15 Wrestlers You Didn't Realise Were In ECW

Extreme Championship Wrestling may have only lasted for nine years, but it left a huge mark on the wrestling landscape. Seen as a cooler, more contemporary alternative to WWE and WCW, the company gained a small, but loyal, fanbase that was so devoted that not only did they help keep the company in business, but they practically became part of the show. Seeking to capitalize on this mania, WWE and WCW adopted some of ECW's signature flourishes (sex and violence, primarily), ushering in the wrestling boom of the late 1990s and eventually making WWE a billion-dollar company. It wasn't just angles that WWE and WCW took - many future superstars spent time in ECW until the big leagues came calling. Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Mick Foley, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, and more all spent time in ECW, and they've all been quick to credit their experiences there as formative to their careers. It's become a part of WWE canon that many big stars were often underutilized in WCW, but were able to come into their own in Paul Heyman's company. Still, those men aren't the only ones who spent time in ECW. There were many superstars who competed for the organization in tenures that haven't been nearly as publicized since...

15. Joey Mercury

Joey Mercury is best known for his tag team work - he was a part of MNM with John Morrison, and up until recently, he could be seen teaming with Jamie Noble as J & J Security on Raw. In the late 90s, Mercury was an independent standout going by the name Joey Matthews and teaming with Christian York. The two competed on the east coast and in late 2000, they were signed to ECW. York and Matthews feuded with the teams of Danny Doring and Roadkill and Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger, but when ECW went out of business, the two were forced to go back to the indies.