10 Wrestlers Who Lost Gold In Their Hometown
6. The Sandman
As far as working class heroes go, it’s tough to beat The Sandman. While not exactly the best technical wrestler on the planet, ECW fans took to Sandman like nobody else. His charisma, penchant for violence, and relatable background as a beer-swilling former construction worker made it easy for ECW’s rabid fanbase to get behind him, and he was never too far from the company’s Heavyweight Championship.
Sandman amassed five reigns throughout his career with the bulk beginning (and ending) in his native Philadelphia, PA. Much of this is down to the fact that ECW ran almost exclusively out of Philly throughout most of their lifespan, but three of Sandman’s reigns ended on home turf, which more than warrants his inclusion.
His second (and longest) title reign kicked-off with a win over Shane Douglas at Ultimate Jeopardy ‘94. Sandman dropped the belt in a ladder match with Mikey Whipwreck, the perennial underdog, 196 days later, but had the gold back around his waist again by December 1995. This third ECW Title reign ended by Raven’s hand in Philly in January 1996, and his fourth to the same opponent that December.