Extreme Championship Wrestling was a groundbreaking and influential professional wrestling promotion. It was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon, who was its first owner.
When it was founded in 1992, it was called Eastern Championship Wrestling, and upon its foundation, it was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance. That all changed in 1994, when after a tournament held in the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, PA for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Title, tournament winner Shane Douglas (Troy Martin) threw down the belt and proclaimed ECW Extreme Championship Wrestling, thus starting the hardcore revolution.
With the backing of owner Tod Gordon and booker Paul Heyman, ECW withdrew forn the NWA and became an underground sensation. The group would showcase many different style of professional wrestling, popularizing bloody hardcore wrestling matches and the 3-Way Dance. ECW would also be a stop for many popluar wrestlers seen today.
In April 1997, ECW had its first wrestling card broadcasted on Pay Per View, highlighted by 53 year old legend Terry Funk winning the ECW World Heavyweight Title. Soon after the Pay Per View, Gordon sold ECW to Heyman. They would then broadcast bi-monthly on Pay Per View.
In August 1999, ECW began to broadcast nationally on The Nashville Network, however, this signalled the beginning of the end. Despite poor advertising and promotion, ECW became TNN's highest rated show, but was cancelled in October 2000 in favor of the World Wrestling Federation jumping over to the network.
ECW stuggled for months after the cancellation, trying to secure a new national TV deal, but to no avail. Despite help from the WWF, ECW could not get out of financial trouble and filed for bankruptcy in March 2001.
Soon after ECW closed, Heyman was hired by the WWF as an on-air character and writer.
In summer, 2003, WWE purchased ECW's assets in bankruptcy court, getting the rights to ECW's video library.
See also List of ECW Wrestlers
