10 Times ECW Was The Most Insane Wrestling Company In The World

The 21st century is the most extreme yet. What once was shocking now barely elicits a reaction, as the media-devouring public grows ever more desensitised to violence and graphic imagery. Maybe Steven Richards and his Right to Censor buddies had a point, but now isn’t the time to make it.

This is as true in the pro wrestling world as anywhere else. Fans are bored by spot-heavy ladder matches, hardcore wrestling draws little more than a collective ‘meh’ and ‘shoot’ style promos are more embarrassing than exciting. Everything is real, so nothing is really insane anymore.

There is a reason that ECW holds such an important place in the hearts of wrestling fans who got their pro graps education in the ‘90s. Paul-E and his boys were extreme before being extreme was a thing, a roster of hard-working mentalists who pushed the envelope every single show, doing what was previously considered taboo and doing it with blood and guts, literally and figuratively.

ECW at its most insane was ECW at its worst and best, simultaneously.