10 Wrestlers You Totally Forgot Worked For ECW

9. Doink

Doink ECW
WWE

Doink was fired by the WWF in late '93 because he was unable to separate his troubled personal life from his vocation.

He resurfaced under the paint in ECW to unanimous rejection. The defiant Philly natives did not perceive the character as the hidden, dark heart of the incipient New Generation Era, a tormented and terrifying soul in clown clothing. They associated him with the WWF's goofy overtones, and targeted him with their trademark viciousness. He jobbed to 911 immediately - for the uninitiated, 911 was dispatched to "kill off" various ECW acts, acting alongside 1980s Ric Flair as the inspiration behind Triple H's Reign Of Terror - before being literally 'Borne Again' as a character pitched to rage against the mainstream machine.

Borne Again attempted to physically disassociate himself from the Doink character by growing out his hair and applying only a scant amount of make-up. The development was a sad, metaphorical extension of the performer himself; though nuanced, interesting, and brimming with long-term potential, Borne possessed the imagination but not the discipline required to pull it off.

Much like the (unappreciated) brilliance of the sadistic clown, 'Borne Again' was a short-lived venture.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!