I just watched the Rise and Fall of ECW DVD (which by the way is one of the best wrestling dvds I have ever seen and a must watch for any fan) and an interesting topic was brought up.
Paul Heyman claims that WWE and WCW especially raided many of his guys which was partially the reason for the eventual demise of the company. As we know guys like Austin, Foley, Jericho, Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Rey, and the Dudleys who went on to great success in the other promotions got there start in ECW, as well as tons of others who we associate with WCW and/or WWE. We also know that many of these guys played crucial roles in the Monday Night Wars and the Attitude Era, most notably Austin.
Aside from this, Heyman (and many of the ECW originals) contend that ECW pushing the envelope and bringing a new style to North American professional wrestling is what lead to WWE and WCW pushing the envelope, developing new styles, becoming the national phenomenon that they became in the late 90s. Obviously they were the first to implement this hardcore style and even many of the most popular luche libre wrestlers. And with so many guys who went on to fame in WCW and WWE getting their start on the national level in ECW, it made me realize how important that little company started in a bingo hall in Philadelphia really was.
What are your thoughts on these claims? How big of a role did ECW really play in what many call "the best era in wrestling"? Would we have seen some of these guys in the big promotions and would wrestling have gotten as popular then, and be as big as it is now had it not been for the extremists new approach? Is it safe to say that it was ECW..not WWE or WCW...that really launched the Attitude Era?
Paul Heyman claims that WWE and WCW especially raided many of his guys which was partially the reason for the eventual demise of the company. As we know guys like Austin, Foley, Jericho, Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Rey, and the Dudleys who went on to great success in the other promotions got there start in ECW, as well as tons of others who we associate with WCW and/or WWE. We also know that many of these guys played crucial roles in the Monday Night Wars and the Attitude Era, most notably Austin.
Aside from this, Heyman (and many of the ECW originals) contend that ECW pushing the envelope and bringing a new style to North American professional wrestling is what lead to WWE and WCW pushing the envelope, developing new styles, becoming the national phenomenon that they became in the late 90s. Obviously they were the first to implement this hardcore style and even many of the most popular luche libre wrestlers. And with so many guys who went on to fame in WCW and WWE getting their start on the national level in ECW, it made me realize how important that little company started in a bingo hall in Philadelphia really was.
What are your thoughts on these claims? How big of a role did ECW really play in what many call "the best era in wrestling"? Would we have seen some of these guys in the big promotions and would wrestling have gotten as popular then, and be as big as it is now had it not been for the extremists new approach? Is it safe to say that it was ECW..not WWE or WCW...that really launched the Attitude Era?