10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Nov 30)

3. Billy Corgan Wanted To Buy The Original ECW

Paul Heyman ECW
WWE.com

Years before he was interested in Impact Wrestling, cutting deals with Cody Rhodes to help with All In or revitalising the traditions of the NWA, rockstar Billy Corgan wanted a big slice of ECW. In fact, the Smashing Pumpkins frontman told good pal Raven that he wanted to purchase the entire company outright in early-2001.

Paul Heyman caught wind of his plans, and he wasn't exactly receptive.

Raven told this tale on Booker T's Heated Conversations podcast, and remembered several conversations between he, Corgan and Heyman about how to structure a deal. Heyman's way of dealing with the pressure was to pick a high ball park figure Billy couldn't match, probably 'cause he wasn't interested in selling but didn't want to turn Corgan down flat.

To Raven, Heyman always wanted to "go down with the ship" if ECW ever failed. The thought of giving control to anyone else and working for them wasn't something Paul wanted to do if he could help it. The original ECW was his baby, and he wanted to be there till the bitter end. That's why Corgan couldn't get a look in.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.