The History Of ECW Wrestling

Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) was the first incarnation of the groundbreaking and influential professional wrestling promotion later dubbed Extreme Championship Wrestling (from here on they will be used interchangeably).

ECW was founded by Tod A. Gordon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 as a member of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).Gordon sold the promotion to his head booker, Paul Heyman, in 1996.

In 1992, as a start up wrestling promotion with no publicity, ECW needed some fire power, and Gordon found it in the form of the bad man from the Fiji Islands. Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka was brought into ECW fresh off a hiatus from the WWE (WWF at the time). He was rested and appeared to be in the top shape of his career. Snuka was the first ECW world champion. His stake to the title gave it legitimacy from day one, something the baby wrestling promotion sorely needed.

The "Superfly" even had a few battles with his old WWE nemesis Don Muraco. Indeed it was the Magnificent One who ended Snuka's second reign as Extreme Championship Wrestling king pin on September 30, 1992 in Philadelphia, PA at the ECW arena.

Muraco and Snuka remained in ECW and later formed an alliance. Their presence helped future stars like The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer cement their roots. The Sandman had the honor of winning his first Extreme Championship Wrestling championship from Don Muraco on November 16, 1992 also in Philadelphia, PA.

Gordon remained in ECW as its commissioner after the sale to Heyman, doing microphone duty conducting interviews. He was released from his duties for what was initially explained as "family issues."

Later a rumor surfaced that Heyman fired Gordon for being a "mole" for Ted Turner's rival World Championship Wrestling promotion and luring ECW talent there. An interview conducted years later had a smiling Gordon refuting the firing, claiming that the "mole" angle was nothing more than a work.

The initial mastermind behind ECW went on to book Pro Pain Pro Wrestling and founded both Hardcore Homecoming and Xtreme Fight Club, the latter of which runs shows and a wrestling school.

Extreme Championship Wrestling closed in April 2001 when Heyman declared bankruptcy. Before closing its doors, the small company became known for its cult like fan base and its continual pushing of the envelope with controversial storylines.

The promotion showcased many different styles of professional wrestling not seen in the WWE or WCW. ECW fans saw lucha libre and hardcore wrestling.World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) bought the rights to ECW and began promoting an annual ECW-brand event called ECW One Night Stand in 2005. After its initial success, WWE revived the promotion in a full-time fashion on June 13, 2006 with a weekly television series on Sci Fi Channel in the United States, Sky Sports 3 in the United Kingdom, and FOX8 in Australia.

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Hardore Homecoming November Reign

November 5, 2005- Philadelphia was rocked with one of the greatest shows ever to take place inside the World's most famous Bingo Hall.

Hardcore Homecoming: November Reign is the historic return to Philadelphia of the former Dudley Boys: Brutha Ray and Brutha Devon, Team 3D, as they take on two hardcore legends teaming together for the very first time, Sabu and Terry Funk!

Plus, witness the carnage as brotehrs Ian and Axl Rotten dip their gule-drenched taped fists into buckets of broken glass and face off in one of the most violent and brutal matches in wrestling history. The Taipei Death Match 2!

Hardcore Homecoming: November Reign was universally praised by fans and critics as a nostalgic trip down hardcore memory lane, settling longstading feuds in front of one of the most rabid crowds in wrestling history! See how this event set Philly on fire with a NOVEMBER REIGN TO REMEMBER! PLUS: Justin Credible vs. Jerry Lynn in a Steel Cage Match; Shane Douglas vs. Pitbull Gary Wolfe in a Dog Collar Chain Match, and much, much more