10 Dream Survivor Series Matches That Should Have Happened
8. WWE's Hardcore vs. ECW's Extreme
The rise of Extreme Championship Wrestling in the mid-1990s brought with it an extreme style that captured the attention of a blood-thirsty audience bored by the cartoonish nature that Vince McMahons World Wrestling Entertainment and Ted Turners World Championship Wrestling had adopted. The revolutionary promotion, headed by passionate loudmouth Paul Heyman, was very in-your-face and proud of the fact that they introduced a violence not seen since the glory days of Abdullah the Butcher and Bruiser Brody. The stars of the Philadelphia-based promotion used everything from chairs to tables to VCRs and cheese graters. Blood was spilled regularly and the fans ate it all up, to the point that they chanted the promotions initials every time WWE or WCW rolled into the City of Brotherly Love. McMahon recognized the influence the small company was having on the industry. Eager to incorporate elements from Heymans show into his own, thus capturing the 18-35 demographic that ECW appealed to, McMahon introduced hardcore wrestling to his company and a championship to boot. Quickly, it became one of the most entertaining and popular elements of his show. While Sandman, Sabu, Rob Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer and Raven were most closely associated with ECW, Big Boss Man, Road Dogg, Hardcore Holly, Steve Blackman and Al Snow rank among the greats of McMahons hardcore division. Who would win the battle for chair-swinging, blood-spilling supremacy? Fans will never find out, though the star power and credentials of the ECW crew is difficult to deny.
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.
