ECW History Part 5: Top Stars

The promotion was home to several stars, many of whom later excelled in other companies.

Now, it’s time to focus on the top wrestlers specifically from Philadelphia’s finest, ECW.

1. Tommy Dreamer

The Heart and Soul of ECW is a nickname designated solely to Tommy Dreamer.

Like many others, he eventually moved forward to various promotions. However, Dreamer followed the original Extreme Championship Wrestling through its entire tenure.

In 1993, he wasn’t the same legend he later became. He used to came short in several matches, specifically to the Sandman.

But as his wrestling career continued, Dreamer gained notoriety. Whether is was his intense feud with Raven, or his renowned scaffold match, Dreamer was making his way to the top.

Although he only held four titles in ECW, he was special because of one unique quality: dedication.

He worked closely with Paul Heyman to make certain booking decisions, while also teaching young wrestlers.

Dreamer also stayed loyal to his mentors, including the hardcore icon, Terry Funk.

Another quality that Dreamer possessed was toughness. He could take a vicious beating, but no matter how much blood he shed, he would push himself to pick up a victory.

Tommy Dreamer was a wrestler like never seen before, which is why this legend is known as ECW’s most valuable star.

2. Rob Van Dam

As mentioned above, Rob Van Dam was also known for his high-flying capabilities.

He repeatedly stole the show with his signature 5-Star Frog Splash.

Van Dam was also known for words on the microphone. After some matches, RVD would verbally claim to be better than his opponents. But Van Dam was uniqe because his wrestling style gave people are reason to believe in his superiority.

Fans always chanted his initials “R-V-D” before hitting his opponent with a stelar move from the top rope.

Although he wasn’t known for the bloody tactics that helped make ECW famous, Van Dam was one of the most athletic superstars to ever step foot in the beloved ECW Arena.

3. Sabu

This high-flying maniac defied gravity, while also beating his opponent to a pulp.

Daredevil is a word that was frequently used to describe Sabu.

He was not a afraid to fly over the top rope and into the crowd, nor was he slow to put his body on the line in a barbed wire match.

After years of a death-defying wrestling style, Sabu was recognized one of the most extreme wrestlers of all-time.

One of Sabu’s most notable rivalries was with Taz. These two men absolutely hated each other, which is why their emotions made the feud much more interesting to watch.

Sabu teamed up with another risky wrestler, known as Rob Van Dam. As a tag team, they won titles, mostly after performing maneuvers from the top rope.

The Homicidal, Genocidal, Suicidal, Death-Defying Man, Sabu, was unique because he was known to capitalize on his precarious moves. Now how’s that for extreme.