Longtime fans of professional wrestling understand the effect that renegade promotion ECW, owned and operated by the evil genius Paul Heyman, had on the sport. It introduced elements of sexuality and extreme violence to the industry and motivated Vince McMahon to inject his company with a certain attitude that eventually led to WWE overcoming WCW in the Monday Night Wars and, ultimately, putting Ted Turner's empire out of business. Unfortunately, Extreme Championship Wrestling closed its doors days before WCW, meaning today's generation of young fans have no real idea what the legacy of the most revolutionary promotion of all-time really is. Thankfully, the launch of the WWE Network has created the opportunity for fans of all ages to relive the matches, moments and angles that captivated fans for nearly a decade. More importantly, it gives the men and women who performed for the company a new platform to be recognized for their contributions to the business. Over the course of wrestling history, the ECW Championship has been somewhat devalued by those who do not recognize it or the men to hold it among the greatest titles/champions ever. That changes now. With every ECW pay-per-view at this writer's disposal, not to mention dozens of ECW Hardcore TV episodes, putting together a list of the greatest heavyweight champions in the company's history is easier than ever. Which extreme icons made the cut? Who emerged as the greatest of all-time? Grab a roll of barbed wire, set up a table and some steel chairs and take a look for yourself by clicking the "next" button to your right.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
