Ten Unsung ECW Wrestlers

 A Wrestlemania in Philadelphia is the perfect time to reflect on the legacy of the renegade little engine that could promotion known as ECW. It was a game changer in the 90's, one that WWF and WCW heavily borrowed or outright stole from.

When one thinks of ECW names such as Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Shane Douglas, Taz, Steve Corino, The Dudley Boyz, Sandman, and Tommy Dreamer automatically spring up. There were so many members of the roster who helped cultivate ECW into the legendary promotion that it became. I wanted to give some of those B level members of the roster their flowers. Here are ten unsung members of the OG ECW roster.

Simon Diamond

Simon Diamond is one guy I never really understood why he wasn't a bigger deal in ECW, and why he didn't achieve much greater success in the industry once ECW closed. He spent some time in TNA, but was never more than a bit player. Simon had an old school technical wrestling style that was the complete opposite of what ECW was known for at the time.

He could also talk on the mic as he was a heat magnet. He was known for his odd entourage which featured oddballs like The Musketeer and Prodigy and Prodigette. His biggest success in ECW was teaming with Swinger and later CW Anderson. If ECW had stuck around, I do believe he would have been a main eventer and eventual world champion.

Axl Rotten

Axl Rotten was a true ECW original, joining the company in 1993 when it was still Eastern Championship Wrestling. He was a major component of the hardcore style of wrestling that ECW became associated with and made all his opponents look good. One component of his gimmick was he always had a trusty chair in hand, ready to use it against anyone who dared try him.

You needed someone to show a little blood, Axl was your man. Needed someone to take a glutton of punishment, Axl was there. He won't go down as an all time great, but he played his part well and helped cultivate the culture of ECW.

Mikey Whipwreck 

Another true ECW original, also joining the company when it was still Eastern Championship Wrestling. His story is a quite inspiring, legend has it he was a ring crew member who would work for free long as he could practice before and after events. Joey Styles put the bug in Paul Heyman's ear to give him a chance and soon he was a full fledge roster member.

He actually had some success in the company, winning the TV title twice, the tag team championship 3 times, and was actually ECW World Heavyweight Champion for 42 days in 1995. Defeating Sandman in a ladder match to win the championship. After that his next biggest moment in ECW was his tag team unholy alliance with Tajiri, managed by Sinister Minister. He's another one who helped build the culture, but because he wasn't necessarily considered a star in ECW, he is overlooked.

Kid Kash

Kid Kash honestly was not in ECW that long, he had a brief stint around '96 into '97 but was not a contract basis. After leaving and trying out other promotions, he returned in 1999 where bearing a striking resemblance to then very popular musician Kid Rock. He started dressing like him, using his hit Bawitaba as his entrance (ECW ain't give a f&ck about music rights). He was injured and spent some time away, returning in 2000 and staying with the company until it went out of business.

He won the ECW TV Championship once and was known for his high-flying move set, and his ability to work with any style. He was poised to be a big player if ECW had continued operating, his undeniable skillset meant WWE signed him after taking over ECW. Where he gained some moderate success on the Smackdown Brand with Jamie Noble as The Pitbulls.

Little Guido

Little Guido the tough talkin' "little" guy is another Eastern Championship into Extreme Championship original. He is probably one of the most well known and popular "B" level members of the ECW roster. He displayed a take no shit approach to things inside and out of the ring, and I'm inclined to believe that was how he really was.

His time in ECW is most famous for being a member of the group Full Blooded Italians (FBI). Which he won the ECW tag team championship twice as a member of the group. He could fight and grab your attention on the microphone. Many who were too young for the ECW version of Little Guido know him as Nunzio in the WWE with a version of FBI backing him up in that promotion. Make no mistake about it, he cut his teeth in ECW.

Stevie Richards

Many people still look at Stevie Richards as a comedy wrestler, but the man was no slouch in the ring. In fact he was actually very solid and versatile in the square circle. He could be silly if that's what the situation called for, or he could be serious. He went from Raven's unappreciated lackey to the leader of the bWo (Blue World Order).

He too spent some time in Eastern Championship, before stepping away to work other indy promotions and going back to the new ECW. WWE leaned on him as a veteran of the roster when they bought the ECW brand back under their vision of what it should be. Which showed how well he did in the promotion. Even outside of ECW, he is one guy who deserves his flowers.

Nova

To me Nova is a very underrated wrestler, his time in ECW he was a very innovative human highlight reel. His superhero inspired Super Nova gimmick was also ahead of its time. Before The Hurricane in WWE and eons before superheros gained widespread popularity and pop culture domination.

Nova could also sell like hell and make his opponents look very dangerous. Once he got to WWE his style changed along with his gimmick as Simon Dean. His innovative daredevil style wasn't displayed so his in-ring work was overlooked. He was Chris Kanyon, a few years before Chris Kanyon became the innovator of moves. Just imagine the matches he would have today against the likes of Sammy Guevara, Apollo Crews, Swerve, Sami Zayn, and more.

Balls Mahoney

Like his tag team partner Axl Rotten, Balls Mahoney lived the ECW culture. He came to the ring swinging his trusty chair while AC/DC Big Balls played. He was a solid enough wrestler that he could get by without the gruesome hardcore style, but that's what made him him. He was one of those wrestlers that could just take punishment.

While he wasn't one to build a promotion around, he was reliable for giving the fans at that time what they wanted. Chair shots, a little sing-a-long, and some good ol' fashioned blood and bodily injuries during most of his matches. He's another ECW staple who contributed significantly to making the promotion what it became known for.

Lance Storm

If you ask me Lance Storm is one of the smoothest in-ring wrestlers ever. He's from Calgary, Alberta, Canada and his moves were always crisp, he could have a match with just about anyone and get a decent performance out of them. He just didn't have much personality which held him back. Debuting in the promotion in 1997, he soon formed a tag team with Chris Candido that led to a feud. Which honestly the matches between those two in not studied in wrestling schools should be. He also was responsible for bringing Dawn Marie to the promotion as Tammy Lynn Bytch.

He then found success teaming with Justin Credible as The Impact Players, which is a tag team I loved during that time in ECW. The duo were two time ECW tag team champions, with their combined reigns holding the titles for 89 days. Storm was a technical force to be reckoned with inside the squared circle and he played a part in many ECW technical wizardy matches

Jerry Lynn

Jerry Lynn another technical wrestler with a exciting move-set. He joined ECW in 1997 after spending time in WCW under a mask as Mr. JL. During his time in ECW, he participated in feuds with the likes of Justin Credible, Chris Candido, Lance Storm, and Mikey Whipwreck. It was his feud against Rob Van Dam is when people really took notice and his star shined in the promotion.

The two battled over the ECW Heavyweight Championship multiple times, where Lynn finally defeated RVD and started calling himself The "New F'N Show". Unfortunately injuries to both cut the feud short after several damn good matches. It helped solidify Lynn as one of the best wrestlers in the world at the time. It's a shame that honor did not translate to other promotions leading to him being overlooked frequently.

Beulah McGillicutty

If there is no Beulah McGillicutty, then I'm not saying there would have been no Raven vs Tommy Dreamer feud. What I am saying is it wouldn't have been so historic, or felt so real and personal. She was the glue who held the story together, the focal point who made those two men hate one another.

While she never really was an active wrestler. That didn't stop her from getting involved and taking some pretty nasty bumps. Displaying her toughness to go along with her good looks. When it comes to who is the true Queen of ECW, I think many will say Francine who no doubt was a pioneer for the fed. But I'm going for Beulah for how she played a part in one of the greatest feuds ever, not just in ECW but in pro wrestling period and looked damn good doing it.