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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:00,176 --> 00:00:03,013 [MUSIC] 2 00:00:03,013 --> 00:00:05,415 THROUGHOUT THE 1990S, MONDAY 3 00:00:05,415 --> 00:00:07,083 NIGHT SERVED AS A PRIMETIME 4 00:00:07,083 --> 00:00:09,953 BATTLEFIELD THAT TRANSFORMED 5 00:00:09,953 --> 00:00:11,154 PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING INTO 6 00:00:11,154 --> 00:00:13,423 SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT. 7 00:00:13,423 --> 00:00:16,226 TED TURNER'S WCW TOOK ON VINCE 8 00:00:16,226 --> 00:00:18,094 MCMAHON'S WWE FOR RATING 9 00:00:18,094 --> 00:00:19,863 SUPREMACY AT THE RISK OF 10 00:00:19,863 --> 00:00:22,299 EXTINCTION AS INNOVATION AND 11 00:00:22,299 --> 00:00:24,267 EVOLUTION PAVED THE WAY FOR A 12 00:00:24,267 --> 00:00:27,337 KING TO BE CROWNED. 13 00:00:27,337 --> 00:00:35,612 IT'S TIME TO GET EXTREME. 14 00:00:35,612 --> 00:00:37,647 NO, NO, NO. 15 00:00:37,647 --> 00:00:38,915 EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP 16 00:00:38,915 --> 00:00:41,351 WRESTLING LIVED UP TO ITS NAME. 17 00:00:41,351 --> 00:00:44,087 [CROWD CHEERING] 18 00:00:44,087 --> 00:00:45,322 AND WHAT BEGAN AS AN UPSTART 19 00:00:45,322 --> 00:00:46,556 ALTERNATIVE... 20 00:00:46,556 --> 00:00:48,358 OH, MY GOD. 21 00:00:48,358 --> 00:00:50,327 ...HAD SENT SHOCKWAVES ACROSS 22 00:00:50,327 --> 00:00:52,195 THE TELEVISION LANDSCAPE. 23 00:00:52,195 --> 00:00:57,934 ECW IS IN THE HOUSE. 24 00:00:57,934 --> 00:01:00,870 THIS IS THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR. 25 00:01:00,870 --> 00:01:03,306 ECW, ECW. 26 00:01:03,306 --> 00:01:05,375 [MUSIC] 27 00:01:05,375 --> 00:01:07,978 HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW. 28 00:01:07,978 --> 00:01:09,479 WHAT IN THE--WHAT'S HE DOING 29 00:01:09,479 --> 00:01:10,380 HERE? 30 00:01:10,380 --> 00:01:12,248 WELCOME TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW. 31 00:01:12,248 --> 00:01:13,583 MONDAY NITRO. 32 00:01:13,583 --> 00:01:15,218 WHAT'S THIS? 33 00:01:15,218 --> 00:01:16,987 HE IS [INDISTINCT] 34 00:01:16,987 --> 00:01:18,922 AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST 35 00:01:18,922 --> 00:01:21,057 WHIPPED YOUR ASS. 36 00:01:21,057 --> 00:01:22,592 BRET SCREWED BRET. 37 00:01:22,592 --> 00:01:25,595 THE NEW WORLD ORDER, BROTHER. 38 00:01:25,595 --> 00:01:29,899 LET'S GET READY TO SUCK IT. 39 00:01:29,899 --> 00:01:31,301 WE ARE AT WAR. 40 00:01:31,301 --> 00:01:41,478 [MUSIC] 41 00:01:42,212 --> 00:01:44,314 IN THE LATE 1980S, MEDIA 42 00:01:44,314 --> 00:01:46,916 MOGUL, TED TURNER ACQUIRED WORLD 43 00:01:46,916 --> 00:01:49,285 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING, THE MOST 44 00:01:49,285 --> 00:01:51,721 PROMINENT DIVISION IN WHAT MADE 45 00:01:51,721 --> 00:01:52,956 UP THE LONG-STANDING 46 00:01:52,956 --> 00:01:54,958 COLLABORATION KNOWN AS THE 47 00:01:54,958 --> 00:01:57,394 NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE. 48 00:01:57,394 --> 00:01:59,729 THE NWA IS PRO-WRESTLING'S 49 00:01:59,729 --> 00:02:02,031 GOVERNING BODY. 50 00:02:02,031 --> 00:02:03,133 ALL THE REGIONAL TERRITORIES ALL 51 00:02:03,133 --> 00:02:04,968 THE WAY FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO 52 00:02:04,968 --> 00:02:09,038 ATLANTA, IT WAS PRO-WRESTLING. 53 00:02:09,038 --> 00:02:09,672 WHEN TURNER MADE THE 54 00:02:09,672 --> 00:02:11,274 PURCHASE, THE NWA, LITTLE BY 55 00:02:11,274 --> 00:02:13,777 LITTLE, STARTED TO DWINDLE. 56 00:02:13,777 --> 00:02:18,314 IT WAS THE END OF AN ERA. 57 00:02:18,314 --> 00:02:19,416 IN ORDER TO HELP THE PRODUCT 58 00:02:19,416 --> 00:02:21,684 EVOLVE FROM ITS SOUTHERN ROOTS, 59 00:02:21,684 --> 00:02:23,253 TED TURNER WOULD HIRE ERIC 60 00:02:23,253 --> 00:02:26,222 BISCHOFF AS WCW'S EXECUTIVE 61 00:02:26,222 --> 00:02:27,223 PRODUCER. 62 00:02:27,223 --> 00:02:29,592 WCW AT THE TIME WAS PERCEIVED 63 00:02:29,592 --> 00:02:31,895 TO BE, AND WAS, QUITE FRANKLY, A 64 00:02:31,895 --> 00:02:35,098 SOUTHERN REGIONAL TERRITORY. 65 00:02:35,098 --> 00:02:36,699 EVERYTHING ABOUT IT HAD THAT 66 00:02:36,699 --> 00:02:39,502 SOUTHERN REGIONAL NWA KIND OF 67 00:02:39,502 --> 00:02:41,104 FEEL TO IT. 68 00:02:41,104 --> 00:02:43,006 WE HAD TO CHANGE MANY THINGS 69 00:02:43,006 --> 00:02:45,241 THAT CHARACTERIZED US AS A SMALL 70 00:02:45,241 --> 00:02:48,378 SOUTHERN PROMOTION. 71 00:02:48,378 --> 00:02:50,180 MEANWHILE, INDUSTRY LEADER 72 00:02:50,180 --> 00:02:52,715 WWE HAD BEEN MAKING CHANGES OF 73 00:02:52,715 --> 00:02:53,650 THEIR OWN. 74 00:02:53,650 --> 00:02:55,685 WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO MONDAY 75 00:02:55,685 --> 00:02:57,320 NIGHT RAW. 76 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:58,788 AIRING LIVE EPISODES OF 77 00:02:58,788 --> 00:03:01,424 MONDAY NIGHT RAW IN 1993 WAS THE 78 00:03:01,424 --> 00:03:03,126 LATEST SUCCESSFUL VENTURE FOR 79 00:03:03,126 --> 00:03:04,594 THE COMPANY'S THIRD GENERATION 80 00:03:04,594 --> 00:03:06,729 PROMOTER VINCE MCMAHON. 81 00:03:06,729 --> 00:03:08,098 [CROWD CHEERING] 82 00:03:08,098 --> 00:03:10,834 UH-OH. 83 00:03:10,834 --> 00:03:17,039 THIS GIANT IS A MEAN HOMBRE. 84 00:03:17,039 --> 00:03:18,541 HOWEVER, WWE WAS STILL 85 00:03:18,541 --> 00:03:20,276 CATERING TO A SATURDAY MORNING 86 00:03:20,276 --> 00:03:22,112 AUDIENCE DESPITE THEIR PRIMETIME 87 00:03:22,112 --> 00:03:24,714 POSITION ON THE USA NETWORK. 88 00:03:24,714 --> 00:03:26,816 RAW WAS THE MOST HIGH-PROFILED 89 00:03:26,816 --> 00:03:29,319 PROGRAM IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, 90 00:03:29,319 --> 00:03:30,920 BUT ITS FANS HAD GROWN TIRED OF 91 00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:33,756 THE CARTOONIST PRODUCT BY AUGUST 92 00:03:33,756 --> 00:03:35,458 OF 1994. 93 00:03:35,458 --> 00:03:36,759 WWE WAS VERY CARTOONY AT THAT 94 00:03:36,759 --> 00:03:38,828 TIME AND IT WAS VERY OVER THE 95 00:03:38,828 --> 00:03:39,662 TOP. 96 00:03:39,662 --> 00:03:41,164 JEFF JARRETT WAS A, YOU KNOW, 97 00:03:41,164 --> 00:03:42,232 COUNTRY SINGER. 98 00:03:42,232 --> 00:03:44,501 KIDS WHO WERE WATCHING WWE, THEY 99 00:03:44,501 --> 00:03:46,102 KIND OF GREW UP AND GREW OUT OF 100 00:03:46,102 --> 00:03:48,505 IT. 101 00:03:48,505 --> 00:03:51,474 WHILE BOTH WWE AND WCW WERE 102 00:03:51,474 --> 00:03:53,376 ESTABLISHING THEIR IDENTITIES... 103 00:03:53,376 --> 00:03:54,844 HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME 104 00:03:54,844 --> 00:03:56,279 TO NWA EASTERN CHAMPIONSHIP 105 00:03:56,279 --> 00:03:57,013 WRESTLING. 106 00:03:57,013 --> 00:03:58,114 THIS IS JOEY STYLES IN THE 107 00:03:58,114 --> 00:03:59,082 EAGLE'S NEST... 108 00:03:59,082 --> 00:04:00,517 EASTERN CHAMPION WRESTLING, A 109 00:04:00,517 --> 00:04:04,019 PHILADELPHIA-BASED SUBDIVISION 110 00:04:04,019 --> 00:04:04,454 OF THE COMPELLING NATIONAL 111 00:04:04,454 --> 00:04:06,222 WRESTLING ALLIANCE WAS AIRING 112 00:04:06,222 --> 00:04:08,091 LATE NIGHT IN SYNDICATION. 113 00:04:08,091 --> 00:04:09,526 THE UNDERGROUND PROMOTION WAS 114 00:04:09,526 --> 00:04:10,860 ABOUT TO EMERGE AS AN 115 00:04:10,860 --> 00:04:12,595 ALTERNATIVE TO THE STATUS QUO. 116 00:04:12,595 --> 00:04:13,329 WHOA. 117 00:04:13,329 --> 00:04:15,698 LOOK AT THAT FRONT FLIP. 118 00:04:15,698 --> 00:04:16,566 WE DIDN'T HAVE A NATIONAL 119 00:04:16,566 --> 00:04:17,967 TIMESLOT. 120 00:04:17,967 --> 00:04:19,169 WE WERE SYNDICATED. 121 00:04:19,169 --> 00:04:21,104 WE WERE ALWAYS ON DIFFERENT 122 00:04:21,104 --> 00:04:22,839 NETWORKS AT DIFFERENT TIMES. 123 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:24,307 WE WERE ACTUALLY, AT FIRST, LIKE 124 00:04:24,307 --> 00:04:26,142 AN INFOMERCIAL. 125 00:04:26,142 --> 00:04:27,110 EVA [INDISTINCT] 126 00:04:27,110 --> 00:04:28,278 SLAPPED THE TEETH OUT OF 127 00:04:28,278 --> 00:04:29,646 BRUNO'S MOUTH. 128 00:04:29,646 --> 00:04:30,780 MY FIRST KIND OF INTRODUCTION 129 00:04:30,780 --> 00:04:32,682 AT ECW WAS THROUGH THE MAGAZINES 130 00:04:32,682 --> 00:04:34,184 AND FINALLY I STARTED SEEING THE 131 00:04:34,184 --> 00:04:34,884 TAPES. 132 00:04:34,884 --> 00:04:37,187 OH, MY, A BOOT WITH THE FRONT 133 00:04:37,187 --> 00:04:39,756 FLIP ONTO THE CONCRETE. 134 00:04:39,756 --> 00:04:40,924 IT WAS A DIFFERENT WORLD FOR 135 00:04:40,924 --> 00:04:42,225 SURE. 136 00:04:42,225 --> 00:04:44,694 THIS IS WILD, THIS IS NWA 137 00:04:44,694 --> 00:04:48,264 EASTERN CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING. 138 00:04:48,264 --> 00:04:50,567 DESPITE LIMITED EXPOSURE, THE 139 00:04:50,567 --> 00:04:52,168 PHILADELPHIA-BASED ORGANIZATION 140 00:04:52,168 --> 00:04:54,070 WOULD GAIN A FOLLOWING THANKS TO 141 00:04:54,070 --> 00:04:55,605 THE INGENUITY OF THEIR EXECUTIVE 142 00:04:55,605 --> 00:04:58,341 PRODUCER, PAUL HEYMAN. 143 00:04:58,341 --> 00:05:01,477 PAUL E. DANGEROUSLY HERE. 144 00:05:01,477 --> 00:05:02,879 WHILE THE LARGER COMPANIES 145 00:05:02,879 --> 00:05:04,948 UPGRADED THEIR PRODUCTION VALUE, 146 00:05:04,948 --> 00:05:08,251 HEYMAN INSTEAD HAD OTHER IDEAS. 147 00:05:08,251 --> 00:05:09,819 WRESTLING WAS STUCK IN THE 148 00:05:09,819 --> 00:05:13,756 1980S AND I THOUGHT IT ALL NEEDS 149 00:05:13,756 --> 00:05:15,525 TO CHANGE. 150 00:05:15,525 --> 00:05:17,694 I WANTED TO BE THOUGHT OF IN THE 151 00:05:17,694 --> 00:05:20,496 SAME VEIN AS WWE AND WCW. 152 00:05:20,496 --> 00:05:22,432 I WANTED A GLOBAL PROMOTION. 153 00:05:22,432 --> 00:05:23,967 I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO DESIRE TO BE 154 00:05:23,967 --> 00:05:26,436 NWA EASTERN CHAMPIONSHIP 155 00:05:26,436 --> 00:05:27,637 WRESTLING. 156 00:05:27,637 --> 00:05:30,106 I WANTED ECW TO BE THE LETTERS 157 00:05:30,106 --> 00:05:31,507 THAT MEANT SOMETHING. 158 00:05:31,507 --> 00:05:35,411 THIS IS ECW. 159 00:05:35,411 --> 00:05:38,881 [CROWD CHEERING] 160 00:05:38,881 --> 00:05:40,683 PAUL HEYMAN LOOKED TO BREAK 161 00:05:40,683 --> 00:05:42,719 AWAY FROM ECW'S PERCEIVED 162 00:05:42,719 --> 00:05:45,121 TRADITIONAL IDENTITY. 163 00:05:45,121 --> 00:05:46,623 SHANE DOUGLAS HAS PROVEN HE 164 00:05:46,623 --> 00:05:50,393 HAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATERIAL. 165 00:05:50,393 --> 00:05:51,561 THE CHANCE CAME ON AUGUST 166 00:05:51,561 --> 00:05:54,797 27TH, 1994 WHEN SHANE DOUGLAS 167 00:05:54,797 --> 00:05:57,233 BECAME THE NEW NWA WORLD 168 00:05:57,233 --> 00:05:58,101 CHAMPION. 169 00:05:58,101 --> 00:06:00,103 SHANE DOUGLAS HAS CAPTURED 170 00:06:00,103 --> 00:06:02,071 THE NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE 171 00:06:02,071 --> 00:06:03,206 WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT 172 00:06:03,206 --> 00:06:04,907 CHAMPIONSHIP... 173 00:06:04,907 --> 00:06:06,442 ...ONLY TO DENOUNCE THE 174 00:06:06,442 --> 00:06:08,811 ORGANIZATION. 175 00:06:08,811 --> 00:06:11,047 PAUL KNEW THAT THE NWA WAS 176 00:06:11,047 --> 00:06:12,582 PRETTY MUCH, FOR ALL INTENTS AND 177 00:06:12,582 --> 00:06:13,950 PURPOSES, DEAD. 178 00:06:13,950 --> 00:06:15,251 WE HAD TO BE STANDALONE, BE 179 00:06:15,251 --> 00:06:19,021 ALONE, AND THAT PROVIDED US THE 180 00:06:19,021 --> 00:06:20,189 OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE WORLD 181 00:06:20,189 --> 00:06:22,091 THAT WE WERE BREAKING AWAY. 182 00:06:22,091 --> 00:06:26,062 WE TOOK THE NWA CHAMPIONSHIP 183 00:06:26,062 --> 00:06:28,865 AND WE THREW IT DOWN AND SAID 184 00:06:28,865 --> 00:06:31,033 -- THAT. 185 00:06:31,033 --> 00:06:31,868 IT'S THE PAST. 186 00:06:31,868 --> 00:06:33,536 WE'RE THE FUTURE. 187 00:06:33,536 --> 00:06:38,808 HEY, CAN YOU ALL KISS MY ASS? 188 00:06:38,808 --> 00:06:40,877 [CROWD CHEERING] 189 00:06:40,877 --> 00:06:42,278 WE WERE MAKING A STATEMENT 190 00:06:42,278 --> 00:06:45,114 THAT EVERYONE HAD TO PAY 191 00:06:45,114 --> 00:06:46,349 ATTENTION TO. 192 00:06:46,349 --> 00:06:50,687 I DECLARE MYSELF, THE 193 00:06:50,687 --> 00:06:56,993 FRANCHISE, AS THE NEW ECW 194 00:06:56,993 --> 00:06:59,662 HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE 195 00:06:59,662 --> 00:07:01,130 WORLD. 196 00:07:01,130 --> 00:07:02,198 [CROWD CHEERING] 197 00:07:02,198 --> 00:07:03,299 WHETHER BY DESIGN OR BY LUCK, 198 00:07:03,299 --> 00:07:05,468 IT JUST--IT WAS THE THING THAT 199 00:07:05,468 --> 00:07:07,303 HAD TO BE DONE AT THAT POINT. 200 00:07:07,303 --> 00:07:08,771 IT BROKE US OFF AND SET US 201 00:07:08,771 --> 00:07:11,006 COMPLETELY ASIDE FROM EVERYBODY 202 00:07:10,807 --> 00:07:11,941 AND I THINK WHAT ECW BECAME ALL 203 00:07:11,941 --> 00:07:14,777 STARTED ON THAT NIGHT. 204 00:07:14,777 --> 00:07:15,945 THE COURSE OF WRESTLING 205 00:07:15,945 --> 00:07:17,447 HISTORY HAS BEEN ALTERED 206 00:07:17,447 --> 00:07:18,614 PERMANENTLY. 207 00:07:18,614 --> 00:07:21,217 THE NWA HAS BEEN DECLARED DEAD. 208 00:07:21,217 --> 00:07:24,487 LONG LIVE ECW. 209 00:07:24,487 --> 00:07:25,555 THAT PUT ECW ON THE MAP AS 210 00:07:25,555 --> 00:07:27,357 SHOCKING. 211 00:07:27,357 --> 00:07:29,625 HERE WAS YOUR GRAIN AND THIS IS 212 00:07:29,625 --> 00:07:30,626 WHERE WE WOULD GO. 213 00:07:30,626 --> 00:07:31,894 HEY, CHAD, IF YOU THINK WE 214 00:07:31,894 --> 00:07:35,798 WERE HARDCORE BEFORE, NOW, WE'RE 215 00:07:35,798 --> 00:07:38,801 GONNA TAKE IT TO THE EXTREME. 216 00:07:38,801 --> 00:07:42,472 [MUSIC] 217 00:07:42,472 --> 00:07:43,806 EMBRACING THIS CHANGE, THE 218 00:07:43,806 --> 00:07:46,809 COMPANY WAS REBRANDED AS EXTREME 219 00:07:46,809 --> 00:07:48,611 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING AND WAS 220 00:07:48,611 --> 00:07:50,480 ANYTHING BUT TRADITIONAL. 221 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,683 [CROWD CHEERING] 222 00:07:53,683 --> 00:07:54,851 HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME 223 00:07:54,851 --> 00:07:56,953 TO EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP 224 00:07:56,953 --> 00:07:58,087 WRESTLING. 225 00:07:58,087 --> 00:08:00,356 WE ARE COMING TO YOU RAW AND 226 00:08:00,356 --> 00:08:02,592 UNCENSORED FROM A JAM-PACKED 227 00:08:02,592 --> 00:08:06,295 SOLD-OUT ECW ARENA RIGHT HERE IN 228 00:08:06,295 --> 00:08:09,665 SOUTH PHILADELPHIA. 229 00:08:09,665 --> 00:08:11,834 AT THE TIME, EXTREME MEANT 230 00:08:11,834 --> 00:08:13,970 SOMETHING. 231 00:08:13,970 --> 00:08:16,706 THERE WAS NO EXTREME ANYTHING. 232 00:08:16,706 --> 00:08:19,709 SO TO PUT EXTREME IN FRONT OF 233 00:08:19,709 --> 00:08:21,611 WRESTLING GOT PEOPLE'S 234 00:08:21,611 --> 00:08:22,845 ATTENTION. 235 00:08:22,845 --> 00:08:24,614 HERE IN ECW, YOU GET HURT, 236 00:08:24,614 --> 00:08:26,549 TOUGH CRAP, THAT'S THE WAY WE 237 00:08:26,549 --> 00:08:27,250 ARE. 238 00:08:27,250 --> 00:08:30,086 THIS IS WHAT EXTREME IS. 239 00:08:30,086 --> 00:08:31,387 PAUL HEYMAN TOOK THE LEVELS 240 00:08:31,387 --> 00:08:33,322 OF VIOLENCE TO UNCHARTED 241 00:08:33,322 --> 00:08:35,158 TERRITORY. 242 00:08:35,158 --> 00:08:39,195 OH. 243 00:08:39,195 --> 00:08:40,396 AND WITH A LIMITED BUDGET, 244 00:08:40,396 --> 00:08:42,732 ECW'S LOW PRODUCTION VALUE ONLY 245 00:08:42,732 --> 00:08:45,668 EMPHASIZED THEIR GRITTY PRODUCT. 246 00:08:45,668 --> 00:08:47,136 WE KNEW THAT WE COULDN'T BE 247 00:08:47,136 --> 00:08:49,772 WWE, WE KNEW THAT WE COULDN'T BE 248 00:08:49,772 --> 00:08:50,740 WCW. 249 00:08:50,740 --> 00:08:52,008 WE DIDN'T HAVE THE BUDGET, WE 250 00:08:52,008 --> 00:08:53,543 DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES. 251 00:08:53,543 --> 00:08:56,078 ECW LOOKED LIKE SOME OF THE 252 00:08:56,078 --> 00:08:57,213 STUFF WAS FILMED IN THEIR 253 00:08:57,213 --> 00:08:58,281 BASEMENT. 254 00:08:58,281 --> 00:08:59,348 AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OTHER 255 00:08:59,348 --> 00:09:00,216 PEOPLE, THE FOCUS IS ON WHAT'S 256 00:09:00,216 --> 00:09:01,818 GOING ON IN THE RING. 257 00:09:01,818 --> 00:09:04,187 OUR PRODUCT HAD TO BE 258 00:09:04,187 --> 00:09:06,522 DIFFERENT BECAUSE OUR BRAGGING 259 00:09:06,522 --> 00:09:08,090 RIGHTS CAME FROM THE FACT THAT 260 00:09:08,090 --> 00:09:09,392 NO ONE COULD DO WHAT WE WERE 261 00:09:09,392 --> 00:09:10,226 DOING. 262 00:09:10,226 --> 00:09:11,494 WHO ELSE COULD GO THROUGH THESE 263 00:09:11,494 --> 00:09:14,063 TABLES, DIVE OFF THE BALCONIES, 264 00:09:14,063 --> 00:09:15,731 SMASH EACH OTHER IN THE FACE 265 00:09:15,731 --> 00:09:16,899 WITH CHAIRS? 266 00:09:16,899 --> 00:09:21,036 NO WRESTLING PRODUCT OUT THERE 267 00:09:21,036 --> 00:09:24,841 WAS AS VISUAL AS OURS WAS. 268 00:09:24,841 --> 00:09:27,043 OH, MY GOD. 269 00:09:27,043 --> 00:09:29,178 ECW IS PUNK ROCK TO ME. 270 00:09:29,178 --> 00:09:31,247 THEY SEEMED COMPLETELY LIKE THE 271 00:09:31,247 --> 00:09:33,449 OUTLAWS OF PROFESSIONAL 272 00:09:33,449 --> 00:09:34,917 WRESTLING. 273 00:09:34,917 --> 00:09:37,520 IT'S THE SANDMAN. 274 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:39,222 WE CALLED OURSELVES THE 275 00:09:39,222 --> 00:09:42,124 ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS BECAUSE 276 00:09:42,124 --> 00:09:44,160 NOBODY ELSE WOULD HIRE US. 277 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,029 THERE IS NO WAY THAT A 278 00:09:48,029 --> 00:09:51,000 BEER-SWILLING, CIGARETTE-SMOKING 279 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,003 CONSTRUCTION WORKER WAS GOING TO 280 00:09:54,003 --> 00:09:58,341 BE A WWE SUPERSTAR. 281 00:09:58,341 --> 00:10:01,042 TOMMY DREAMER SUPLEXED 282 00:10:01,042 --> 00:10:02,345 THROUGH A TABLE JUST INCHES TO 283 00:10:02,345 --> 00:10:03,779 [INDISTINCT] 284 00:10:03,779 --> 00:10:05,214 YOU CANNOT TRY TO BE THE WWE, 285 00:10:05,214 --> 00:10:06,782 YOU SHOULDN'T BE. 286 00:10:06,782 --> 00:10:08,251 YOU SHOULD TRY TO BE YOURSELF. 287 00:10:08,251 --> 00:10:10,052 ECW, WE ARE THE REBELS. 288 00:10:10,052 --> 00:10:11,187 WE ARE THE RENEGADES. 289 00:10:11,187 --> 00:10:12,522 IF YOU ARE A WRESTLING FAN, 290 00:10:12,522 --> 00:10:13,823 IT'S GONNA BE THE BEST DAMN 291 00:10:13,823 --> 00:10:15,057 WRESTLING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN. 292 00:10:15,057 --> 00:10:16,359 AND IF YOU'RE NOT AND YOU COME 293 00:10:16,359 --> 00:10:17,660 THIS SATURDAY, YOU WILL BECOME 294 00:10:17,660 --> 00:10:18,694 ONE. 295 00:10:18,694 --> 00:10:22,031 ECW'S LOYAL FAN BASE GAVE THE 296 00:10:22,031 --> 00:10:23,499 UPSTART ORGANIZATION ANOTHER 297 00:10:23,499 --> 00:10:25,868 ELEMENT WHICH SET THEM APART 298 00:10:25,868 --> 00:10:28,004 FROM THE BIGGER PROMOTIONS. 299 00:10:28,004 --> 00:10:30,873 THE FANS WERE AS BIG A PART 300 00:10:30,873 --> 00:10:33,409 OF THE SHOW AS TALENT WAS. 301 00:10:33,409 --> 00:10:36,078 [CROWD CHEERING] 302 00:10:36,078 --> 00:10:37,346 WE CAN ONLY FIT 1,200 PEOPLE 303 00:10:37,346 --> 00:10:39,081 IN THERE AND THAT WAS ILLEGAL. 304 00:10:39,081 --> 00:10:40,216 AND IT GOT TO A POINT WHERE 305 00:10:40,216 --> 00:10:41,617 ALMOST THE SAME 1,200 PEOPLE 306 00:10:41,617 --> 00:10:43,219 WOULD SHOW UP AND SIT IN THE 307 00:10:43,219 --> 00:10:44,921 SAME SEATS. 308 00:10:44,921 --> 00:10:46,389 WE WERE SO CLOSE TO 309 00:10:46,389 --> 00:10:47,957 SUPERSTARS AND THEIR ENTRANCES 310 00:10:47,957 --> 00:10:49,325 WHEN THEY WOULD COME TO THE 311 00:10:49,325 --> 00:10:50,026 RING. 312 00:10:50,026 --> 00:10:51,127 LIKE, YOU'RE A FRONT ROW SEAT, 313 00:10:51,127 --> 00:10:51,928 YOU MIGHT GET SPLATTERED WITH 314 00:10:51,928 --> 00:10:53,195 BLOOD. 315 00:10:53,195 --> 00:10:54,064 AND WE LOVED THAT. 316 00:10:54,064 --> 00:10:57,166 RAVEN BUSTED WIDE OPEN. 317 00:10:57,166 --> 00:10:58,801 HE'S A MESS. 318 00:10:58,801 --> 00:11:00,536 HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU GET TO 319 00:11:00,536 --> 00:11:03,139 BE A PART OF A MATCH AND HAND 320 00:11:03,139 --> 00:11:04,173 YOUR FAVORITE SUPERSTAR 321 00:11:04,173 --> 00:11:05,341 SOMETHING TO WHACK THE GUY 322 00:11:05,341 --> 00:11:07,743 YOU'VE BEEN YELLING AT FOR THIS 323 00:11:07,743 --> 00:11:09,011 WHOLE TIME. 324 00:11:09,011 --> 00:11:15,418 [CROWD CHEERING] 325 00:11:15,418 --> 00:11:16,319 I GOT BUSTED FROM--BY A 326 00:11:16,319 --> 00:11:17,820 NINTENDO. 327 00:11:17,820 --> 00:11:22,858 DREAMER'S GOT A NINTENDO. 328 00:11:22,858 --> 00:11:24,694 HOW HORRIBLE, AWFUL IS THAT? 329 00:11:24,694 --> 00:11:25,628 BUT HOW COOL WAS THAT AT THE 330 00:11:25,628 --> 00:11:26,729 SAME TIME? 331 00:11:26,729 --> 00:11:28,698 THEY KNEW WHEN TO CHANT, THEY 332 00:11:28,698 --> 00:11:31,367 KNEW WHEN TO THROW YOU CHAIRS. 333 00:11:31,367 --> 00:11:36,872 OH, MY GOD. 334 00:11:36,872 --> 00:11:38,107 ECW WITHOUT THEIR FANS WOULD 335 00:11:38,107 --> 00:11:46,382 NOT HAVE BEEN ECW. 336 00:11:46,382 --> 00:11:47,984 CAN YOU IMAGINE AN 337 00:11:47,984 --> 00:11:51,554 INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE WHERE 338 00:11:51,554 --> 00:11:53,823 THE AUDIENCE IS AS MUCH PART OF 339 00:11:53,823 --> 00:11:56,659 THE SHOW AS THE SHOW ITSELF? 340 00:11:56,659 --> 00:11:59,495 STOP THE CHAIRS. 341 00:11:59,495 --> 00:12:02,231 AND THAT WAS ECW. 342 00:12:02,231 --> 00:12:03,132 EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP 343 00:12:03,132 --> 00:12:05,234 WRESTLING'S UNIQUE STYLE WAS 344 00:12:05,234 --> 00:12:07,003 BEGINNING TO ATTRACT ATTENTION. 345 00:12:07,003 --> 00:12:08,371 AS THE PUBLIC ENEMY THROWS 346 00:12:08,371 --> 00:12:10,272 YET ANOTHER HOUSE PARTY FOR 347 00:12:10,272 --> 00:12:12,475 THEIR LEGIONS OF FANS. 348 00:12:12,475 --> 00:12:13,609 BUT NOT ALL OF IT WAS 349 00:12:13,609 --> 00:12:15,011 POSITIVE. 350 00:12:15,011 --> 00:12:18,381 OH, MY GOD. 351 00:12:18,381 --> 00:12:19,715 ECW HAD SOME REALLY GREAT 352 00:12:19,715 --> 00:12:22,118 MOMENTS IN TERMS OF THE HARDCORE 353 00:12:22,118 --> 00:12:23,819 PRESENTATION. 354 00:12:23,819 --> 00:12:24,854 FOR EVERYONE OF THOSE, THERE WAS 355 00:12:24,854 --> 00:12:28,057 LIKE EIGHT OTHER "GOSH, THIS IS 356 00:12:28,057 --> 00:12:29,358 HORRIBLE." 357 00:12:29,358 --> 00:12:31,360 IAN PICKING PIECES OF GLASS 358 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,696 FROM HIS FIST AND DIGGING THEM 359 00:12:33,696 --> 00:12:36,232 INTO THE FOREHEAD OF AXL. 360 00:12:36,232 --> 00:12:38,100 WHILE IT FED THAT KIND OF 361 00:12:38,100 --> 00:12:41,937 BLOOD LUST OF THAT HARDCORE ECW 362 00:12:41,937 --> 00:12:45,107 AUDIENCE, SOME OF THE CONTENT 363 00:12:45,107 --> 00:12:47,343 THAT THEY USED WENT A LITTLE BIT 364 00:12:47,343 --> 00:12:48,944 TOO FAR. 365 00:12:48,944 --> 00:12:54,517 [CROWD CHEERING] 366 00:12:54,517 --> 00:12:55,618 FIGHTING AGAINST A NEGATIVE 367 00:12:55,618 --> 00:12:57,820 STIGMA, PAUL HEYMAN WOULD 368 00:12:57,820 --> 00:12:59,056 SUCCESSFULLY BLEND BRUTALITY 369 00:12:59,056 --> 00:13:02,625 WITH TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY. 370 00:13:02,625 --> 00:13:04,293 GUERRERO, SERIES OF MOVES, 371 00:13:04,293 --> 00:13:05,227 ROLLS OUT THE ARM AND TAKES OVER 372 00:13:05,227 --> 00:13:07,663 MALENKO WITH THAT ARM DRAG. 373 00:13:07,663 --> 00:13:09,598 WHEN ECW FIRST STARTED, WE'RE 374 00:13:09,598 --> 00:13:11,133 THE GUYS WHO WERE BREAKING 375 00:13:11,133 --> 00:13:12,768 TABLES, YOU KNOW, BLEEDING EVERY 376 00:13:12,768 --> 00:13:13,636 NIGHT. 377 00:13:13,636 --> 00:13:15,504 GUESS WHAT, WE GOT SOME OF THE 378 00:13:15,504 --> 00:13:16,672 GREATEST WRESTLERS GOING. 379 00:13:16,672 --> 00:13:19,241 WE GOT EDDIE GUERRERO, WE HAVE 380 00:13:19,241 --> 00:13:21,110 DEAN MALENKO. 381 00:13:21,110 --> 00:13:23,045 I HAVE TO FIND ANY OTHER 382 00:13:23,045 --> 00:13:24,647 WRESTLING PROMOTION ON THIS 383 00:13:24,647 --> 00:13:27,450 PLANET, TO FIND TWO ATHLETES OF 384 00:13:27,450 --> 00:13:29,485 THIS CALIBER AND LET THEM GO AT 385 00:13:29,485 --> 00:13:31,120 IT ONE-ON-ONE LIKE THIS FOR A 386 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:32,254 MAJOR TITLE. 387 00:13:32,254 --> 00:13:35,324 IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN. 388 00:13:35,324 --> 00:13:36,559 THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE EDDIE 389 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:39,462 GUERRERO AND DEAN MALENKO IN 390 00:13:39,462 --> 00:13:42,298 ECW, YOU REALIZE YOU'RE SEEING 391 00:13:42,298 --> 00:13:44,667 SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN 392 00:13:44,667 --> 00:13:47,837 BEFORE, NOT CHEAP, BLOOD AND 393 00:13:47,837 --> 00:13:49,271 GUTS HARDCORE STUFF. 394 00:13:49,271 --> 00:13:50,406 THESE ARE REALLY TALENTED 395 00:13:50,406 --> 00:13:52,108 ATHLETES. 396 00:13:52,108 --> 00:13:53,909 ONE, TWO, MALENKO REVERSES 397 00:13:53,909 --> 00:13:54,810 IT. 398 00:13:54,810 --> 00:13:57,047 ONE, TWO--NO. 399 00:13:57,047 --> 00:13:59,115 FANS CAUGHT ON. 400 00:13:59,115 --> 00:14:00,583 YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS A TYPE 401 00:14:00,583 --> 00:14:01,851 OF WRESTLING THAT WAS TOTALLY 402 00:14:01,851 --> 00:14:03,085 OPPOSITE FROM WHAT ECW WAS ALL 403 00:14:03,085 --> 00:14:04,720 ABOUT FROM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING 404 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:06,989 YOUR FIST IN GLASS AND THESE 405 00:14:06,989 --> 00:14:08,124 TABLE MATCHES, AND ALWAYS A 406 00:14:08,124 --> 00:14:08,991 DIFFERENT KIND OF VARIETY OF 407 00:14:08,991 --> 00:14:10,059 MATCHES. 408 00:14:10,059 --> 00:14:11,127 PAUL HEYMAN GAVE US AN 409 00:14:11,127 --> 00:14:12,661 OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SHOWCASE 410 00:14:12,661 --> 00:14:14,630 WHAT WE HAD OFFERED. 411 00:14:14,630 --> 00:14:15,731 PEOPLE MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT ECW 412 00:14:15,731 --> 00:14:17,299 WAS ABOUT. 413 00:14:17,299 --> 00:14:19,735 IT WAS ABOUT CREATING A 414 00:14:19,735 --> 00:14:22,104 DIFFERENT TYPE OF PRODUCT. 415 00:14:22,104 --> 00:14:25,574 PAUL E. KNEW THAT, SO HE TOOK 416 00:14:25,574 --> 00:14:26,776 EVERYTHING THAT HE COULD, THE 417 00:14:26,776 --> 00:14:27,843 SEX, THE VIOLENCE, AND THE 418 00:14:27,843 --> 00:14:29,111 TECHNICAL WRESTLING, ROLLED IT 419 00:14:29,111 --> 00:14:30,312 ALL INTO ONE PACKAGE AND SAID, 420 00:14:30,312 --> 00:14:33,649 "HERE IS MY MASTERPIECE." 421 00:14:33,649 --> 00:14:37,052 BY AUGUST OF 1995, ECW HAD 422 00:14:37,052 --> 00:14:39,355 EVOLVED FROM A ONE-TRICK PONY 423 00:14:39,355 --> 00:14:40,389 INTO A WELL-ROUNDED 424 00:14:40,389 --> 00:14:42,525 ORGANIZATION. 425 00:14:42,525 --> 00:14:43,859 WCW EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, ERIC 426 00:14:43,859 --> 00:14:47,596 BISCHOFF, TOOK NOTICE. 427 00:14:47,596 --> 00:14:48,497 ERIC BISCHOFF HAD A BLANK 428 00:14:48,497 --> 00:14:50,933 CHECK BOOK SIGNED BY TED TURNER. 429 00:14:50,933 --> 00:14:51,867 OF COURSE HE'S GONNA COME AFTER 430 00:14:51,867 --> 00:14:52,902 OUR TALENT. 431 00:14:52,902 --> 00:14:54,804 WE UNDERSTOOD HOW TO DISCOVER 432 00:14:54,804 --> 00:14:57,540 TALENT, DEVELOP TALENT. 433 00:14:57,540 --> 00:15:00,543 THEY DIDN'T IT, THEY POACHED. 434 00:15:00,543 --> 00:15:02,711 AND THEY HAD THE MONEY TO DO SO. 435 00:15:02,711 --> 00:15:08,717 WELCOME, HULK HOGAN. 436 00:15:08,717 --> 00:15:10,219 [MUSIC] 437 00:15:10,219 --> 00:15:11,687 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 438 00:15:11,687 --> 00:15:13,189 HAD OUTGROWN ITS SYNDICATED 439 00:15:13,189 --> 00:15:15,057 SATURDAY PLATFORM. 440 00:15:15,057 --> 00:15:16,358 TED TURNER WAS READY TO MOVE 441 00:15:16,358 --> 00:15:18,260 INTO PRIMETIME AND AIR MONDAY 442 00:15:18,260 --> 00:15:21,263 NITRO DIRECTLY OPPOSITE VINCE 443 00:15:21,263 --> 00:15:24,567 MCMAHON'S MONDAY NIGHT RAW. 444 00:15:24,567 --> 00:15:25,801 BUT IN ORDER TO COMPETE AGAINST 445 00:15:25,801 --> 00:15:27,903 THE ESTABLISHED INDUSTRY LEADER, 446 00:15:27,903 --> 00:15:30,739 WCW WOULD NEED TO BOLSTER THEIR 447 00:15:30,739 --> 00:15:32,141 ROSTER. 448 00:15:32,141 --> 00:15:33,209 WE WANNA GIVE VIEWERS A 449 00:15:33,209 --> 00:15:33,809 CHOICE. 450 00:15:33,809 --> 00:15:34,944 WE BELIEVE WE GOT THE BIGGEST 451 00:15:34,944 --> 00:15:36,145 STARTS IN OUR INDUSTRY AND 452 00:15:36,145 --> 00:15:37,012 THAT'S WHAT ENTERTAINMENT IS ALL 453 00:15:37,012 --> 00:15:38,914 ABOUT. 454 00:15:38,914 --> 00:15:40,616 WCW WAS WRAPPING UP FOR THE 455 00:15:40,616 --> 00:15:43,452 MONDAY NIGH WAR AND THEY NEEDED 456 00:15:43,452 --> 00:15:44,587 SOME GREAT TALENT. 457 00:15:44,587 --> 00:15:47,256 AND ECW HAD EDDIE GUERRERO, DEAN 458 00:15:47,256 --> 00:15:48,224 MALENKO. 459 00:15:48,224 --> 00:15:51,427 AND WCW, WANTING TO LURE IN THAT 460 00:15:51,427 --> 00:15:54,997 ECW AUDIENCE, DECIDED IT'S TIME 461 00:15:54,997 --> 00:15:56,532 FOR A RAID. 462 00:15:56,532 --> 00:15:58,834 AND IN ONE FELL SWOOP, ERIC 463 00:15:58,834 --> 00:16:00,569 BISCHOFF SIGNED EDDIE GUERRERO, 464 00:16:00,569 --> 00:16:03,739 DEAN MALENKO WHICH DRAMATICALLY 465 00:16:03,739 --> 00:16:05,875 HELPED WCW. 466 00:16:05,875 --> 00:16:08,444 ANYTIME SOMEONE COMES TO ME 467 00:16:08,444 --> 00:16:11,914 AND SAYS TELL ME ABOUT RAIDING 468 00:16:11,914 --> 00:16:14,683 ECW'S TALENT, I NEED TO POINT 469 00:16:14,683 --> 00:16:17,987 OUT THAT ONE MAN'S RAID IS 470 00:16:17,987 --> 00:16:21,056 ANOTHER COMPANY'S ACQUISITION. 471 00:16:21,056 --> 00:16:22,091 PLEASE DON'T GO. 472 00:16:22,091 --> 00:16:23,158 PLEASE DON'T GO. 473 00:16:23,158 --> 00:16:24,693 PLEASE DON'T GO. 474 00:16:24,693 --> 00:16:25,694 PLEASE DON'T GO. 475 00:16:25,694 --> 00:16:28,597 THE ECW FANS, THEY UNDERSTOOD 476 00:16:28,597 --> 00:16:30,733 AND THEY ENJOYED AND RESPECTED 477 00:16:30,733 --> 00:16:32,134 YOU FOR YOUR TALENT. 478 00:16:32,134 --> 00:16:35,004 AS THE FANS ARE PLEADING FOR 479 00:16:35,004 --> 00:16:36,906 BOTH ATHLETES TO RECOGNIZE THAT 480 00:16:36,906 --> 00:16:39,675 THEY HAVE A HOME HERE IN EXTREME 481 00:16:39,675 --> 00:16:41,377 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING. 482 00:16:41,377 --> 00:16:43,612 [CROWD CHEERING] 483 00:16:43,612 --> 00:16:44,647 KNOWING THAT WE HAD THAT LAST 484 00:16:44,647 --> 00:16:46,282 NIGHT THERE, IT WAS A GREAT 485 00:16:46,282 --> 00:16:46,982 NIGHT. 486 00:16:46,982 --> 00:16:48,250 IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT FOR MYSELF, 487 00:16:48,250 --> 00:16:49,585 IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT FOR EDDIE, 488 00:16:49,585 --> 00:16:51,387 FOR ECW, AND MORE SO IF 489 00:16:51,387 --> 00:16:52,655 ANYTHING, THE FANS. 490 00:16:52,655 --> 00:16:53,923 AND IT WAS A GREAT SEND OFF, IT 491 00:16:53,923 --> 00:16:55,457 WAS A GREAT WAY TO SAY GOODBYE. 492 00:16:55,457 --> 00:16:56,592 I'M A FAN OF EACH AND 493 00:16:56,592 --> 00:16:57,960 EVERYONE OF YOU OUT THERE. 494 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:59,228 I WILL NEVER FORGET ECW NO 495 00:16:59,228 --> 00:17:01,063 MATTER WHERE THE HELL I GO. 496 00:17:01,063 --> 00:17:02,331 STAY COOL, EVERYBODY. 497 00:17:02,331 --> 00:17:03,198 WHEN YOU'RE GETTING OFFERED 498 00:17:03,198 --> 00:17:04,266 SIX FIGURES, IF NOT SEVEN 499 00:17:04,266 --> 00:17:06,168 FIGURES TO GO PLY YOUR TRADE 500 00:17:06,168 --> 00:17:07,937 OVER THERE INSTEAD OF HERE, HOW 501 00:17:07,937 --> 00:17:10,839 DO YOU TURN THAT DOWN? 502 00:17:10,839 --> 00:17:13,007 BEST OF LUCK. 503 00:17:13,007 --> 00:17:13,208 BEST OF LUCK. 504 00:17:13,208 --> 00:17:14,710 BEST OF LUCK. 505 00:17:14,710 --> 00:17:15,477 BEST OF LUCK. 506 00:17:15,477 --> 00:17:16,745 IT WAS RUTHLESS, I DIDN'T 507 00:17:16,745 --> 00:17:19,114 LIKE IT PERSONALLY, BUT IT WAS 508 00:17:19,114 --> 00:17:20,716 JUST BUSINESS. 509 00:17:20,716 --> 00:17:22,151 AND WE ARE LIVE AND IT IS 510 00:17:22,151 --> 00:17:24,453 EDDIE GUERRERO, DEAN MALENKO 511 00:17:24,453 --> 00:17:25,754 CENTER OF THE RING, TWO 512 00:17:25,754 --> 00:17:27,456 TREMENDOUS ATHLETES HERE ON 513 00:17:27,456 --> 00:17:29,258 NITRO. 514 00:17:29,258 --> 00:17:31,493 YOU FANS ARE IN FOR A TREAT. 515 00:17:31,493 --> 00:17:34,028 YOU DON'T WANNA BLINK IN THIS 516 00:17:34,028 --> 00:17:34,129 MATCH BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE 517 00:17:34,129 --> 00:17:35,764 SOMETHING EXCITING, FAST-PACED 518 00:17:35,764 --> 00:17:39,601 ACTION. 519 00:17:39,601 --> 00:17:42,104 IN THE LATTER WEEKS OF 1995, 520 00:17:42,104 --> 00:17:43,472 THE ADDITIONS OF DEAN MALENKO 521 00:17:43,472 --> 00:17:45,307 AND EDDIE GUERRERO HELPED THE 522 00:17:45,307 --> 00:17:47,543 RECENTLY LAUNCHED MONDAY NITRO 523 00:17:47,543 --> 00:17:49,211 DEFEAT MONDAY NIGHT RAW IN THE 524 00:17:49,211 --> 00:17:51,947 RATINGS. 525 00:17:51,947 --> 00:17:53,782 BUT PAUL HEYMAN HAD BEEN ABLE TO 526 00:17:53,782 --> 00:17:56,385 KEEP ECW'S MOMENTUM ALIVE BY 527 00:17:56,385 --> 00:17:58,387 ONCE AGAIN SHOWCASING A STYLE OF 528 00:17:58,387 --> 00:18:00,923 SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT UNFAMILIAR 529 00:18:00,923 --> 00:18:03,992 TO AMERICAN AUDIENCES. 530 00:18:03,992 --> 00:18:04,259 OUR STRATEGY WAS TO REACH OUT 531 00:18:04,259 --> 00:18:05,861 TO THE LUCHADORES. 532 00:18:05,861 --> 00:18:07,930 REY MYSTERIO, JR., 533 00:18:07,930 --> 00:18:09,965 20-YEAR-OLD SUPERSTAR OF LUCHA 534 00:18:09,965 --> 00:18:12,568 LIBRE, IT'S MEXICAN PROFESSIONAL 535 00:18:12,568 --> 00:18:15,237 WRESTLING, YOU ARE IN FOR A 536 00:18:15,237 --> 00:18:17,139 SPECIAL TREAT TONIGHT. 537 00:18:17,139 --> 00:18:18,273 AS A BIG FAN OF MEXICAN 538 00:18:18,273 --> 00:18:20,642 PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING AND I 539 00:18:20,642 --> 00:18:23,979 FIGURED THAT THEY HAD TO CONFINE 540 00:18:23,979 --> 00:18:27,249 THEMSELVES TO THE VISION OF 541 00:18:27,249 --> 00:18:30,519 LUCHA LIBRE, BUT IF REY AND 542 00:18:30,519 --> 00:18:34,556 PSICOSIS WERE ALLOWED TO GO TO 543 00:18:34,556 --> 00:18:37,226 THE EXTREME... 544 00:18:37,226 --> 00:18:38,994 SPRINGBOARD PLANCHA INTO THE 545 00:18:38,994 --> 00:18:42,331 SECOND ROPE. 546 00:18:42,331 --> 00:18:43,665 ...REY AND PSICOSIS WERE 547 00:18:43,665 --> 00:18:46,635 GOING TO BRING TO ECW A STYLE 548 00:18:46,635 --> 00:18:48,604 THAT HAD NOT BEEN SEEN IN THE 549 00:18:48,604 --> 00:18:50,005 UNITED STATES BEFORE. 550 00:18:50,005 --> 00:18:54,042 [MUSIC] 551 00:18:54,042 --> 00:18:57,079 OH, DIOS MIO. 552 00:18:57,079 --> 00:18:57,913 I REMEMBER WALKING IN WITH 553 00:18:57,913 --> 00:18:59,681 PSICOSIS THE FIRST TIME, HE WAS 554 00:18:59,681 --> 00:19:02,284 LIKE, "HEY, PAUL E., IS IT OKAY 555 00:19:02,284 --> 00:19:09,124 IF WE--IF WE USE A TABLE?" 556 00:19:09,124 --> 00:19:10,392 GUYS, GO OUT THERE AND HAVE A 557 00:19:10,392 --> 00:19:11,827 GOOD TIME, MAN. 558 00:19:11,827 --> 00:19:12,895 JUST GO OUT THERE AND TEAR IT 559 00:19:12,895 --> 00:19:13,829 UP. 560 00:19:13,829 --> 00:19:15,764 KEEP YOUR EYE ON MYSTERIO. 561 00:19:15,764 --> 00:19:17,266 HURRICANRANA FROM THE RING APRON 562 00:19:17,266 --> 00:19:19,968 ONTO THE CONCRETE FLOOR. 563 00:19:19,968 --> 00:19:21,336 WE DID A LOT OF CRAZY THINGS 564 00:19:21,336 --> 00:19:22,204 THAT NIGHT. 565 00:19:22,204 --> 00:19:25,107 IT WAS JUST INSANE. 566 00:19:25,107 --> 00:19:26,508 AS THE CALENDAR TURNED TO 567 00:19:26,508 --> 00:19:28,977 1996, BOTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 568 00:19:28,977 --> 00:19:32,147 WRESTLING AND WWE WERE TRADING 569 00:19:32,147 --> 00:19:33,682 VICTORIES IN MONDAY'S NIGHT 570 00:19:33,682 --> 00:19:35,417 PRIMETIME CABLE TELEVISION 571 00:19:35,417 --> 00:19:38,720 RATINGS. 572 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:40,222 STILL ONLY SEEN IN LATE NIGHT 573 00:19:40,222 --> 00:19:42,257 SYNDICATION, PAUL HEYMAN 574 00:19:42,257 --> 00:19:43,959 CONTINUED TO POPULATE HIS 575 00:19:43,959 --> 00:19:45,894 UNDERGROUND PROMOTION WITH 576 00:19:45,894 --> 00:19:50,766 EXCITING TALENT. 577 00:19:50,766 --> 00:19:52,301 WE WELCOME TO EXTREME 578 00:19:52,301 --> 00:19:54,670 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING, 579 00:19:54,670 --> 00:19:58,740 LIONHEART, CHRIS JERICHO. 580 00:19:58,740 --> 00:20:01,710 [CROWD CHEERING] 581 00:20:01,710 --> 00:20:02,644 WE GOT THE CHRIS JERICHOS, 582 00:20:02,644 --> 00:20:04,146 AND REY MYSTERIOS, AND A LOT OF 583 00:20:04,146 --> 00:20:05,114 SOME REALLY TALENTED GUYS GOT 584 00:20:05,114 --> 00:20:08,350 THEIR START IN ECW. 585 00:20:08,350 --> 00:20:10,786 JERICHO, CATAPULT SHOULDER 586 00:20:10,786 --> 00:20:12,387 BLOCK. 587 00:20:12,387 --> 00:20:13,355 I STILL HAVE NEVER WORKED FOR 588 00:20:13,355 --> 00:20:15,324 ANYBODY THAT WAS A MORE 589 00:20:15,324 --> 00:20:17,159 MOTIVATIONAL BOSS THAN PAUL 590 00:20:17,159 --> 00:20:18,427 HEYMAN. 591 00:20:18,427 --> 00:20:19,828 HE WOULD GO THROUGH HIS PACES OF 592 00:20:19,828 --> 00:20:21,330 TELLING YOU HOW GREAT YOU ARE, 593 00:20:21,330 --> 00:20:22,364 AND, "NO OTHER COMPANY IN THE 594 00:20:22,364 --> 00:20:23,699 WORLD WILL TAKE YOU, BUT I AM 595 00:20:23,699 --> 00:20:24,900 HONORED TO BE HERE WITH YOU. 596 00:20:24,900 --> 00:20:26,101 AND THESE PEOPLE ARE HONORED TO 597 00:20:26,101 --> 00:20:27,002 BE OUT THERE TO WATCH YOU 598 00:20:27,002 --> 00:20:27,870 BECAUSE YOU PUT ON THE BEST SHOW 599 00:20:27,870 --> 00:20:28,737 IN THE WORLD. 600 00:20:28,737 --> 00:20:29,638 AND WHEN IT'S DONE, YOU'RE LIKE, 601 00:20:29,638 --> 00:20:31,673 KILL." 602 00:20:31,673 --> 00:20:33,942 WHILE WE LOST THE NEW JAPAN 603 00:20:33,942 --> 00:20:36,979 STYLE EMBODIED BY THOSE WHO WERE 604 00:20:36,979 --> 00:20:39,414 STOLEN BY WCW... 605 00:20:39,414 --> 00:20:40,449 UP AND OVER THE TOP ONCE 606 00:20:40,449 --> 00:20:43,285 AGAIN. 607 00:20:43,285 --> 00:20:44,486 ...WE BROUGHT IN A WHOLE NEW 608 00:20:44,486 --> 00:20:45,721 STYLE. 609 00:20:45,721 --> 00:20:48,257 AND ONCE AGAIN, WCW WAS 610 00:20:48,257 --> 00:20:49,224 PAYING ATTENTION. 611 00:20:49,224 --> 00:20:50,626 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT'S 612 00:20:50,626 --> 00:20:52,728 THE DEBUT OF PSICOSIS, A 613 00:20:52,728 --> 00:20:54,596 TREMENDOUS WRESTLER. 614 00:20:54,596 --> 00:20:55,764 ARMED WITH GUARANTEED 615 00:20:55,764 --> 00:20:59,101 CONTRACTS IN THE SUMMER OF 1996, 616 00:20:59,101 --> 00:21:01,937 ERIC BISCHOFF LURED ECW'S TOP 617 00:21:01,937 --> 00:21:03,972 LUCHA LIBRE STARS TO MONDAY 618 00:21:03,972 --> 00:21:06,742 NITRO, POSITIONING THEM AS THE 619 00:21:06,742 --> 00:21:08,410 NEW BACKBONE OF WCW'S 620 00:21:08,410 --> 00:21:10,579 CRUISERWEIGHT DIVISION. 621 00:21:10,579 --> 00:21:11,980 THERE ARE MORE NEW UP AND 622 00:21:11,980 --> 00:21:14,116 COMING INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS 623 00:21:14,116 --> 00:21:15,884 HERE IN WCW THAN ANYWHERE ON THE 624 00:21:15,884 --> 00:21:18,387 PLANET. 625 00:21:18,387 --> 00:21:20,722 WHEN I SAW CHRIS JERICHO AND 626 00:21:20,722 --> 00:21:24,126 REY MYSTERIO LEAVE ECW TO GO BE 627 00:21:24,126 --> 00:21:25,694 THE FOUNDATION OF WCW 628 00:21:25,694 --> 00:21:27,829 CRUISERWEIGHT DIVISION AND BE 629 00:21:27,829 --> 00:21:29,364 ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WCW WAS 630 00:21:29,364 --> 00:21:31,033 TRYING TO DIFFERENTIATE ITSELF 631 00:21:31,033 --> 00:21:34,269 FROM WWE, I WAS UPSET AND FELT 632 00:21:34,269 --> 00:21:36,004 THAT ECW HAD BEEN ROBBED OF 633 00:21:36,004 --> 00:21:37,506 TALENT. 634 00:21:37,506 --> 00:21:39,174 THEY RECOGNIZED THAT WCW WAS 635 00:21:39,174 --> 00:21:41,343 A MUCH STRONGER, MUCH MORE 636 00:21:41,343 --> 00:21:43,879 SECURE, MUCH LARGER 637 00:21:43,879 --> 00:21:45,781 INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM FOR THEM 638 00:21:45,781 --> 00:21:47,649 TO PLY THEIR TRADE. 639 00:21:47,649 --> 00:21:49,218 IT WAS JUST SMART BUSINESS 640 00:21:49,218 --> 00:21:51,386 FOR WCW BECAUSE THEY COULD ALL 641 00:21:51,386 --> 00:21:53,322 DELIVER GREAT MATCHES ON ANY 642 00:21:53,322 --> 00:21:56,358 GIVEN MONDAY NIGHT. 643 00:21:56,358 --> 00:21:58,927 WHEN YOU'RE UP AGAINST WWE AND 644 00:21:58,927 --> 00:22:01,563 VINCE MCMAHON IN A MONDAY NIGHT 645 00:22:01,563 --> 00:22:03,665 WAR, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU SUPPOSED 646 00:22:03,665 --> 00:22:04,600 TO DO? 647 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:05,400 [MUSIC] 648 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:07,102 WCW BURGEONING CRUISERWEIGHT 649 00:22:07,102 --> 00:22:09,171 DIVISION COMPLIMENTED WHAT HAD 650 00:22:09,171 --> 00:22:10,739 BECOME A VERY SUCCESSFUL MAIN 651 00:22:10,739 --> 00:22:12,608 EVENT PICTURE. 652 00:22:12,608 --> 00:22:14,943 ERIC BISCHOFF HAD SIGNED TWO OF 653 00:22:14,943 --> 00:22:17,679 THE WWE'S TOP STARS, SCOTT HALL 654 00:22:17,679 --> 00:22:20,582 AND KEVIN NASH, AND PAIRED THEM 655 00:22:20,582 --> 00:22:24,686 WITH INDUSTRY ICON, HULK HOGAN. 656 00:22:24,686 --> 00:22:26,688 THE TRIO FORMED THE REBELLIOUS 657 00:22:26,688 --> 00:22:29,458 NEW WORLD ORDER GROUP AND HELPED 658 00:22:29,458 --> 00:22:31,193 MONDAY NITRO SURGE AHEAD IN THE 659 00:22:31,193 --> 00:22:32,194 RATINGS. 660 00:22:32,194 --> 00:22:34,196 IT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT 661 00:22:34,196 --> 00:22:35,230 THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WAS 662 00:22:35,230 --> 00:22:36,565 BEING DONE EITHER IN WWE OR IN 663 00:22:36,565 --> 00:22:38,033 WCW AT THE TIME. 664 00:22:38,033 --> 00:22:41,103 OH, MY GOODNESS, THE GIANT 665 00:22:41,103 --> 00:22:43,538 AND HALL, THEY ARE DESTROYING 666 00:22:43,538 --> 00:22:44,506 THIS CAR. 667 00:22:44,506 --> 00:22:46,074 MAYBE IT'S MY EGO TALKING, 668 00:22:46,074 --> 00:22:50,445 BUT THE CONCEPT OF THE NWO, THE 669 00:22:50,445 --> 00:22:52,981 CONCEPT OF THE ANTIESTABLISHMENT 670 00:22:52,981 --> 00:22:55,484 REBELS, THE CONCEPT OF THE GUYS 671 00:22:55,484 --> 00:22:56,952 THAT ARE GOING TO SHAKE THE 672 00:22:56,952 --> 00:23:00,255 ENTIRE INDUSTRY UP, THAT WAS ECW 673 00:23:00,255 --> 00:23:02,291 AND WCW. 674 00:23:02,291 --> 00:23:04,192 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 675 00:23:04,192 --> 00:23:05,661 WRESTLING'S POPULARITY WAS 676 00:23:05,661 --> 00:23:07,996 REACHING NEW HEIGHTS. 677 00:23:07,996 --> 00:23:09,464 BUT DESPITE ITS ROSTER BEING 678 00:23:09,464 --> 00:23:12,134 PILLAGED AGAIN, PAUL HEYMAN 679 00:23:12,134 --> 00:23:14,336 CONTINUED TO REBUILD ECW. 680 00:23:14,336 --> 00:23:18,507 [CROWD CHEERING] 681 00:23:18,507 --> 00:23:20,342 OUR MOVE WAS ALWAYS TO FIND 682 00:23:20,342 --> 00:23:22,744 NEW TALENT AND DEVELOP THEM 683 00:23:22,744 --> 00:23:25,480 FASTER THAN THEY'RE PULLING 684 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:27,482 PEOPLE OUT. 685 00:23:27,482 --> 00:23:30,185 THERE IT IS, 3D DUDLEY DEATH 686 00:23:30,185 --> 00:23:31,019 DROP. 687 00:23:31,019 --> 00:23:32,621 [BELL RINGING] 688 00:23:32,621 --> 00:23:34,323 THE BEST PART ABOUT ECW AND 689 00:23:34,323 --> 00:23:36,858 IT WAS PAUL'S DESIGN, WHEN 690 00:23:36,858 --> 00:23:38,560 SOMEBODY WOULD LEAVE, THE NEXT 691 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:40,462 PERSON WAS READY TO STEP UP AND 692 00:23:40,462 --> 00:23:41,663 TAKE THEIR PLACE. 693 00:23:41,663 --> 00:23:42,798 EVERYONE WAS A MAIN EVENTER, 694 00:23:42,798 --> 00:23:43,865 EVERYONE WAS PART OF THE SHOW. 695 00:23:43,865 --> 00:23:44,933 [CROWD CHEERING] 696 00:23:44,933 --> 00:23:48,603 [BELL RINGING] 697 00:23:48,603 --> 00:23:51,139 PAUL WAS REALLY GOOD AT 698 00:23:51,139 --> 00:23:53,909 INSPIRING HOPE IN ALL OF US AS A 699 00:23:53,909 --> 00:23:56,244 TEAM AND AS INDIVIDUALS. 700 00:23:56,244 --> 00:23:58,213 WE ALL GOT TO LOVE HIM AND GOT 701 00:23:58,213 --> 00:23:59,614 TO TRUST HIM. 702 00:23:59,614 --> 00:24:01,583 HE WOULD MAKE STARTS OUT OF SOME 703 00:24:01,583 --> 00:24:03,919 WRESTLERS THAT WERE PASSED OVER 704 00:24:03,919 --> 00:24:05,120 BY WWE. 705 00:24:05,120 --> 00:24:08,256 [CROWD CHEERING] 706 00:24:08,256 --> 00:24:12,026 THE STEVIE KICK CONNECTS. 707 00:24:12,026 --> 00:24:12,461 WHEN YOU THOUGHT ABOUT ECW, 708 00:24:12,461 --> 00:24:13,528 YOU ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT ECW AS 709 00:24:13,528 --> 00:24:15,297 A PRODUCT. 710 00:24:15,297 --> 00:24:16,665 AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE KNEW THEY 711 00:24:16,665 --> 00:24:18,367 WERE GONNA SEE ECW, THEY KNEW 712 00:24:18,367 --> 00:24:19,267 THEY WERE GONNA SEE SOMETHING 713 00:24:19,267 --> 00:24:23,672 SPECIAL. 714 00:24:23,672 --> 00:24:26,208 THROUGHOUT 1996, EXTREME 715 00:24:26,208 --> 00:24:28,243 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING DEVELOPED 716 00:24:28,243 --> 00:24:30,412 A LOYAL FOLLOWING THANKS TO 717 00:24:30,412 --> 00:24:31,747 THEIR RABID PHILADELPHIA FAN 718 00:24:31,747 --> 00:24:34,583 BASE. 719 00:24:34,583 --> 00:24:35,751 ECW. 720 00:24:35,751 --> 00:24:37,052 [CROWD CHEERING] 721 00:24:37,052 --> 00:24:38,553 WHEN I'D HEARD ABOUT ECW, I 722 00:24:38,553 --> 00:24:40,589 KIND OF DISMISSED IT AT FIRST. 723 00:24:40,589 --> 00:24:41,723 AND THEY STARTED MAKING A LITTLE 724 00:24:41,723 --> 00:24:42,791 BIT MORE NOISE. 725 00:24:42,791 --> 00:24:44,459 YOU WOULD HEAR A SMATTERING AND 726 00:24:44,459 --> 00:24:45,994 SOMETIMES MORE THAN A SMATTERING 727 00:24:45,994 --> 00:24:48,463 OF ECW CHANTS. 728 00:24:48,463 --> 00:24:50,599 SO THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE. 729 00:24:50,599 --> 00:24:52,000 DESPITE ECW'S GROWING 730 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,169 POPULARITY, THEY STILL NEEDED 731 00:24:54,169 --> 00:24:57,072 MORE MAINSTREAM EXPOSURE. 732 00:24:57,072 --> 00:24:58,740 AT THE SAME TIME, MONDAY NIGHT 733 00:24:58,740 --> 00:25:01,443 RAW NEEDED TO ADD AN EDGIER 734 00:25:01,443 --> 00:25:03,245 ELEMENT IN ORDER TO KEEP PACE 735 00:25:03,245 --> 00:25:04,913 WITH MONDAY NITRO. 736 00:25:04,913 --> 00:25:06,782 THE WWE PRODUCT WAS VERY 737 00:25:06,782 --> 00:25:08,417 FAMILY FRIENDLY, KIND OF 738 00:25:08,417 --> 00:25:09,518 CARTOON-ISH. 739 00:25:09,518 --> 00:25:11,052 I WAS LOOKING FOR A MORE 740 00:25:11,052 --> 00:25:13,188 ADULT-ORIENTATED PRODUCT. 741 00:25:13,188 --> 00:25:16,057 WWE SAW THAT THEY NEEDED TO 742 00:25:16,057 --> 00:25:19,026 DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE. 743 00:25:19,026 --> 00:25:20,128 AND VINCE MCMAHON, BECAUSE IT 744 00:25:20,128 --> 00:25:21,763 WAS GOOD FOR BUSINESS, DECIDED 745 00:25:21,763 --> 00:25:23,165 TO STRIKE A DEAL. 746 00:25:23,165 --> 00:25:27,302 VINCE MCMAHON SAYS, "OKAY. 747 00:25:27,302 --> 00:25:31,173 HERE'S YOUR SHOT." 748 00:25:31,173 --> 00:25:32,240 WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO THE 749 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:33,875 CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE, WELCOME 750 00:25:33,875 --> 00:25:35,644 TO PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, 751 00:25:35,644 --> 00:25:38,980 THE SITE OF IN YOUR HOUSE MIND 752 00:25:38,980 --> 00:25:40,982 GAMES. 753 00:25:40,982 --> 00:25:43,185 THE PITCH CAME TO ME, "DO YOU 754 00:25:43,185 --> 00:25:44,886 WANNA COME TO THE SHOW? 755 00:25:44,886 --> 00:25:46,421 GRAB SOME PUBLICITY FOR 756 00:25:46,421 --> 00:25:47,255 YOURSELVES. 757 00:25:47,255 --> 00:25:49,758 LET PEOPLE KNOW OUTSIDE OF 758 00:25:49,758 --> 00:25:51,993 PHILADELPHIA THAT THERE'S THIS 759 00:25:51,993 --> 00:25:54,863 MOVEMENT CALLED ECW AND PEOPLE 760 00:25:54,863 --> 00:25:56,631 BETTER START PAYING ATTENTION. 761 00:25:56,631 --> 00:26:00,802 IN EXCHANGE WWE WOULD GET A 762 00:26:00,802 --> 00:26:01,603 BUZZ. 763 00:26:01,603 --> 00:26:04,004 PEOPLE WOULD SAY, "HEY, WHAT 764 00:26:03,705 --> 00:26:04,673 UH-OH, THINGS CAN REALLY GET 765 00:26:04,673 --> 00:26:06,074 DANGEROUS OUT THERE. 766 00:26:06,074 --> 00:26:07,309 THEY CAME AND THEY SAT AT 767 00:26:07,309 --> 00:26:08,210 RINGSIDE. 768 00:26:08,210 --> 00:26:09,177 AND ME AND MY FRIENDS DIDN'T 769 00:26:09,177 --> 00:26:10,245 KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. 770 00:26:10,245 --> 00:26:11,446 BUT LIKE, "WHOA, THERE'S THE ECW 771 00:26:11,446 --> 00:26:13,548 GUYS." 772 00:26:13,548 --> 00:26:16,751 OH, WHAT A--HEY, WAIT JUST A 773 00:26:16,751 --> 00:26:17,886 MOMENT. 774 00:26:17,886 --> 00:26:19,087 SAVIO VEGA GETS BEER THROWN 775 00:26:19,087 --> 00:26:22,224 ON HIM BY THE ECW GUYS GETTING 776 00:26:22,224 --> 00:26:23,558 THE WHOLE OFFER AND READY TO 777 00:26:23,558 --> 00:26:24,392 FIGHT. 778 00:26:24,392 --> 00:26:27,027 THEY REALLY FELT THAT THINGS 779 00:26:27,027 --> 00:26:27,562 WERE WELL AT THAT POINT. 780 00:26:27,562 --> 00:26:29,364 I DIDN'T GET ECW PROGRAMMING, SO 781 00:26:29,364 --> 00:26:32,032 I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW RABID 782 00:26:32,032 --> 00:26:33,802 THOSE FANS WERE. 783 00:26:33,802 --> 00:26:36,204 THERE'S A LOCAL WRESTLING 784 00:26:36,204 --> 00:26:37,939 GROUP HERE IN PHILADELPHIA... 785 00:26:37,939 --> 00:26:39,508 ALREADY MAKING THEIR MARK ON 786 00:26:39,508 --> 00:26:41,943 SPORT ENTERTAINMENT, THE FANATIC 787 00:26:41,943 --> 00:26:43,845 ECW SUPPORT SYSTEM WAS ABOUT TO 788 00:26:43,845 --> 00:26:47,015 CHANGE TELEVISION TRADITIONS. 789 00:26:47,015 --> 00:26:48,884 I WISH THAT THERE WERE WORDS 790 00:26:48,884 --> 00:26:50,819 THAT COULD EVEN BEGIN TO 791 00:26:50,819 --> 00:26:53,021 DESCRIBE TO YOU THE LEVEL OF 792 00:26:53,021 --> 00:26:54,556 APPRECIATION THAT THE MEMBERS OF 793 00:26:54,556 --> 00:26:55,991 THIS COMPANY FEEL TOWARDS YOU, 794 00:26:55,991 --> 00:26:58,293 OUR AUDIENCE, FOR THE FACT THAT 795 00:26:58,293 --> 00:26:59,494 YOU HAVE SUPPORTED US TO SUCH AN 796 00:26:59,494 --> 00:27:01,463 EXTENT THAT WE WOULD EVEN DARE 797 00:27:01,463 --> 00:27:02,898 TRY SOMETHING LIKE A 798 00:27:02,898 --> 00:27:03,798 PAY-PER-VIEW. 799 00:27:03,798 --> 00:27:04,566 [MUSIC] 800 00:27:04,566 --> 00:27:05,967 PAUL WAS FORCED TO BE VERY 801 00:27:05,967 --> 00:27:09,003 CREATIVE BECAUSE HE HAD TO BE 802 00:27:08,937 --> 00:27:10,138 PAY-PER-VIEW COMPANIES DIDN'T 803 00:27:10,138 --> 00:27:11,940 FEEL REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH THE 804 00:27:11,940 --> 00:27:13,475 TYPE OF CONTENT BECAUSE, YOU 805 00:27:13,475 --> 00:27:15,810 KNOW, THERE WAS A BACKLASH 806 00:27:15,810 --> 00:27:18,012 ATTACHED TO IT. 807 00:27:18,012 --> 00:27:18,246 NOBODY REALIZED WE WERE 808 00:27:18,246 --> 00:27:19,848 SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT. 809 00:27:19,848 --> 00:27:21,750 THEY THOUGHT WE WERE LIKE MIXED 810 00:27:21,750 --> 00:27:22,817 MARTIAL ARTS, LIKE 811 00:27:22,817 --> 00:27:23,685 NO-HOLDS-BARRED. 812 00:27:23,685 --> 00:27:25,153 AND BACK THEN MIXED MARTIAL 813 00:27:25,153 --> 00:27:26,555 ARTS, NO-HOLDS-BARRED COULDN'T 814 00:27:26,555 --> 00:27:27,489 GET ON PAY-PER-VIEW. 815 00:27:27,489 --> 00:27:28,623 IT WAS OUTLAWED IN SO MANY 816 00:27:28,623 --> 00:27:29,558 STATES. 817 00:27:29,558 --> 00:27:31,993 OUR AUDIENCE PICKETED OUTSIDE 818 00:27:31,993 --> 00:27:34,863 CABLE COMPANIES TO GET THEM TO 819 00:27:34,863 --> 00:27:39,534 ACCEPT ECW ONTO PAY-PER-VIEW. 820 00:27:39,534 --> 00:27:41,536 BECAUSE OF YOUR CARDS, AND 821 00:27:41,536 --> 00:27:43,538 YOUR LETTERS, AND YOUR PHONE 822 00:27:43,538 --> 00:27:46,474 CALLS, AND YOUR TELEGRAMS, AND 823 00:27:46,474 --> 00:27:48,910 YOUR EMAILS, AND BECAUSE OF THE 824 00:27:48,910 --> 00:27:50,545 [INDISTINCT] 825 00:27:50,545 --> 00:27:52,347 OF THIS AUDIENCE, BECAUSE YOU 826 00:27:52,347 --> 00:27:55,483 CHANT ECW, ON SUNDAY NIGHT, 827 00:27:55,483 --> 00:27:58,887 APRIL 13TH, THAT SHOW WILL BE 828 00:27:58,887 --> 00:28:03,224 COMING LIVE ON PAY-PER-VIEW. 829 00:28:03,224 --> 00:28:12,634 [CROWD CHEERING] 830 00:28:12,634 --> 00:28:14,569 NOW, IN NEED OF MORE 831 00:28:14,569 --> 00:28:16,471 PAY-PER-VIEW PROMOTION, THE 832 00:28:16,471 --> 00:28:18,239 ONE-TIME COOPERATION BLOSSOMED 833 00:28:18,239 --> 00:28:20,275 INTO A PARTNERSHIP. 834 00:28:20,275 --> 00:28:21,242 I DON'T KNOW WHO CAME UP WITH 835 00:28:21,242 --> 00:28:22,277 IT, WHETHER I DID OR WHETHER 836 00:28:22,277 --> 00:28:23,678 PAUL DID, BUT IT WAS LIKE, WHY 837 00:28:23,678 --> 00:28:24,746 DON'T WE SEE WHERE WE GO WITH 838 00:28:24,746 --> 00:28:26,548 THIS, THERE'S NO PROMISES, YOU 839 00:28:26,548 --> 00:28:28,149 KNOW, LET'S SEE WHERE WE GO. 840 00:28:28,149 --> 00:28:29,284 AND IT WAS A WAY TO BROADEN THE 841 00:28:29,284 --> 00:28:30,185 BUSINESS. 842 00:28:30,185 --> 00:28:31,252 UNDER THE APPEARANCE OF 843 00:28:31,252 --> 00:28:33,822 ANIMOSITY, WWE WAS ABOUT TO 844 00:28:33,822 --> 00:28:35,857 INTRODUCE EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP 845 00:28:35,857 --> 00:28:37,993 WRESTLING TO ITS MONDAY NIGHT 846 00:28:37,993 --> 00:28:39,294 AUDIENCE. 847 00:28:39,294 --> 00:28:43,798 WCW AND WWE WE'RE LOCKED IN 848 00:28:43,798 --> 00:28:45,500 SUCH A WAR. 849 00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:47,936 HERE COMES ECW AND OF COURSE 850 00:28:47,936 --> 00:28:48,903 JERRY LAWLER WAS THE PERFECT 851 00:28:48,903 --> 00:28:49,904 FOIL. 852 00:28:49,904 --> 00:28:51,840 LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. 853 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:52,540 OH, COME ON, KING. 854 00:28:52,540 --> 00:28:53,308 I'VE HAD ABOUT--THIS IS ABOUT 855 00:28:53,308 --> 00:28:54,109 ALL I WANT TO SEE IN THIS -- 856 00:28:54,109 --> 00:28:54,776 RIGHT HERE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND 857 00:28:54,776 --> 00:28:55,543 THAT? 858 00:28:55,543 --> 00:28:56,244 OH, YEAH. 859 00:28:56,244 --> 00:28:56,911 DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS ONCE 860 00:28:56,911 --> 00:28:57,912 YOU'VE READ IT? 861 00:28:57,912 --> 00:28:59,280 I TURNED THE PHRASE ECW STOOD 862 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,850 FOR EXTREMELY CRAPPY WRESTLING. 863 00:29:01,850 --> 00:29:05,019 AND IT HELPED BUILD THE 864 00:29:05,019 --> 00:29:05,654 ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE TWO 865 00:29:05,654 --> 00:29:06,488 COMPANIES. 866 00:29:06,488 --> 00:29:07,555 SOME PEOPLE LIKE IT. 867 00:29:07,555 --> 00:29:08,490 I'M GONNA TELL YOU SOMETHING 868 00:29:08,490 --> 00:29:09,891 ALL YOU ECW, EXTREME 869 00:29:09,891 --> 00:29:11,426 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING NOOBS, 870 00:29:11,426 --> 00:29:12,827 I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'LL DO, IF 871 00:29:12,827 --> 00:29:14,229 YOU'RE SO GOOD, IF YOU'RE SO 872 00:29:14,229 --> 00:29:15,397 TOUGH, IF ANYBODY AT ALL IN THE 873 00:29:15,397 --> 00:29:16,798 COUNTRY THINKS THEY'RE WORTH 874 00:29:16,798 --> 00:29:17,532 ANYTHING... 875 00:29:17,532 --> 00:29:18,299 COME ON, KING. 876 00:29:18,299 --> 00:29:18,933 ...WHY DON'T THEY COME RIGHT 877 00:29:18,933 --> 00:29:19,534 OVER HERE? 878 00:29:19,534 --> 00:29:20,201 I'LL MAKE--I'LL MAKE A PERSONAL 879 00:29:20,201 --> 00:29:21,503 INVITATION TO YOU. 880 00:29:21,503 --> 00:29:23,071 COME RIGHT HERE ON RAW. 881 00:29:23,071 --> 00:29:24,739 NEXT WEEK, COME ON DOWN HERE. 882 00:29:24,739 --> 00:29:25,807 SHOW US WHAT YOU GOT. 883 00:29:25,807 --> 00:29:27,175 [MUSIC] 884 00:29:27,175 --> 00:29:28,643 VINCE MAKES ME AN OFFER, 885 00:29:28,643 --> 00:29:30,311 "LET'S HAVE ECW SHOW UP ON 886 00:29:30,311 --> 00:29:31,780 MONDAY NIGHT RAW. 887 00:29:31,780 --> 00:29:33,748 AND LET'S SEE JUST HOW BIG YOU 888 00:29:33,748 --> 00:29:35,884 CAN PROMOTE YOURSELF. 889 00:29:35,884 --> 00:29:39,019 GLOVES OFF, TAKE IT TO THE 890 00:29:39,019 --> 00:29:39,821 EXTREME." 891 00:29:39,821 --> 00:29:40,755 WHAT IS THIS? 892 00:29:40,755 --> 00:29:42,757 [CROWD CHEERING] 893 00:29:42,757 --> 00:29:45,493 WAIT A MINUTE. 894 00:29:45,493 --> 00:29:49,029 THERE'S A RING ATTENDANT. 895 00:29:49,029 --> 00:29:51,299 OH. 896 00:29:51,299 --> 00:29:55,035 YOUR CHALLENGE HAS BEEN 897 00:29:55,035 --> 00:29:55,203 ACCEPTED. 898 00:29:55,203 --> 00:29:59,941 ECW IS IN THE HOUSE. 899 00:29:59,941 --> 00:30:01,810 [CROWD CHEERING] 900 00:30:01,810 --> 00:30:03,344 IT WAS INTENSE. 901 00:30:03,344 --> 00:30:04,813 IT WAS THEM AGAINST THE WORLD, 902 00:30:04,813 --> 00:30:06,147 AND THEN IT WAS THEM AGAINST 903 00:30:06,147 --> 00:30:08,483 WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT. 904 00:30:08,483 --> 00:30:10,485 WE REALLY BELIEVED IN OUR 905 00:30:10,485 --> 00:30:13,121 HEARTS WE'RE GONNA SHOW THESE 906 00:30:13,121 --> 00:30:15,290 WWE GUYS EXACTLY HOW IT'S DONE. 907 00:30:15,290 --> 00:30:16,958 [MUSIC] 908 00:30:16,958 --> 00:30:18,193 WE CAME IN THERE PROUD TO 909 00:30:18,193 --> 00:30:19,060 REPRESENT. 910 00:30:19,060 --> 00:30:20,762 AND THOSE PEOPLE COULD NOT 911 00:30:20,762 --> 00:30:22,130 BELIEVE WHAT WAS GOING ON 912 00:30:22,130 --> 00:30:23,064 BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFERENT. 913 00:30:23,064 --> 00:30:26,401 WE MADE IT OUR TYPE OF SHOW. 914 00:30:26,401 --> 00:30:27,135 IT WAS INSANE. 915 00:30:27,135 --> 00:30:29,037 IT WOULD JUST COMPLETELY BLOW MY 916 00:30:29,037 --> 00:30:30,138 MIND BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING 917 00:30:30,138 --> 00:30:31,339 DIFFERENT I'VE NEVER SEEN. 918 00:30:31,339 --> 00:30:33,708 BROUGHT TO YOU BY EXTREME 919 00:30:33,708 --> 00:30:35,677 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING. 920 00:30:35,677 --> 00:30:37,212 THEY WERE GIVEN THE CHANCE, 921 00:30:37,212 --> 00:30:38,680 GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY, AND THEY 922 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:40,215 JUST--THEY TOOK IT. 923 00:30:40,215 --> 00:30:41,282 HOPEFULLY THINGS AREN'T GONNA 924 00:30:41,282 --> 00:30:42,617 GET OUT OF HAND HERE. 925 00:30:42,617 --> 00:30:43,685 BUT HOPEFULLY THEY ARE, 926 00:30:43,685 --> 00:30:46,287 THAT'S WHAT ECW IS ALL ABOUT. 927 00:30:46,287 --> 00:30:47,021 WAIT A MINUTE. 928 00:30:47,021 --> 00:30:47,689 OH, NO. 929 00:30:47,689 --> 00:30:48,790 OH, MY GOD. 930 00:30:48,790 --> 00:30:52,127 THE ECW INVASION OF WWE WAS 931 00:30:52,127 --> 00:30:53,495 JUST EXCITING TO WATCH AND 932 00:30:53,495 --> 00:30:54,696 KNOWING THAT I WAS WATCHING 933 00:30:54,696 --> 00:30:56,331 SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WASN'T 934 00:30:56,331 --> 00:30:58,366 SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING. 935 00:30:58,366 --> 00:31:00,201 THE COST PROMOTION SPANNED 936 00:31:00,201 --> 00:31:02,203 OVER SEVERAL MONDAY NIGHT RAW 937 00:31:02,203 --> 00:31:03,438 EPISODES. 938 00:31:03,438 --> 00:31:05,440 ANTICIPATION WAS BUILDING AS 939 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:07,776 ECW'S INAUGURAL PAY-PER-VIEW, 940 00:31:07,776 --> 00:31:09,911 BARELY LEGAL, WAS GAINING 941 00:31:09,911 --> 00:31:12,781 NATIONAL PUBLICITY. 942 00:31:12,781 --> 00:31:14,616 THE WHOLE INVASION ON MONDAY 943 00:31:14,616 --> 00:31:17,352 NIGHT RAW WAS LOOKED AT AS AN 944 00:31:17,352 --> 00:31:19,053 OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PUT US ON 945 00:31:19,053 --> 00:31:21,289 THE MAP. 946 00:31:21,289 --> 00:31:21,890 NOW, WAIT A MINUTE. 947 00:31:21,890 --> 00:31:24,092 TAZZ AND THE KING. 948 00:31:24,092 --> 00:31:25,193 I HAD TO BE COOL FOR THE FANS 949 00:31:25,193 --> 00:31:26,161 BECAUSE IT WAS COOL FOR ALL OF 950 00:31:26,161 --> 00:31:26,861 US. 951 00:31:26,861 --> 00:31:27,762 IT WAS A LOT OF FUN, THE 952 00:31:27,762 --> 00:31:28,530 INVASION STUFF. 953 00:31:28,530 --> 00:31:29,264 IT DIDN'T LAST, BUT IT WAS COOL. 954 00:31:29,264 --> 00:31:30,765 IT SERVED ITS PURPOSE. 955 00:31:30,765 --> 00:31:34,702 [CROWD CHEERING] 956 00:31:34,702 --> 00:31:36,905 VINCE ALLOWED US TO COME IN 957 00:31:36,905 --> 00:31:38,473 AND TAKE OVER HIS SHOW OUT OF 958 00:31:38,473 --> 00:31:40,041 NECESSITY. 959 00:31:40,041 --> 00:31:41,910 HIS BACK WAS AGAINST THE WALL 960 00:31:41,910 --> 00:31:44,612 AND HE CAME OUT SWINGING. 961 00:31:44,612 --> 00:31:47,081 INCORPORATING ECW SUPERSTARS 962 00:31:47,081 --> 00:31:48,950 HAD CHANGED THE FACE OF MONDAY 963 00:31:48,950 --> 00:31:51,352 NIGHT RAW. 964 00:31:51,352 --> 00:31:54,022 WHILE WWE GOT A BOOST FROM 965 00:31:54,022 --> 00:31:56,758 ADDING EDGIER CONTENT, PAUL 966 00:31:56,758 --> 00:31:58,459 HEYMAN CASHED IN ON THE PRIME 967 00:31:58,459 --> 00:32:00,028 TIME PUBLICITY. 968 00:32:00,028 --> 00:32:02,230 ECW WAS FINALLY ABOUT TO AIR 969 00:32:02,230 --> 00:32:04,499 IT'S FIRST EVER PAY-PER-VIEW 970 00:32:04,499 --> 00:32:05,667 PRODUCTION. 971 00:32:05,667 --> 00:32:09,404 FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE. 972 00:32:09,404 --> 00:32:11,873 [CROWD CHEERING] 973 00:32:11,873 --> 00:32:18,613 ECW, ECW, ECW, ECW, ECW, ECW, 974 00:32:18,613 --> 00:32:24,419 ECW, ECW, ECW. 975 00:32:24,419 --> 00:32:26,087 THAT NIGHT, 1,200 PEOPLE MADE 976 00:32:26,087 --> 00:32:29,057 MORE NOISE THAN 1,200 SHOULD 977 00:32:29,057 --> 00:32:30,358 POSSIBLY MAKE. 978 00:32:30,358 --> 00:32:36,464 [CROWD CHEERING] 979 00:32:36,464 --> 00:32:38,166 THE BARELY LEGAL PAY-PER-VIEW 980 00:32:38,166 --> 00:32:40,101 WAS LIKE THE BIGGEST STEP AT 981 00:32:40,101 --> 00:32:42,036 THAT TIME THAT ECW HAD TAKEN 982 00:32:42,036 --> 00:32:44,739 TOWARDS GROWING AND BECOMING AN 983 00:32:44,739 --> 00:32:47,876 ACTUAL MAJOR PROMOTION. 984 00:32:47,876 --> 00:32:50,411 AND VAN DAM. 985 00:32:50,411 --> 00:32:51,112 THAT WAS OUR WRESTLEMANIA, 986 00:32:51,112 --> 00:32:52,080 BARELY LEGAL WAS OUR 987 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:52,881 WRESTLEMANIA. 988 00:32:52,881 --> 00:32:53,681 THAT WAS OUR TIME TO GO OUT 989 00:32:53,681 --> 00:32:56,684 THERE AND SHOW WHAT WE DO. 990 00:32:56,684 --> 00:32:58,887 ECW'S BARELY LEGAL LIVED UP 991 00:32:58,887 --> 00:33:00,922 TO THE HYPE, SHOWCASING PAUL 992 00:33:00,922 --> 00:33:02,624 HEYMAN'S PROMOTION IN FRONT OF A 993 00:33:02,624 --> 00:33:06,294 PAY-PER-VIEW AUDIENCE. 994 00:33:06,294 --> 00:33:08,296 APRIL 13TH, 1997 WAS 995 00:33:08,296 --> 00:33:09,297 UNBELIEVABLE. 996 00:33:09,297 --> 00:33:10,965 IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL TIME. 997 00:33:10,965 --> 00:33:11,866 A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY A LOT OF 998 00:33:11,866 --> 00:33:12,800 THINGS ABOUT PAUL HEYMAN, BUT HE 999 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:15,003 PUT 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A 1000 00:33:15,003 --> 00:33:16,905 WEEK FOR HIM TO GET THAT 1001 00:33:16,905 --> 00:33:19,107 PAY-PER-VIEW OFF, ECW WAS ABOUT 1002 00:33:19,107 --> 00:33:21,809 TO SPRINGBOARD TO ANOTHER LEVEL. 1003 00:33:21,809 --> 00:33:25,046 OH. 1004 00:33:25,046 --> 00:33:26,214 ECW WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO 1005 00:33:26,214 --> 00:33:28,750 MAKE IT ON TO PAY-PER-VIEW. 1006 00:33:28,750 --> 00:33:31,286 THIS WAS A SCENE THAT WAS 1007 00:33:31,286 --> 00:33:35,890 UNFATHOMABLE TO EVEN THE ECW 1008 00:33:35,890 --> 00:33:37,725 AUDIENCE THAT HAD LEARNED TO 1009 00:33:37,725 --> 00:33:40,495 EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. 1010 00:33:40,495 --> 00:33:42,563 THE CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT OF ECW 1011 00:33:42,563 --> 00:33:43,865 WAS GETTING ON PAY-PER-VIEW. 1012 00:33:43,865 --> 00:33:46,067 [MUSIC] 1013 00:33:46,067 --> 00:33:49,170 IT WAS ECW AGAINST THE WORLD. 1014 00:33:49,170 --> 00:33:50,872 AND BEHIND PAUL HEYMAN'S PASSION 1015 00:33:50,872 --> 00:33:53,508 AND PERSEVERANCE, ECW WAS MAKING 1016 00:33:53,508 --> 00:33:55,810 NOISE TO BECOME AN ESTABLISHED 1017 00:33:55,810 --> 00:33:58,346 THIRD ARMY IN THE BATTLES OF 1018 00:33:58,346 --> 00:34:00,515 SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT SUPREMACY. 1019 00:34:00,515 --> 00:34:02,283 WE WERE DETERMINED TO MAKE A 1020 00:34:02,283 --> 00:34:04,352 DIFFERENCE AND MAKE A NAME FOR 1021 00:34:04,352 --> 00:34:05,353 OURSELVES. 1022 00:34:05,353 --> 00:34:09,457 WWE, WCW, ECW WAS THE LITTLE 1023 00:34:09,457 --> 00:34:12,260 ENGINE THAT COULD. 1024 00:34:12,260 --> 00:34:13,861 [MUSIC] 1025 00:34:13,861 --> 00:34:16,431 FOLLOWING THE ECW INVASION, 1026 00:34:16,431 --> 00:34:18,199 MONDAY NIGHT RAW EXPERIENCED AN 1027 00:34:18,199 --> 00:34:20,868 UPTAKE IN THEIR WEEKLY RATINGS, 1028 00:34:20,868 --> 00:34:23,204 BUT WCW CONTINUED TO DOMINATE 1029 00:34:23,204 --> 00:34:24,806 SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT THROUGHOUT 1030 00:34:24,806 --> 00:34:28,443 1997 AMIDST AN 84-WEEK WINNING 1031 00:34:28,443 --> 00:34:31,079 STREAK. 1032 00:34:31,079 --> 00:34:33,181 AN ON-AIR COLLABORATION HAD 1033 00:34:33,181 --> 00:34:34,849 HELPED VINCE MCMAHON GAIN 1034 00:34:34,849 --> 00:34:35,917 MOMENTUM. 1035 00:34:35,917 --> 00:34:37,452 BUT UNBEKNOWNST TO FANS OR 1036 00:34:37,452 --> 00:34:41,589 SUPERSTARS, ECW WOULD CONTINUE 1037 00:34:41,589 --> 00:34:43,558 TO BE FUNDED BY THEIR SUPPOSED 1038 00:34:43,558 --> 00:34:45,526 ENEMY. 1039 00:34:45,526 --> 00:34:46,394 THERE WAS A HANDSHAKE 1040 00:34:46,394 --> 00:34:47,695 AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS FROM 1041 00:34:47,695 --> 00:34:49,063 A BUSINESS STANDPOINT, BUT WHAT 1042 00:34:49,063 --> 00:34:50,264 NO ONE KNEW WAS THAT I WAS 1043 00:34:50,264 --> 00:34:52,066 SUBSIDIZING ECW. 1044 00:34:52,066 --> 00:34:53,401 VINCE MCMAHON WAS ALWAYS 1045 00:34:53,401 --> 00:34:55,336 TRYING TO COHABITATE THE EARTH 1046 00:34:55,336 --> 00:34:57,238 WITH ECW. 1047 00:34:57,238 --> 00:34:58,706 THEY WERE VERY GOOD FOR US AND 1048 00:34:58,706 --> 00:35:02,009 WE WERE VERY GOOD FOR THEM. 1049 00:35:02,009 --> 00:35:03,077 WE LOANED ECW MONEY. 1050 00:35:03,077 --> 00:35:03,911 WE'RE TALKING HUNDREDS OF 1051 00:35:03,911 --> 00:35:05,079 THOUSANDS AT LEAST AND WE JUST 1052 00:35:05,079 --> 00:35:05,947 SAY THAT WITHOUT GETTING TOO 1053 00:35:05,947 --> 00:35:07,915 SPECIFIC. 1054 00:35:07,915 --> 00:35:08,983 I WANTED TO KEEP THEM ALIVE. 1055 00:35:08,983 --> 00:35:10,218 THEY DID HELP US IN A LOT OF 1056 00:35:10,218 --> 00:35:11,452 DIFFERENT WAYS. 1057 00:35:11,452 --> 00:35:13,187 AND THAT COULD BE A PLACE WHERE 1058 00:35:13,187 --> 00:35:14,856 THE STARS WOULD BECOME WWE 1059 00:35:14,856 --> 00:35:16,090 STARS, WOULD BE SORT OF THE 1060 00:35:16,090 --> 00:35:17,658 PROVING GROUND... 1061 00:35:17,658 --> 00:35:18,760 WHO'S THE MAN? 1062 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:19,460 [CROWD CHEERING] 1063 00:35:19,460 --> 00:35:20,795 VINCE MCMAHON SAW HOW THE 1064 00:35:20,795 --> 00:35:23,297 FANS REACTED TO SOME OF WHAT ECW 1065 00:35:23,297 --> 00:35:26,267 DID AND SAW THAT MAYBE THIS WILL 1066 00:35:26,267 --> 00:35:30,171 WORK. 1067 00:35:30,171 --> 00:35:31,372 THEY WERE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL 1068 00:35:31,372 --> 00:35:33,274 AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD 1069 00:35:33,274 --> 00:35:36,177 A SERIES CALL FOLLOWING. 1070 00:35:36,177 --> 00:35:37,745 SO THAT WAS AN AUDIENCE THAT WE 1071 00:35:37,745 --> 00:35:40,214 NEEDED TO GRAB, TOO. 1072 00:35:40,214 --> 00:35:41,249 THEY WERE WRESTLING FANS, THEY 1073 00:35:41,249 --> 00:35:43,051 JUST LIKED THAT BLOOD AND GUTS, 1074 00:35:43,051 --> 00:35:44,519 GORE ALSO. 1075 00:35:44,519 --> 00:35:45,353 AND WE WEREN'T GIVING THEM THAT 1076 00:35:45,353 --> 00:35:46,187 AT THE TIME. 1077 00:35:46,187 --> 00:35:48,022 [MUSIC] 1078 00:35:48,022 --> 00:35:51,659 BY SEPTEMBER OF 1997, WWE 1079 00:35:51,659 --> 00:35:53,327 BEGAN TO INCORPORATE PROGRAMMING 1080 00:35:53,327 --> 00:35:55,296 INFLUENCED BY THIS EVOLVING 1081 00:35:55,296 --> 00:35:56,397 COUNTERCULTURE. 1082 00:35:56,397 --> 00:35:58,199 YOU CAN KISS MY ASS. 1083 00:35:58,199 --> 00:35:59,434 WHAT? 1084 00:35:59,434 --> 00:36:01,669 [CROWD CHEERING] 1085 00:36:01,669 --> 00:36:04,505 OH, GOD, AUSTIN IS GOING 1086 00:36:04,505 --> 00:36:07,608 DIRECTLY TO JAIL. 1087 00:36:07,608 --> 00:36:10,411 I WAS ANGRY BECAUSE I WOULD 1088 00:36:10,411 --> 00:36:11,512 SEE A LOT OF STUFF BEING 1089 00:36:11,512 --> 00:36:13,648 EMULATED ON A NATIONAL STAGE. 1090 00:36:13,648 --> 00:36:14,816 I WAS LIKE, "MAN, THEY DID THAT. 1091 00:36:14,816 --> 00:36:17,985 THEY TOOK THAT FROM US." 1092 00:36:17,985 --> 00:36:21,122 MICHAELS IS A BLOODY MESS. 1093 00:36:21,122 --> 00:36:22,523 ECW WAS THE EPITOME OF THE 1094 00:36:22,523 --> 00:36:23,925 ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE TYPE OF STYLE. 1095 00:36:23,925 --> 00:36:26,394 WE CAN TAKE, THAT'S FOR THE 1096 00:36:26,394 --> 00:36:29,230 ATTITUDE, ADOPT IT AND TURN INTO 1097 00:36:29,230 --> 00:36:30,898 SOMETHING THAT WAS PUBLICLY 1098 00:36:30,898 --> 00:36:35,570 ACCEPTABLE ON A BROADER RANGE. 1099 00:36:35,570 --> 00:36:36,904 THE EMBRACING OF ECW'S 1100 00:36:36,904 --> 00:36:39,574 HARDCORE STYLE WAS A KEY 1101 00:36:39,574 --> 00:36:41,709 COMPONENT IN THE CREATIVE CHANGE 1102 00:36:41,709 --> 00:36:43,978 IN DIRECTION. 1103 00:36:43,978 --> 00:36:45,480 DURING WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS 1104 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,782 THE ATTITUDE ERA, MONDAY NIGHT 1105 00:36:47,782 --> 00:36:49,450 RAW SHOWCASED A MORE 1106 00:36:49,450 --> 00:36:51,886 CONTEMPORARY PRIMETIME PRODUCT 1107 00:36:51,886 --> 00:36:53,387 AND USURPED NITRO IN THE CABLE 1108 00:36:53,387 --> 00:36:54,922 TELEVISION RATINGS IN APRIL OF 1109 00:36:54,922 --> 00:36:58,626 1998. 1110 00:36:58,626 --> 00:36:59,594 THUMBTACKS. 1111 00:36:59,594 --> 00:37:00,495 [CROWD CHEERING] 1112 00:37:00,495 --> 00:37:01,462 I CAN EASILY SAY IF IT WASN'T 1113 00:37:01,462 --> 00:37:03,131 FOR ECW, THERE WOULD BE NO, YOU 1114 00:37:03,131 --> 00:37:04,765 KNOW, ATTITUDE ERA. 1115 00:37:04,765 --> 00:37:06,300 OH, WHAT A SADISTIC THING, A 1116 00:37:06,300 --> 00:37:08,836 CHOKESLAM ON THE TACKS. 1117 00:37:08,836 --> 00:37:10,805 [CROWD CHEERING] 1118 00:37:10,805 --> 00:37:11,739 THERE WAS A REASON THAT THE 1119 00:37:11,739 --> 00:37:14,142 WWE IN THE LATE 90S DEVELOPED A 1120 00:37:14,142 --> 00:37:16,110 HARDCORE CHAMPIONSHIP, BECAUSE 1121 00:37:16,110 --> 00:37:17,778 THERE WAS AN INTEREST IN 1122 00:37:17,778 --> 00:37:18,980 THAT--IN THAT NICHE. 1123 00:37:18,980 --> 00:37:20,114 AND WE'RE, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE 1124 00:37:20,114 --> 00:37:22,015 TRYING TO STEAL A PART OF THAT 1125 00:37:22,015 --> 00:37:25,586 AUDIENCE. 1126 00:37:25,586 --> 00:37:26,487 WE GOT A NEW HARDCORE 1127 00:37:26,487 --> 00:37:27,955 CHAMPION. 1128 00:37:27,955 --> 00:37:31,259 ECW HAD THEIR PRODUCT UP TO 1129 00:37:31,259 --> 00:37:33,661 SPEED WITH WHAT WAS GOING ON IN 1130 00:37:33,661 --> 00:37:36,164 SOCIETY AT THE TIME, THE WWE 1131 00:37:36,164 --> 00:37:37,498 DIDN'T. 1132 00:37:37,498 --> 00:37:38,833 NO DQ. 1133 00:37:38,833 --> 00:37:40,535 OH. 1134 00:37:40,535 --> 00:37:41,202 [CROWD CHEERING] 1135 00:37:41,202 --> 00:37:41,869 OH, GOSH. 1136 00:37:41,869 --> 00:37:42,803 BEAUTIFUL. 1137 00:37:42,803 --> 00:37:45,072 AS SOON AS THEY DID, THEY 1138 00:37:45,072 --> 00:37:47,708 WERE BIGGER, THEY WERE BETTER, 1139 00:37:47,708 --> 00:37:49,510 AND THEY DID IT BETTER THAN 1140 00:37:49,510 --> 00:37:50,945 ANYBODY ELSE. 1141 00:37:50,945 --> 00:37:53,147 THIS IS SUICIDE. 1142 00:37:53,147 --> 00:37:54,248 SHANE. 1143 00:37:54,248 --> 00:37:55,416 OH, MY GOD, THAT HURTS. 1144 00:37:55,416 --> 00:37:56,784 [CROWD CHEERING] 1145 00:37:56,784 --> 00:37:58,152 -- 1146 00:37:58,152 --> 00:38:01,155 GOD ALMIGHTY. 1147 00:38:01,155 --> 00:38:03,057 WWE HAD BROUGHT EXTREME 1148 00:38:03,057 --> 00:38:04,525 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING'S 1149 00:38:04,525 --> 00:38:06,360 UNORTHODOX STYLE TO THE 1150 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:07,628 MAINSTREAM MASSES. 1151 00:38:07,628 --> 00:38:11,532 [MUSIC] 1152 00:38:11,532 --> 00:38:14,435 AND BY AUGUST OF 1999, ECW 1153 00:38:14,435 --> 00:38:15,803 HAD BUILT ENOUGH MOMENTUM 1154 00:38:15,803 --> 00:38:17,838 THROUGHOUT THE LATE 90S THAT A 1155 00:38:17,838 --> 00:38:19,941 NATIONAL TELEVISION SHOW WAS ON 1156 00:38:19,941 --> 00:38:21,776 THE HORIZON. 1157 00:38:21,776 --> 00:38:23,077 WE HAVE THE PRODUCT, WE HAVE 1158 00:38:23,077 --> 00:38:25,446 WHAT IT TAKES, WHY NOT TAKE THIS 1159 00:38:25,446 --> 00:38:27,215 NATIONAL? 1160 00:38:27,215 --> 00:38:29,317 ONCE WE GOT ON PAY-PER-VIEW, 1161 00:38:29,317 --> 00:38:30,952 WE HAD TO GET NATIONAL TV. 1162 00:38:30,952 --> 00:38:33,221 WE NEEDED REVENUE STREAMS. 1163 00:38:33,221 --> 00:38:35,790 THE ONLY WAY TO GET VIDEO GAMES, 1164 00:38:35,790 --> 00:38:37,225 AND MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION, AND 1165 00:38:37,225 --> 00:38:39,126 T-SHIRT DISTRIBUTION IS TO GET 1166 00:38:39,126 --> 00:38:40,728 NATIONAL TELEVISION. 1167 00:38:40,728 --> 00:38:43,898 ECW, ECW, ECW, ECW, ECW, ECW. 1168 00:38:43,898 --> 00:38:45,833 HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME 1169 00:38:45,833 --> 00:38:49,237 TO ECW ON TNN. 1170 00:38:49,237 --> 00:38:50,271 [CROWD CHEERING] 1171 00:38:50,271 --> 00:38:53,941 [MUSIC] 1172 00:38:53,941 --> 00:38:55,509 NATIONAL TV. 1173 00:38:55,509 --> 00:38:57,745 WHO CAN STOP US NOW? 1174 00:38:57,745 --> 00:39:01,549 THE WAR HAS JUST BEGUN. 1175 00:39:01,549 --> 00:39:02,583 WE THOUGHT WE'RE GONNA BLOW 1176 00:39:02,583 --> 00:39:03,351 UP. 1177 00:39:03,351 --> 00:39:04,252 AND WE JUST WANTED THAT TO 1178 00:39:04,252 --> 00:39:05,586 HAPPEN SO BAD AND WE FINALLY GOT 1179 00:39:05,586 --> 00:39:07,188 THE DEAL MADE. 1180 00:39:07,188 --> 00:39:08,589 WE THOUGHT, "THIS IS IT, THIS IS 1181 00:39:08,589 --> 00:39:11,125 IT, WE'RE GOING BIG TIME." 1182 00:39:11,125 --> 00:39:12,059 EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP 1183 00:39:12,059 --> 00:39:13,728 WRESTLING'S LONG JOURNEY TO THE 1184 00:39:13,728 --> 00:39:15,630 NATIONAL STAGE WAS FINALLY 1185 00:39:15,630 --> 00:39:17,932 COMPLETE AS THE COMPANY 1186 00:39:17,932 --> 00:39:21,569 PREMIERED ECW ON TNN ON FRIDAY 1187 00:39:21,569 --> 00:39:23,771 AUGUST 27TH, 1999. 1188 00:39:23,771 --> 00:39:25,539 [CROWD CHEERING] 1189 00:39:25,539 --> 00:39:27,908 [MUSIC] 1190 00:39:27,908 --> 00:39:28,943 THERE WERE THREE SPORTS 1191 00:39:28,943 --> 00:39:30,411 ENTERTAINMENT FRANCHISES AIRING 1192 00:39:30,411 --> 00:39:33,514 IN PRIME TIME, BUT SOME OF PAUL 1193 00:39:33,514 --> 00:39:36,984 HEYMAN'S TOP TALENTS WOULD NOT 1194 00:39:36,984 --> 00:39:38,419 BE AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO 1195 00:39:38,419 --> 00:39:39,453 CELEBRATE. 1196 00:39:39,453 --> 00:39:40,855 THE DUDLEY BOYZ FORMER ECW 1197 00:39:40,855 --> 00:39:43,491 TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS. 1198 00:39:43,491 --> 00:39:45,993 IN SEPTEMBER OF 1999, DEVON 1199 00:39:45,993 --> 00:39:48,129 AND BUBBA RAY DUDLEY, BECAME THE 1200 00:39:48,129 --> 00:39:50,164 LATEST ECW STARS TO SIGN WITH 1201 00:39:50,164 --> 00:39:53,701 WWE FURTHERING VINCE MCMAHON'S 1202 00:39:53,701 --> 00:39:57,071 CREATIVE DIRECTION. 1203 00:39:57,071 --> 00:39:57,838 PAUL HEYMAN WAS A 1204 00:39:57,838 --> 00:39:59,507 DEVELOPMENTAL TERRITORY. 1205 00:39:59,507 --> 00:40:00,574 THAT'S ALL HE WAS. 1206 00:40:00,574 --> 00:40:02,009 PAUL HEYMAN WAS GETTING A CHECK, 1207 00:40:02,009 --> 00:40:03,377 AND TALENT WAS COMING UP IN THAT 1208 00:40:03,377 --> 00:40:05,313 ORGANIZATION, AND SOME OF THEM 1209 00:40:05,313 --> 00:40:06,580 WOULD BE GROOMED FOR AN 1210 00:40:06,580 --> 00:40:09,750 OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO WWE. 1211 00:40:09,750 --> 00:40:11,986 YOU WERE BETTER OFF HAVING 1212 00:40:11,986 --> 00:40:14,322 GONE THROUGH ECW BECAUSE YOU 1213 00:40:14,322 --> 00:40:15,790 WERE JUST LOOKED AT AS COOL. 1214 00:40:15,790 --> 00:40:17,258 [CROWD CHEERING] 1215 00:40:17,258 --> 00:40:18,793 [MUSIC] 1216 00:40:18,793 --> 00:40:19,860 [INDISTINCT] 1217 00:40:19,860 --> 00:40:21,362 COMING UP. 1218 00:40:21,362 --> 00:40:22,596 WHEN THE DUDLEY BOYZ DID COME 1219 00:40:22,596 --> 00:40:24,432 IN, I WANTED THEM TO STACK TWO 1220 00:40:24,432 --> 00:40:25,800 TABLES ON TOP OF EACH OTHER ON 1221 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:27,335 THE OUTSIDE OF THE RING AND 1222 00:40:27,335 --> 00:40:28,803 POWER BOMB ME DOWN THROUGH THE 1223 00:40:28,803 --> 00:40:30,171 TWO TABLES BECAUSE I'D SEEN IT 1224 00:40:30,171 --> 00:40:31,372 ON THEIR TV SHOW AND I THOUGHT 1225 00:40:31,372 --> 00:40:32,239 IT WAS COOL. 1226 00:40:32,239 --> 00:40:33,074 OH, MY. 1227 00:40:33,074 --> 00:40:33,741 OH, MY GOD. 1228 00:40:33,741 --> 00:40:34,308 [CROWD CHEERING] 1229 00:40:34,308 --> 00:40:35,609 THE DUDLEYS, ROAD DOGG--OH, 1230 00:40:35,609 --> 00:40:36,677 MY GOD. 1231 00:40:36,677 --> 00:40:37,211 [CROWD CHEERING] 1232 00:40:37,045 --> 00:40:38,679 [CROWD CHEERING] 1233 00:40:38,679 --> 00:40:41,449 GOOD GOD, TWO TABLES. 1234 00:40:41,449 --> 00:40:42,550 MY HEAD ENDED UP HITTING THE 1235 00:40:42,550 --> 00:40:43,784 BARRICADE, KNOCKING ME OUT, AND 1236 00:40:43,784 --> 00:40:45,753 SO IT WASN'T AS COOL AFTERWARDS 1237 00:40:45,753 --> 00:40:48,889 AS I THOUGHT IT LOOKED BEFORE. 1238 00:40:48,889 --> 00:40:51,125 AS WWE WAS UTILIZING BOTH 1239 00:40:51,125 --> 00:40:54,028 ECW'S INGENUITY AND TALENT, 1240 00:40:54,028 --> 00:40:55,930 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING WAS 1241 00:40:55,930 --> 00:40:59,166 BEHIND THE CURVE. 1242 00:40:59,166 --> 00:41:00,368 IN AN EFFORT TO STOP MONDAY 1243 00:41:00,368 --> 00:41:02,269 NIGHT RAW'S MOMENTUM, ERIC 1244 00:41:02,269 --> 00:41:05,038 BISCHOFF HAD ATTEMPTED TO USE 1245 00:41:05,038 --> 00:41:06,774 TED TURNER'S CHECK BOOK TO BLOCK 1246 00:41:06,774 --> 00:41:08,209 HIS COMPETITION. 1247 00:41:08,209 --> 00:41:09,443 THEY WERE PETTY, THEY DIDN'T 1248 00:41:09,443 --> 00:41:10,811 HAVE THEIR EYE ON THE PRIZE. 1249 00:41:10,811 --> 00:41:12,279 MOST OF THE SIGNINGS BY ERIC 1250 00:41:12,279 --> 00:41:14,849 BISCHOFF WERE NOT ACQUISITIONS 1251 00:41:14,849 --> 00:41:19,086 FOR WCW BUT MOVES AGAINST ECW. 1252 00:41:19,086 --> 00:41:20,354 MATCH ISN'T GONNA START TILL 1253 00:41:20,354 --> 00:41:21,389 YOU PUT THE CIGAR OUT. 1254 00:41:21,389 --> 00:41:22,189 SO IF YOU CAN DO ME A FAVOR, 1255 00:41:22,189 --> 00:41:22,890 GIVE EVERYBODY HERE A FAVOR, PUT 1256 00:41:22,890 --> 00:41:23,624 THE DAMN THING OUT SO WE GET THE 1257 00:41:23,624 --> 00:41:25,426 SHOW ON THE ROAD. 1258 00:41:25,426 --> 00:41:26,427 YOU GOT TO HAVE SANDMAN BE 1259 00:41:26,427 --> 00:41:27,428 SANDMAN. 1260 00:41:27,428 --> 00:41:28,963 HE'LL NEED TO BE ABLE TO DRINK 1261 00:41:28,963 --> 00:41:30,364 BEER, SMOKE CIGARETTES, AND HIT 1262 00:41:30,364 --> 00:41:31,499 PEOPLE WITH A KENDO STICK, 1263 00:41:31,499 --> 00:41:32,666 THAT'S ALL IT IS. 1264 00:41:32,666 --> 00:41:34,568 IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. 1265 00:41:34,568 --> 00:41:36,237 MIKEY WHIPWRECK HAD 19 1266 00:41:36,237 --> 00:41:37,605 DIFFERENT INJURIES WORKING FOR 1267 00:41:37,605 --> 00:41:39,006 ECW. 1268 00:41:39,006 --> 00:41:40,508 HE GOT SIGNED BY WCW EVEN THOUGH 1269 00:41:40,508 --> 00:41:41,942 THEY KNEW HE'S GONNA TAKE MOST 1270 00:41:41,942 --> 00:41:43,944 OF THE NEXT YEAR OFF REHABBING 1271 00:41:43,944 --> 00:41:45,279 FROM ALL OF THOSE INJURIES. 1272 00:41:45,279 --> 00:41:46,547 AND WHEN THE YEAR WAS UP, HE 1273 00:41:46,547 --> 00:41:47,982 COULD ALWAYS GO BACK TO ECW. 1274 00:41:47,982 --> 00:41:49,950 BUT TO TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ECW 1275 00:41:49,950 --> 00:41:52,686 FOR THAT YEAR WAS WORTH IT TO 1276 00:41:52,686 --> 00:41:54,121 WCW. 1277 00:41:54,121 --> 00:41:55,222 AND MIKEY WHIPWRECK GOES ON 1278 00:41:55,222 --> 00:41:56,557 THE OUTSIDE, HIT THE BACK OF HIS 1279 00:41:56,557 --> 00:41:57,658 HEAD VERY HARD. 1280 00:41:57,658 --> 00:41:59,326 COME ON, MIKEY, GET UP. 1281 00:41:59,326 --> 00:42:00,394 THE GRASS WAS GREENER ON THE 1282 00:42:00,394 --> 00:42:01,328 OTHER SIDE. 1283 00:42:01,328 --> 00:42:02,830 IT WAS FERTILIZER -- 1284 00:42:02,830 --> 00:42:04,432 THEY HIRED ME JUST TO GET ME 1285 00:42:04,432 --> 00:42:06,467 AWAY FROM ECW. 1286 00:42:06,467 --> 00:42:08,002 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 1287 00:42:08,002 --> 00:42:09,603 HAD FAILED TO GROW NITRO'S 1288 00:42:09,603 --> 00:42:11,572 RATINGS. 1289 00:42:11,572 --> 00:42:13,974 AND ECW WOULD CONTINUE TO LOSE 1290 00:42:13,974 --> 00:42:15,976 TALENT TO THE BIGGER PROMOTIONS 1291 00:42:15,976 --> 00:42:18,078 HEADING INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM. 1292 00:42:18,078 --> 00:42:20,781 MY NAME IS TAZZ AND I AM THE 1293 00:42:20,781 --> 00:42:27,688 ECW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION. 1294 00:42:27,688 --> 00:42:29,223 TAZZ MEANT EVERYTHING TO ECW. 1295 00:42:29,223 --> 00:42:30,424 HE WAS ANOTHER GUY WHO WAS IN 1296 00:42:30,424 --> 00:42:31,392 YOUR FACE. 1297 00:42:31,392 --> 00:42:33,694 HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST UFC TYPE 1298 00:42:33,694 --> 00:42:34,462 OF GUY. 1299 00:42:34,462 --> 00:42:40,201 HE WOULD CHOKE YOU OUT. 1300 00:42:40,201 --> 00:42:43,804 AND PEOPLE GOT BEHIND HIM. 1301 00:42:43,804 --> 00:42:45,372 I ENJOYED TAZZ'S WORK AND WE 1302 00:42:45,372 --> 00:42:47,641 WERE ABLE TO OFFER OUR DOWNSIDE 1303 00:42:47,641 --> 00:42:49,610 CONTRACT THAT PAUL HEYMAN COULD 1304 00:42:49,610 --> 00:42:51,212 NOT MATCH. 1305 00:42:51,212 --> 00:42:54,081 TAZZ HAS DONE WHAT HE SET OUT 1306 00:42:54,081 --> 00:42:55,983 TO DO. 1307 00:42:55,983 --> 00:42:57,685 TO LEAVE ECW WASN'T JUST 1308 00:42:57,685 --> 00:42:59,854 CONCERN FOR MONEY. 1309 00:42:59,854 --> 00:43:01,222 I WAS MAIN EVENTING 1310 00:43:01,222 --> 00:43:02,089 PAY-PER-VIEWS. 1311 00:43:02,089 --> 00:43:02,990 NOW, WHAT? 1312 00:43:02,990 --> 00:43:03,991 THE EDGE IS GONE, THE 1313 00:43:03,991 --> 00:43:05,159 BUTTERFLIES ARE GONE. 1314 00:43:05,159 --> 00:43:06,494 THERE WAS NO CHALLENGE ANYMORE. 1315 00:43:06,494 --> 00:43:07,862 IT BECAME TOO EASY FOR ME. 1316 00:43:07,862 --> 00:43:10,331 I BECAME COMPLACENT. 1317 00:43:10,331 --> 00:43:12,666 WE HAD JUST GOTTEN OUR DEAL 1318 00:43:12,666 --> 00:43:15,202 ON NATIONAL CABLE TELEVISION AND 1319 00:43:15,202 --> 00:43:18,506 WE LOST OUR CHAMPION, TAZZ. 1320 00:43:18,506 --> 00:43:20,140 TAZZ OPENING UP FOR THE 1321 00:43:20,140 --> 00:43:21,208 OFFENSE ON ANGLE. 1322 00:43:21,208 --> 00:43:22,843 OH, I'VE NEVER SEE SUPLEXES 1323 00:43:22,843 --> 00:43:25,446 LIKE THIS. 1324 00:43:25,446 --> 00:43:26,213 WHAT? 1325 00:43:26,213 --> 00:43:27,848 TAZZ NOW--HE'S TRYING TO 1326 00:43:27,848 --> 00:43:29,783 CHOKE OUT ANGLE. 1327 00:43:29,783 --> 00:43:32,019 [BELL RINGING] 1328 00:43:32,019 --> 00:43:33,220 AND TAZZ HAS DONE IT. 1329 00:43:33,220 --> 00:43:35,623 [MUSIC] 1330 00:43:35,623 --> 00:43:37,191 MAN, WHAT AN IMPACT FROM 1331 00:43:37,191 --> 00:43:38,325 TAZZ. 1332 00:43:38,325 --> 00:43:43,330 HIS FIRST NIGHT IN THE WWE. 1333 00:43:43,330 --> 00:43:46,033 IN JANUARY OF 2000, TAZZ MADE 1334 00:43:46,033 --> 00:43:49,003 HIS MARK IN WWE, HELPING MONDAY 1335 00:43:49,003 --> 00:43:50,871 NIGHT RAW'S RATINGS DOUBLE THOSE 1336 00:43:50,871 --> 00:43:54,208 OF MONDAY NITRO. 1337 00:43:54,208 --> 00:43:56,076 MEANWHILE, THE ONE MILLION PLUS 1338 00:43:56,076 --> 00:43:58,012 VIEWERS WHO TUNED INTO ECW ON 1339 00:43:58,012 --> 00:44:01,215 TNN EACH FRIDAY NIGHT WITNESSED 1340 00:44:01,215 --> 00:44:02,950 A NEW FORCE IN THE LAND OF 1341 00:44:02,950 --> 00:44:06,887 EXTREME, MIKE AWESOME. 1342 00:44:06,887 --> 00:44:09,890 MIKE AWESOME IS THE NEW ECW 1343 00:44:09,890 --> 00:44:13,794 WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION. 1344 00:44:13,794 --> 00:44:15,529 LIKE TAZZ BEFORE HIM, 1345 00:44:15,529 --> 00:44:17,565 AWESOME'S SUCCESS ATTRACTED THE 1346 00:44:17,565 --> 00:44:18,866 ATTENTION OF THE BIGGER 1347 00:44:18,866 --> 00:44:20,000 PROMOTIONS. 1348 00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:22,803 THIS TIME, IT WAS WCW WHO SIGNED 1349 00:44:22,803 --> 00:44:25,406 AWAY THE ECW CHAMPION. 1350 00:44:25,406 --> 00:44:26,507 BUT THEY DIDN'T JUST WANT 1351 00:44:26,507 --> 00:44:29,009 AWESOME, THEY WANTED HIS 1352 00:44:29,009 --> 00:44:30,411 CHAMPIONSHIP. 1353 00:44:30,411 --> 00:44:32,746 WCW WAS ON THE DECLINE. 1354 00:44:32,746 --> 00:44:35,015 WWE WAS JUST WHIPPING WCW ALL 1355 00:44:35,015 --> 00:44:35,883 OVER THE PLACE. 1356 00:44:35,883 --> 00:44:39,853 THE RATINGS FOR WCW HAD CRASHED. 1357 00:44:39,853 --> 00:44:41,322 BISCHOFF CAME OFF WITH THE IDEA 1358 00:44:41,322 --> 00:44:42,856 OF THE ECW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT 1359 00:44:42,856 --> 00:44:45,292 CHAMPION, MIKE AWESOME COMING 1360 00:44:45,292 --> 00:44:47,061 OUT ON MONDAY NITRO. 1361 00:44:47,061 --> 00:44:49,463 THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS MIKE WAS 1362 00:44:49,463 --> 00:44:51,599 UNDER CONTRACT TO ECW. 1363 00:44:51,599 --> 00:44:55,135 MY CONCERN WAS THAT MIKE AWESOME 1364 00:44:55,135 --> 00:44:58,038 WAS GOING TO THROW DOWN THE ECW 1365 00:44:58,038 --> 00:45:00,608 WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. 1366 00:45:00,608 --> 00:45:02,509 I GOT MONEY IN MY POCKET, I 1367 00:45:02,509 --> 00:45:04,612 GOT FOOD ON MY PLATE, AND I'VE 1368 00:45:04,612 --> 00:45:06,380 GOT THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE 1369 00:45:06,380 --> 00:45:07,915 ON MY SHOULDER. 1370 00:45:07,915 --> 00:45:09,216 WE HEAR THAT MIKE AWESOME IS 1371 00:45:09,216 --> 00:45:11,752 GOING TO APPEAR ON NITRO. 1372 00:45:11,752 --> 00:45:13,520 WE KNEW WHAT HOTEL HE WAS HOLED 1373 00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:14,955 UP IN. 1374 00:45:14,955 --> 00:45:16,090 THERE WERE THOSE OF US WHO 1375 00:45:16,090 --> 00:45:18,459 WANTED TO GO PHYSICALLY GET THAT 1376 00:45:18,459 --> 00:45:22,563 TITLE FROM MIKE. 1377 00:45:22,563 --> 00:45:27,534 WELCOME TO WCW MONDAY NITRO. 1378 00:45:27,534 --> 00:45:29,136 THE ENTIRE ECW LOCKER ROOM 1379 00:45:29,136 --> 00:45:30,471 WOULD HAVE SHOWED UP ON THAT 1380 00:45:30,471 --> 00:45:33,307 NITRO AND MADE SURE THAT OUR 1381 00:45:33,307 --> 00:45:34,908 COMPANY WAS NOT EMBARRASSED LIKE 1382 00:45:34,908 --> 00:45:36,210 THAT. 1383 00:45:36,210 --> 00:45:36,944 WAIT, HANG ON. 1384 00:45:36,944 --> 00:45:38,846 WHAT'S THIS? 1385 00:45:38,846 --> 00:45:39,480 HOLY... 1386 00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:41,281 THAT'S--THAT IS MIKE AWESOME. 1387 00:45:41,281 --> 00:45:42,483 HE'S THE--HE'S THE 1388 00:45:42,483 --> 00:45:44,251 HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF ECW. 1389 00:45:44,251 --> 00:45:46,020 THE LAST TIME WE SAW HIM, HE HAD 1390 00:45:46,020 --> 00:45:48,155 NOT--AND WHAT'S HE DOING HERE? 1391 00:45:48,155 --> 00:45:49,223 DOESN'T HE HAVE SOME KIND OF 1392 00:45:49,223 --> 00:45:51,759 TITLE DEFENSE? 1393 00:45:51,759 --> 00:45:53,394 SO, A DEAL WAS WORKED OUT 1394 00:45:53,394 --> 00:45:55,496 WHERE MIKE AWESOME WOULD APPEAR. 1395 00:45:55,496 --> 00:45:57,631 HE WOULD NOT DENIGRATE THE TITLE 1396 00:45:57,631 --> 00:45:58,632 IN ANY WAY. 1397 00:45:58,632 --> 00:45:59,900 MIKE AWESOME SHOWED UP ON 1398 00:45:59,900 --> 00:46:01,535 MONDAY NITRO WITHOUT THE ECW 1399 00:46:01,535 --> 00:46:03,771 TITLE, BUT WAS STILL THE 1400 00:46:03,771 --> 00:46:05,072 CHAMPION. 1401 00:46:05,072 --> 00:46:06,373 IN A WORLD WHERE REALITY AND 1402 00:46:06,373 --> 00:46:08,075 STORY TELLING WERE INCREASINGLY 1403 00:46:08,075 --> 00:46:11,745 BLURRED, ECW'S LATEST DEFECTION 1404 00:46:11,745 --> 00:46:13,681 WOULD RETURN TO THE PROMOTION 1405 00:46:13,681 --> 00:46:16,083 FOR ONE FINAL MATCH. 1406 00:46:16,083 --> 00:46:17,918 PAUL DID NOT WANT MIKE IN OUR 1407 00:46:17,918 --> 00:46:19,520 DRESSING ROOM. 1408 00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:21,288 WE HAD TO MEET HIM AT A HOTEL 1409 00:46:21,288 --> 00:46:23,390 AND HE HAD THREE SECURITY GUARDS 1410 00:46:23,390 --> 00:46:24,458 LIKE WE WERE GONNA ATTACK HIM 1411 00:46:24,458 --> 00:46:26,694 AND BEAT HIM UP. 1412 00:46:26,694 --> 00:46:29,096 ECW WOULD SHOCK EVERYONE WHEN 1413 00:46:29,096 --> 00:46:30,698 THEY REVEALED MIKE AWESOME'S 1414 00:46:30,698 --> 00:46:32,633 OPPONENT. 1415 00:46:32,633 --> 00:46:33,534 TAZZ. 1416 00:46:33,534 --> 00:46:36,737 OF ALL PEOPLE, TAZZ IS HERE TO 1417 00:46:36,737 --> 00:46:39,773 STAND UP FOR ECW. 1418 00:46:39,773 --> 00:46:40,974 AND I DON'T KNOW HOW PAUL 1419 00:46:40,974 --> 00:46:42,242 PULLED THIS OFF WITH VINCE 1420 00:46:42,242 --> 00:46:45,512 MCMAHON, BUT TAZZ CAME BACK AS 1421 00:46:45,512 --> 00:46:49,650 THE SAVIOR OF ECW. 1422 00:46:49,650 --> 00:46:50,918 YOU ALWAYS WANT WRESTLING 1423 00:46:50,918 --> 00:46:52,186 FANS, AS SMART AS THEY THINK 1424 00:46:52,186 --> 00:46:52,986 THEY ARE, AS MUCH AS THEY THINK 1425 00:46:52,986 --> 00:46:54,254 THEY KNOW IT'S GONNA HAPPEN, 1426 00:46:54,254 --> 00:46:55,155 THEY'D BE LIKE, "THAT WASN'T 1427 00:46:55,155 --> 00:46:55,923 SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN." 1428 00:46:55,923 --> 00:46:57,791 OR, "HOW WAS THAT HAPPENING?" 1429 00:46:57,791 --> 00:46:59,593 FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE REAL 1430 00:46:59,593 --> 00:47:02,362 LIFE RATINGS BATTLE BETWEEN WWE 1431 00:47:02,362 --> 00:47:06,200 AND WCW WOULD UNFOLD INSIDE THE 1432 00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:07,267 RING. 1433 00:47:07,267 --> 00:47:10,002 I ENDED UP SHOWING UP TO FACE 1434 00:47:09,737 --> 00:47:10,771 AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME EVER IN 1435 00:47:10,771 --> 00:47:13,841 HISTORY THAT A WWE CONTRACTED 1436 00:47:13,841 --> 00:47:17,044 WRESTLER IS GOING TO FACE A WCW 1437 00:47:17,044 --> 00:47:19,713 CONTRACTED WRESTLER AT AN ECW 1438 00:47:19,713 --> 00:47:23,717 EVENT FOR THE ECW CHAMPIONSHIP. 1439 00:47:23,717 --> 00:47:26,086 THERE IT IS, THE TAZZMISSION, 1440 00:47:26,086 --> 00:47:28,889 THE KATAHAJIME. 1441 00:47:28,889 --> 00:47:31,992 HE TAPPED--HE TAPPED--HE TAPPED. 1442 00:47:31,992 --> 00:47:33,327 MIKE AWESOME TAPPED. 1443 00:47:33,327 --> 00:47:34,862 MIKE AWESOME TAPPED. 1444 00:47:34,862 --> 00:47:37,831 WE HAVE A NEW ECW WORLD 1445 00:47:37,831 --> 00:47:41,401 HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION. 1446 00:47:41,401 --> 00:47:42,536 THE COVETED CHAMPIONSHIP HAD 1447 00:47:42,536 --> 00:47:44,538 BEEN SAVED FROM SLANDER AND 1448 00:47:44,538 --> 00:47:46,473 WOULD BE ONE BY ECW MAINSTAY 1449 00:47:46,473 --> 00:47:48,275 TOMMY DREAMER IN THE DAYS THAT 1450 00:47:48,275 --> 00:47:53,180 FOLLOWED. 1451 00:47:53,180 --> 00:47:56,483 HOWEVER, WHILE ECW ON TNN WAS 1452 00:47:56,483 --> 00:47:58,185 SUPPOSED TO LAUNCH THE PROMOTION 1453 00:47:58,185 --> 00:47:59,453 TO THE LEVEL OF ITS LARGER 1454 00:47:59,453 --> 00:48:01,555 COMPETITORS, THE COST AND 1455 00:48:01,555 --> 00:48:02,923 RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRODUCING 1456 00:48:02,923 --> 00:48:05,192 NATIONAL TELEVISION WERE TAKING 1457 00:48:05,192 --> 00:48:06,827 THEIR TOLL ON EXTREME 1458 00:48:06,827 --> 00:48:08,695 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING. 1459 00:48:08,695 --> 00:48:09,730 THE PROMOTION WAS IN BIG 1460 00:48:09,730 --> 00:48:10,831 TROUBLE. 1461 00:48:10,831 --> 00:48:12,499 WE WERE SWIMMING IN DEBT, WE 1462 00:48:12,499 --> 00:48:15,001 COULDN'T GET OUR MONEY FROM THE 1463 00:48:15,001 --> 00:48:15,435 PAY-PER-VIEW DISTRIBUTOR, BUT WE 1464 00:48:15,435 --> 00:48:16,737 WERE INCREASING HOW MANY 1465 00:48:16,737 --> 00:48:19,038 PAY-PER-VIEWS PER YEAR WE WERE 1466 00:48:19,038 --> 00:48:19,640 GOING TO PRESENT. 1467 00:48:19,640 --> 00:48:21,508 WE WERE GROWING SO FAST, WE 1468 00:48:21,508 --> 00:48:22,776 COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH THE 1469 00:48:22,776 --> 00:48:24,578 GROWTH. 1470 00:48:24,578 --> 00:48:25,712 PAUL IS A BUSINESSMAN. 1471 00:48:25,712 --> 00:48:27,548 IN SOME RESPECTS, I THINK HE'S 1472 00:48:27,548 --> 00:48:29,049 EXCELLENT. 1473 00:48:29,049 --> 00:48:30,584 AND IN OTHER RESPECTS, I THINK 1474 00:48:30,584 --> 00:48:33,120 HE KIND OF MISSES THE MARK. 1475 00:48:33,120 --> 00:48:34,188 DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M 1476 00:48:34,188 --> 00:48:35,389 TRYING TO SAY? 1477 00:48:35,389 --> 00:48:35,989 YES, JUSTIN, I UNDERSTAND 1478 00:48:35,989 --> 00:48:36,924 EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING. 1479 00:48:36,924 --> 00:48:37,991 PAUL WAS PAYING A LOT OF 1480 00:48:37,991 --> 00:48:39,226 MONEY TO A LOT OF GUYS TO KEEP 1481 00:48:39,226 --> 00:48:40,227 THEM FROM JUMPING. 1482 00:48:40,227 --> 00:48:41,261 I WAS MAKING BETTER MONEY THAN I 1483 00:48:41,261 --> 00:48:43,530 DID WITH WWE. 1484 00:48:43,530 --> 00:48:44,898 HE WAS ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL 1485 00:48:44,898 --> 00:48:46,967 SORT OF A THING. 1486 00:48:46,967 --> 00:48:48,802 AND EVENTUALLY, IT JUST ALL CAME 1487 00:48:48,802 --> 00:48:51,805 CRASHING DOWN. 1488 00:48:51,805 --> 00:48:53,574 YOU KNOW WHEN WE FIRST WENT 1489 00:48:53,574 --> 00:48:55,175 ON TNN, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE 1490 00:48:55,175 --> 00:48:57,644 GREATEST -- THING THAT EVER 1491 00:48:57,644 --> 00:49:00,547 HAPPENED IN THE ECW. 1492 00:49:00,547 --> 00:49:03,116 WHEN ECW HAD ITS WEEKLY SHOW 1493 00:49:03,116 --> 00:49:05,786 ON TNN, PAUL WAS TELLING US THAT 1494 00:49:05,786 --> 00:49:07,588 IT WAS BLOWING THE BUDGET, THAT 1495 00:49:07,588 --> 00:49:09,989 WE WERE PAYING FOR ALL OF OUR 1496 00:49:09,989 --> 00:49:10,090 OWN PRODUCTION, THAT THEY 1497 00:49:10,090 --> 00:49:11,058 WEREN'T BACKING US UP AT ALL. 1498 00:49:11,058 --> 00:49:12,926 HE WAS FIGHTING WITH THE 1499 00:49:12,926 --> 00:49:13,660 NETWORK. 1500 00:49:13,660 --> 00:49:15,062 YOU HAVE TO BE AN ECW FAN TO 1501 00:49:15,062 --> 00:49:16,096 WATCH THIS SHOW BECAUSE GOD 1502 00:49:16,096 --> 00:49:17,731 KNOWS THE NETWORK HAS NEVER PUT 1503 00:49:17,731 --> 00:49:19,766 OUT ONE FREAKING COMMERCIAL OR 1504 00:49:19,766 --> 00:49:22,001 ONE PRESS RELEASE TO LET YOU 1505 00:49:22,001 --> 00:49:22,135 KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE. 1506 00:49:22,135 --> 00:49:23,604 BUT THAT'S THEIR SCHEME OF 1507 00:49:23,604 --> 00:49:25,439 THINGS. 1508 00:49:25,439 --> 00:49:28,007 TNN OF COURSE NOW IS ALREADY 1509 00:49:28,007 --> 00:49:30,143 IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH WWE. 1510 00:49:30,143 --> 00:49:31,745 THE MCMAHONS WERE ON USA 1511 00:49:31,745 --> 00:49:35,014 NETWORK, BUT WERE LOOKING TO 1512 00:49:35,014 --> 00:49:36,950 TAKE WWE TO A DIFFERENT NETWORK 1513 00:49:36,950 --> 00:49:38,418 FOR FAR MORE MONEY. 1514 00:49:38,418 --> 00:49:39,853 YOU SEE, IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, 1515 00:49:39,853 --> 00:49:41,054 THE NETWORK IS GONNA GIVE A 1516 00:49:41,054 --> 00:49:42,789 HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO VINCE 1517 00:49:42,789 --> 00:49:45,158 MCMAHON LIKE HE NEEDS IT TO 1518 00:49:45,158 --> 00:49:46,860 REPLACE US. 1519 00:49:46,860 --> 00:49:49,529 IT WAS A CATACLYSMIC 1520 00:49:49,529 --> 00:49:51,531 CONVERGENCE OF CIRCUMSTANCES IN 1521 00:49:51,531 --> 00:49:54,001 WHICH THE HOLY GRAIL BECAME THE 1522 00:49:54,001 --> 00:49:55,969 POISON THAT WAS GOING TO KILL 1523 00:49:55,969 --> 00:49:56,870 US. 1524 00:49:56,870 --> 00:49:58,071 WE PRETTY MUCH COULD SEE THE 1525 00:49:58,071 --> 00:49:59,072 WRITING ON THE WALL. 1526 00:49:59,072 --> 00:50:00,274 TNN MADE A LOT OF PROMISES THAT 1527 00:50:00,274 --> 00:50:01,875 THEY DIDN'T DELIVER. 1528 00:50:01,875 --> 00:50:02,943 THEY BASICALLY WANTED TO TEST US 1529 00:50:02,943 --> 00:50:04,411 TO SEE IF WRESTLING WAS 1530 00:50:04,411 --> 00:50:07,047 PROFITABLE FOR THEM. 1531 00:50:07,047 --> 00:50:08,682 THEY DID NOT RENEW US AFTER A 1532 00:50:08,682 --> 00:50:11,351 YEAR AND THEY TOOK THE WWE 1533 00:50:11,351 --> 00:50:12,753 PROGRAM. 1534 00:50:12,753 --> 00:50:14,254 THIS IS OUR INAUGURAL 1535 00:50:14,254 --> 00:50:21,862 BROADCAST FOR WWE RAW ON TNN. 1536 00:50:21,862 --> 00:50:23,597 ECW WENT OUT OF BUSINESS 1537 00:50:23,597 --> 00:50:25,866 BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE GOT ON 1538 00:50:25,866 --> 00:50:28,135 NATIONAL CABLE TELEVISION, OUR 1539 00:50:28,135 --> 00:50:30,203 SHOW LOOKED LIKE A CHEAP 1540 00:50:30,203 --> 00:50:32,873 IMITATION OF WHAT WWE HAD 1541 00:50:32,873 --> 00:50:33,807 BECOME. 1542 00:50:33,807 --> 00:50:35,676 AND I KNEW CALLING THAT FINAL 1543 00:50:35,676 --> 00:50:37,344 PAY-PER-VIEW, THAT IT WAS THE 1544 00:50:37,344 --> 00:50:40,314 END OF ECW. 1545 00:50:40,314 --> 00:50:41,481 FOR US, IT WAS ALL VERY 1546 00:50:41,481 --> 00:50:43,417 CRUSHING. 1547 00:50:43,417 --> 00:50:46,787 ALL OF US SACRIFICED A LOT TO 1548 00:50:46,787 --> 00:50:49,189 SEE IT SUCCEED. 1549 00:50:49,189 --> 00:50:52,125 I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA 1550 00:50:52,125 --> 00:50:53,260 ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING TO SIT 1551 00:50:53,260 --> 00:50:54,861 AROUND AND CRY ABOUT IT. 1552 00:50:54,861 --> 00:50:55,963 I'M NOT GONNA SPEND MY TIME 1553 00:50:55,963 --> 00:50:57,764 GOING, "OH, WHAT HAPPENED TO 1554 00:50:57,764 --> 00:50:58,632 ECW?" 1555 00:50:58,632 --> 00:50:59,533 IT DIED. 1556 00:50:59,533 --> 00:51:00,400 THAT WAS IT. 1557 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:03,904 TIME TO MOVE ON. 1558 00:51:03,904 --> 00:51:06,473 IN JANUARY OF 2001, EXTREME 1559 00:51:06,473 --> 00:51:08,008 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING DECLARED 1560 00:51:08,008 --> 00:51:10,577 BANKRUPTCY AND WAS PURCHASED BY 1561 00:51:10,577 --> 00:51:13,113 WWE. 1562 00:51:13,113 --> 00:51:14,848 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 1563 00:51:14,848 --> 00:51:16,683 WOULD CLOSE ITS DOORS SHORTLY 1564 00:51:16,683 --> 00:51:18,685 THEREAFTER AS VINCE MCMAHON 1565 00:51:18,685 --> 00:51:21,188 PROCLAIMED HIMSELF VICTORIOUS IN 1566 00:51:21,188 --> 00:51:23,190 THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR. 1567 00:51:23,190 --> 00:51:26,893 I HAVE ACQUIRED WCW. 1568 00:51:26,893 --> 00:51:31,932 [CROWD CHEERING] 1569 00:51:31,932 --> 00:51:32,632 THAT'S RIGHT. 1570 00:51:32,632 --> 00:51:36,336 I BOUGHT MY COMPETITION. 1571 00:51:36,336 --> 00:51:37,637 IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED... 1572 00:51:37,637 --> 00:51:38,739 VAN DAM... 1573 00:51:38,739 --> 00:51:40,741 WWE CONTINUED TO UTILIZE 1574 00:51:40,741 --> 00:51:42,309 EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING'S 1575 00:51:42,309 --> 00:51:52,652 TALENT AND TACTICS. 1576 00:51:53,086 --> 00:51:56,990 IN 2005, WWE RELAUNCHED THE ECW 1577 00:51:56,990 --> 00:51:59,459 BRAND THANKS TO THE SUCCESS OF A 1578 00:51:59,459 --> 00:52:03,029 PAY-PER-VIEWS SPECIAL. 1579 00:52:03,029 --> 00:52:04,164 HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME 1580 00:52:04,164 --> 00:52:08,168 TO ECW ONE NIGHT STAND. 1581 00:52:08,168 --> 00:52:12,105 [CROWD CHEERING] 1582 00:52:12,105 --> 00:52:13,640 I LOVED BEING THERE. 1583 00:52:13,640 --> 00:52:14,408 IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST NIGHTS 1584 00:52:14,408 --> 00:52:16,977 IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. 1585 00:52:16,977 --> 00:52:18,445 NO, NOT TOMMY. 1586 00:52:18,445 --> 00:52:20,313 NO, NO. 1587 00:52:20,313 --> 00:52:24,384 OH, MY GOD. 1588 00:52:24,384 --> 00:52:25,218 IT WAS A BLAST BECAUSE OF THE 1589 00:52:25,218 --> 00:52:27,320 AUDIENCE. 1590 00:52:27,320 --> 00:52:29,256 YOU ARE THE CRAZIEST BASTARDS 1591 00:52:29,256 --> 00:52:31,158 I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE. 1592 00:52:31,158 --> 00:52:34,694 I LOVE EVERYONE OF YOU. 1593 00:52:34,694 --> 00:52:36,763 THEY GOT A CHANCE TO BRING 1594 00:52:36,763 --> 00:52:39,766 THE PRODUCT FORWARD TO 2005, 1595 00:52:39,766 --> 00:52:41,468 REMEMBERING HOW IT WAS AT ITS 1596 00:52:41,468 --> 00:52:44,071 HEIGHT AND ALSO SHOWING THE 1597 00:52:44,071 --> 00:52:46,907 WORLD THIS IS REAL. 1598 00:52:46,907 --> 00:52:54,247 THIS, MY FRIEND, IS EC -- W. 1599 00:52:54,247 --> 00:52:55,515 THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL 1600 00:52:55,515 --> 00:52:57,384 THING THESE EYES HAVE EVER SEEN. 1601 00:52:57,384 --> 00:52:58,585 I WANNA SAY, JOEY, I HEARD 1602 00:52:58,585 --> 00:52:59,986 THE KNOCKS ALL THROUGH THE YEARS 1603 00:52:59,986 --> 00:53:01,388 SAYING ECW WAS ONLY ABOUT 1604 00:53:01,388 --> 00:53:02,856 CHAIRS, ONLY ABOUT BLOOD, ONLY 1605 00:53:02,856 --> 00:53:03,990 ABOUT TABLES. 1606 00:53:03,990 --> 00:53:06,025 IT'S ABOUT A LOT MORE. 1607 00:53:06,025 --> 00:53:06,426 IT'S ABOUT GUTS, IT'S ABOUT 1608 00:53:06,426 --> 00:53:08,562 PRIDE, IT'S ABOUT EMOTION. 1609 00:53:08,562 --> 00:53:09,729 REUNITED, EXTREME 1610 00:53:09,729 --> 00:53:11,431 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING WITH ITS 1611 00:53:11,431 --> 00:53:13,166 LOYAL FAN BASE, PROVIDED A 1612 00:53:13,166 --> 00:53:16,002 NOSTALGIC TRIBUTE TO A COMPANY 1613 00:53:16,002 --> 00:53:17,971 WITH AN EVERLASTING LEGACY. 1614 00:53:17,971 --> 00:53:19,573 [CROWD CHEERING] 1615 00:53:19,573 --> 00:53:21,007 ECW LEFT ITS FINGERPRINTS ALL 1616 00:53:21,007 --> 00:53:22,075 OVER STUFF. 1617 00:53:22,075 --> 00:53:24,845 THE STYLE OF ECW WAS ADAPTED AND 1618 00:53:24,845 --> 00:53:27,848 MADE MAINSTREAM BY THE WWE. 1619 00:53:27,848 --> 00:53:29,282 WE DID TAKE SOME OF THE ECW 1620 00:53:29,282 --> 00:53:31,318 ASPECTS IN WHAT THEY WERE DOING 1621 00:53:31,318 --> 00:53:32,853 AND SORT OF RESHAPED IT IN OUR 1622 00:53:32,853 --> 00:53:33,687 OWN FORM. 1623 00:53:33,687 --> 00:53:34,921 AND YOU HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO 1624 00:53:34,921 --> 00:53:37,190 PAUL HEYMAN. 1625 00:53:37,190 --> 00:53:38,158 THAT WAS REALLY GOOD FOR THE 1626 00:53:38,158 --> 00:53:40,727 BUSINESS. 1627 00:53:40,727 --> 00:53:41,595 OH. 1628 00:53:41,595 --> 00:53:43,864 SHOW TIME NOW, TIME FOR THE 1629 00:53:43,864 --> 00:53:44,865 LADDER. 1630 00:53:44,865 --> 00:53:46,533 WE ALL SAW THESE GIANT, 1631 00:53:46,533 --> 00:53:48,401 CONGLOMERATE COMPANIES GOING AT 1632 00:53:48,401 --> 00:53:49,302 IT. 1633 00:53:49,302 --> 00:53:51,238 BUT BEHIND THE CURTAIN, THERE 1634 00:53:51,238 --> 00:53:52,372 WAS THIS LITTLE ENGINE THAT 1635 00:53:52,372 --> 00:53:53,974 COULD, THAT WAS BASICALLY 1636 00:53:53,974 --> 00:53:55,942 FEEDING THAT MONDAY NIGHT WAR. 1637 00:53:55,942 --> 00:53:57,744 ECW'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE 1638 00:53:57,744 --> 00:53:59,546 MONDAY NIGHT WAR WAS NOT JUST 1639 00:53:59,546 --> 00:54:02,182 THE TALENT THAT WE PROVIDED, BUT 1640 00:54:02,182 --> 00:54:03,850 IT WAS THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF 1641 00:54:03,850 --> 00:54:04,951 ECW. 1642 00:54:04,951 --> 00:54:06,286 THE INTERACTIVITY WITH THE 1643 00:54:06,286 --> 00:54:10,022 AUDIENCE, THE FAR MORE PHYSICAL 1644 00:54:10,022 --> 00:54:12,092 PRODUCT, ECW WAS ONE OF THE MOST 1645 00:54:12,092 --> 00:54:14,361 IMPORTANT CATALYSTS OF THE 1646 00:54:14,361 --> 00:54:16,096 MONDAY NIGHT WAR. 1647 00:54:16,096 --> 00:54:19,699 WITHOUT THE ECW INFLUENCE, I 1648 00:54:19,699 --> 00:54:21,801 DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAR WOULD 1649 00:54:21,801 --> 00:54:24,771 HAVE BEEN NEARLY AS INTERESTING 1650 00:54:24,771 --> 00:54:26,540 AS IT ENDED UP BEING. 1651 00:54:26,540 --> 00:54:30,744 ECW, ECW, ECW, ECW. 98847