The Secret History Of ECW | Wrestling Timelines

February 5, 1994 - The Night The Line Was Crossed

Terry Funk ECW
WWE Network

Eastern Championship Wrestling, booked now by Paul Heyman, draws itself some buzz on the magazine and newsletter circuit, which is impressive: as a regional overseen by a governing body with no cachet, it should be an antique. ECW is the opposite. For the first time in its young history, ECW is the cover story of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter in the February 14 edition.

The Night The Line Was Crossed is something of a sensation; as Dave Meltzer writes, many readers describe it as “the best house show from any promotion in years in Philadelphia”.

(It’s not entirely unfair to doubt the veracity of this, since Heyman later developed a reputation for supposedly writing letters of emphatic praise towards and demand for ECW under burner email addresses. Still, even if that is true, it underscores his prowess and creativity as a promoter.)

The show receives praise top-to-bottom; ECW is not formally known as ‘Extreme’ yet, but the nascent hardcore style is a hit. The very unique and, yes, influential main event is what draws the most attention. Years before ‘Triple Threat’ enters the lexicon and headlines WWE WrestleMania on multiple occasions, Heyman books and popularises it. The ‘Three Way Dance’ between Sabu, Terry Funk and Shane Douglas goes to an hour-long draw. The length and scarcity of the match is novel; a few readers even award it *****. It receives a standing ovation in the ECW Arena.

ECW in name and identity has not yet arrived; the roster is still littered with relics, like Jimmy Snuka and Pat Tanaka. The Night The Line Was Crossed will not age particularly well, and the very long-feeling Three Way Dance will rapidly drop out of Best Match Ever lists, but it doesn’t matter: ECW is making noise.

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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!