10. Sandman Takes Kayfabe To A New Level
By early October 1994, Sandman and Tommy Dreamer had become fierce rivals, and it had all built up to an I Quit match between the pair. During the brawl, Sandman took time to gloat and lit his trademark cigarette but during Tommy Dreamer's comeback he accidentally knocked the object into the Sandman's eyes, supposedly blinding him. What happened next proved that while Sandman may not have been anywhere near the best in the ring, his commitment to the sport was unquestionable. He disappeared from public life, took no phone calls and had his wife answer the door at their home. He stuck to this for weeks, until November To Remember 1994 when during Sandman's retirement party he revealed it had all been a ruse to trick Tommy Dreamer into doing his dirty work under the belief he was doing it in The Sandman's honour. This is one of the most memorable ECW because it shows how deep and devious Paul Heyman's genius goes, and how convincing of a leader he can be, which is a theme that will certainly reoccur when discussing ECW for any length.