWE Network has seen the introduction of the long awaited series “Monday Night War”. During it, fans will have the chance to relive the heady days of the late 1990′s, when the game of one-upmanship reached previously unseen heights between Vince McMahon’s WWF and Eric Bischoff’s WCW. In fact, if you listen to today’s WWE, you would think that there were only two promotions of any note at this stage of the wrestling industry.
Except there was a third.
The red-headed stepchild of the industry – Ecw.
Ecw influenced WWE’s Attitude Era and WCW signed many of Ecw’s biggest names (as did WWE, to be fair). Paul Heyman’s Ecw may have been smaller than the two other promotions but it was certainly influential.
Fast forward to mid-2001 – Ecw had folded and WCW had been bought by the McMahon’s...
This week on the WWE Network has seen the introduction of the long awaited series “Monday Night War”. During it, fans will have the chance to relive the heady days of the late 1990′s, when the game of one-upmanship reached previously unseen heights between Vince McMahon’s WWF and Eric Bischoff’s WCW. In fact, if you listen to today’s WWE, you would think that there were only two promotions of any note at this stage of the wrestling industry.
Except there was a third.
The red-headed stepchild of the industry – Ecw.
Ecw influenced WWE’s Attitude Era and WCW signed many of Ecw’s biggest names (as did WWE, to be fair). Paul Heyman’s Ecw may have been smaller than the two other promotions but it was certainly influential.
Fast forward to mid-2001 – Ecw had folded and WCW had been bought by the McMahon’s...
- 7/10/2014
- by Gary Mehaffy
- Obsessed with Film
The WWE main roster is always changing, some wrestlers leave for whatever reason happens to cause their departure, some wrestlers move up the card because management wants to give them a push and some wrestlers move downwards, or stay still, sometimes merely because the creative team has a lack of ideas for their television character.
The last twelve months have been memorable and a lot has happened to the main WWE roster since June of 2013. So, let’s take a look at the main superstars who are on the main stage of WWE, rate them, and look at how their future in WWE looks at this moment.
The grading system is as follows:
A+ – Is/Should be one of the main faces of WWE. A true star.
A – Should be/Is in the main event scene and has the talent to stay there.
B – Should be being pushed as a future top contender.
The last twelve months have been memorable and a lot has happened to the main WWE roster since June of 2013. So, let’s take a look at the main superstars who are on the main stage of WWE, rate them, and look at how their future in WWE looks at this moment.
The grading system is as follows:
A+ – Is/Should be one of the main faces of WWE. A true star.
A – Should be/Is in the main event scene and has the talent to stay there.
B – Should be being pushed as a future top contender.
- 7/2/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
WWE.com
A lot of successful WWE performers can trace their lineage through Paul Heyman’s Extreme Championship Wrestling. Rob Van Dam became WWE Champion (and Ecw Champion) in 2006. Tazz parlayed his wrestling character into a successful announcing career starting in 2002. The homicidal, genocidal, maniac that was Sabu played an important role in the re-launch of the Ecw brand beginning with 2006′s One Night Stand PPV (facing Rey Mysterio for his World Championship). To varying degrees, the Ecw experience helped shape the careers of many former WWE World Champions such as Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Mick Foley, Eddie Guerrero and Steve Austin.
However, there’s the other group. Those are the many Ecw performers whose experience in the WWE was far less thrilling. While these wrestlers have mostly been relegated more to footnotes of WWE history we’ll take a moment to recall their time as superstars in the world’s biggest pro-wrestling company.
A lot of successful WWE performers can trace their lineage through Paul Heyman’s Extreme Championship Wrestling. Rob Van Dam became WWE Champion (and Ecw Champion) in 2006. Tazz parlayed his wrestling character into a successful announcing career starting in 2002. The homicidal, genocidal, maniac that was Sabu played an important role in the re-launch of the Ecw brand beginning with 2006′s One Night Stand PPV (facing Rey Mysterio for his World Championship). To varying degrees, the Ecw experience helped shape the careers of many former WWE World Champions such as Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Mick Foley, Eddie Guerrero and Steve Austin.
However, there’s the other group. Those are the many Ecw performers whose experience in the WWE was far less thrilling. While these wrestlers have mostly been relegated more to footnotes of WWE history we’ll take a moment to recall their time as superstars in the world’s biggest pro-wrestling company.
- 6/28/2014
- by Chris Harrington
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The Money In The Bank match and the resulting Mr. Money In The Bank briefcase have been fixtures in the WWE for a decade now. Fourteen WWE superstars have won the match, and fourteen WWE superstars have cashed in the briefcase and accompanying contract for a main event title shot, with varying degrees of success, fame and fortune as a result.
But what do you really know about the Money In The Bank ladder match? In celebration of the fifth Money In The Bank pay per view coming up this Sunday, here’s a few highlights, lowlights, key statistics and analysis that may surprise you about one of the most popular events in the WWE calendar…
8. Chris Jericho Invented The Money In The Bank Ladder Match? WWE.com
It’s one of those little bits of received wisdom that’s been passed around wrestling fans for a decade now: Y2J himself,...
The Money In The Bank match and the resulting Mr. Money In The Bank briefcase have been fixtures in the WWE for a decade now. Fourteen WWE superstars have won the match, and fourteen WWE superstars have cashed in the briefcase and accompanying contract for a main event title shot, with varying degrees of success, fame and fortune as a result.
But what do you really know about the Money In The Bank ladder match? In celebration of the fifth Money In The Bank pay per view coming up this Sunday, here’s a few highlights, lowlights, key statistics and analysis that may surprise you about one of the most popular events in the WWE calendar…
8. Chris Jericho Invented The Money In The Bank Ladder Match? WWE.com
It’s one of those little bits of received wisdom that’s been passed around wrestling fans for a decade now: Y2J himself,...
- 6/26/2014
- by Ben Cooke
- Obsessed with Film
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