WWE: 7 Innovations Paul Heyman Did That Changed Wrestling

5. Bringing International Superstars To America

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp0cH7pmwLw Heyman has spoken time and time again about his desire to make ECW the home of new styles and moving on from what he viewed as dated traditionalism. Most people tend to remember this different style as the extreme hardcore the company name suggests but the reality is that ECW is responsible for much more. Technical wrestlers who had plied their craft and made a name for themselves worldwide were brought into the company. The likes of Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko all made their names in the US during their ECW run, mostly competing with and against each other. Chris Jericho also received his first American exposure in the Philadelphia based company after Benoit and Perry Saturn recommended him to Heyman. Too Cold Scorpio rounded out the style of technicians that dominated the Television Championship rankings while Taz displayed the style in the World Championship scene. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i15XPMvv3hM When WCW did a huge talent raid on ECW in 1995 Heyman decided that to replace what had gone before he had to change things up and try and new style. After consulting with Konnan (who wrestled in ECW at the time while running his Promo Azteca promotion in Mexico), Heyman brought lucha libre wrestling from Mexico to the US audiences by holding a match between Rey Misterio, Jr and Psicosis at the Gangsta's Paradise event in September 1995. Audiences took to it immediately and the pair would continue on to make it an acclaimed three match series. The duo would be followed by the likes of Juventud Guerrera and La Parka before they would all go on to WCW to their Cruiserweight division that was one of the key elements in the Monday Night War. The two styles would continue in ECW even without the originals, even crossing over, as the likes of Jerry Lynn, Lance Storm, Super Crazy, Kid Kash and more would all be shown to American audiences from the hallowed bingo hall. If not for the exposure in ECW many of these men may not have made it in either of the Big Two and future wrestlers such as Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Cesaro and CM Punk may not have been afforded the same opportunity either.