9 Times ECW Was Better Than Literally EVERYTHING

9. Nobody Sees It Coming

Emerging from a spot itself that summed up just how creatively far apart ECW was from the majors by 1994, Tommy Dreamer believing he'd blinded The Sandman after knocking a lit cigarette into his eye during an I Quit match was perfect down to the last brutal detail.

The pair were engaged in a bitter rivalry that appeared to come to a screeching halt when the incident occurred. Babyface Dreamer showed contrition for his actions, was shunned by the locker room and was ready to end and/or dedicate his own career to Sandman in the aftermath, particularly when the real life Jim Fullington, suit-and-all, turned back up out of hiding with bandages over his eyes and ECW gaffer Tod Gordon on his arm. Dreamer had even battered longstanding Sandman rival Tommy Cairo on behalf of his former enemy, so dedicated as he was to honouring his word.

It was all a ruse. Drawing Dreamer out and using Woman as a distraction, Sandman brutally caned Tommy, having used him for the Cairo dispute. ECW was ostensibly home to the most plugged-in wrestling audiences in the world, but none of them saw this coming. 

This sort of secrecy and storyline preservation is rarer still in the post-kayfabe age.

MJF nobly attempted something similar in 2022 when, after calling Tony Khan "a f*cking mark" live on television, he went completely off the grid. His subsequent return - and the significance of it - ultimately generated the polar opposite reaction to this one, thanks to CM Punk forgetting about the work when it came time to air his shoot grievances at the post-All Out press conference.