8 Ways ECW Shaped Modern Wrestling

8. Hardcore Matches

ECW didn’t invent hardcore wrestling, but it certainly popularized it.

Although the Memphis territory deserves credit for breaking tables and concession stand brawls, and the Texas Death match had been the violent blowoff to many a feud around the country, ECW was the first American company to present pro wrestling without rules and restrictions. There were no disqualifications and no countouts; the action spilled into the crowd as fans were encouraged to bring household items or hand their chairs over to be used as weapons. Interference was commonplace as storylines weaved together to create an unpredictable, yet consistent drama throughout the night.

While WWE maintained traditional rules (as an excuse to advance a storyline or end a match without a bona fide winner), the company injected a dose of ECW’s anarchy into its product. During the Attitude Era, blood often stained the mat, steel chairshots were as frequent as DDTs and an entire division was dedicated to hardcore wrestling. The influence can be seen today through WWE’s themed pay-per-views like TLC, Extreme Rules and Hell in a Cell.