No star brought more prestige and credibility to the ECW Championship than Shane Douglas. Like Ric Flair did for the NWA and WCW, and Hulk Hogan did for WWE, Douglas was the standard bearer in the promotion. He carried the title with respect and any time he spoke of it, the fans knew it meant the world to him. It was not a prop, it was not some phony belt; it was the symbol of excellence in the land of extreme and it became evident fairly quickly that Douglas took his role as the so-called "franchise player" of ECW seriously. Without Douglas the title itself may never have existed. He stepped up, worked together with Paul Heyman to swerve the National Wrestling Alliance, and tossed that promotion's title to the ground in a blatant sign of disrespect. From that moment on, he would be the champion Extreme Championship Wrestling. He would be the figurehead of the wrestling company of the future. And he carried the promotion. He led the original Triple Threat, helping Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko get some exposure that would ultimately lead to them signing with WCW. As the champion he was the top heel in the company and the man that top storylines revolved around. When he opted to sign with WWE, though, he dropped the title to Sandman, perhaps never to regain it. The run with Vince McMahon's company was an unmitigated disaster and soon, he returned home to ECW. After defeating Sabu and Terry Funk in a rematch of their classic, one-hour Three Way Dance from years earlier, Douglas claimed his second heavyweight title. He would win it for a third time by defeating Bam Bam Bigelow at November to Remember in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Injuries would plague his third title reign, keeping him from working to the best of his abilities. He worked through arm injuries to successfully retain his title against Al Snow but ultimately succumbed to his disability, not to mention a surging Taz, dropping the title to the Brooklyn native. It would be the last time Douglas would hold the ECW Championship. While he is often a magnet for controversy, it is impossible to recognize the effect Douglas had on both the ECW title and the growth of the title. He was the face of the company early and a heel that Paul Heyman could build around. Despite his hatred for Ric Flair, Douglas in many ways became the extreme version of the Nature Boy.
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.
