Kemo
04-15-2022, 05:38 PM
:ecw:
Paul Heyman wasn’t going to stay quiet on the 25th anniversary of the ECW Barely Legal event.
The event took place back on April 13, 1997. It was held inside the ECW Arena, now the 2300 Arena, in Philadelphia, PA. In the main event, Terry Funk defeated Raven to become the ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
Paul Heyman took to his Instagram account to reflect on the 25th anniversary of Barely Legal:
“Sigh.
“I suck at being nostalgic.
“I’m still too ambitious, looking for new things to accomplish. Yet I would be remiss if I didn’t say SOMETHING about this anniversary.
“ECW Barely Legal did not take place at a time where there was 1 brand so dominant, it was easy for companies to call themselves alternative or revolutionary.
“We took on two billion-dollar companies during the most hyper-competitive environment in the history of the industry.
“ECW’s fight to get on PPV has been covered in books, documentaries, et al. From PPV distributors’ confusion w/ MMA; our competitors doing everything to keep us off PPV; our uncompromising insistence on doing the show w/ our directors, a one-man announce booth, from the world’s most infamous bingo hall on literally the wrong side of the tracks in South Philly; we were willing to die before we’d sell out our vision.
“As much credit as we get for being outlaws, true to our cause … we weren’t the ones who got ECW cleared on PPV. It was our fans.
“The emails; letter-writing campaigns; bombarding cable company execs w/ round-the-clock faxes (what’s a FAX?); picketing #Cablevision offices. ECW was a true revolution.
“We didn’t have sponsors, billion dollar trust funds, secret financiers. We had balls, a belief in ourselves and our fans, who championed the cause, changed the industry forever.
“I don’t like writing these looks back because the journey to PPV was filled with such moment-by-moment heart-pounding pressure, it’s impossible to encapsulate in mere words. It’s why I’ve shunned all pushes for a scripted movie to be made about it. #BubbaRayDudley likes to say ECW was wrestling’s version of #Napster. We weren’t meant to last. We were there to lead the revolution, indeed evolution, of where the business would go. I often tap out trying to describe it better.
“We did it. We made it. The ECW fans got us there.
“For that, I will forever be indebted … and I’m going to spend the rest of my career continuing that passion, drive, ambition to over-deliver past anyone’s expectations; to be part of something where the level of performance is … all puns intended…EXTREME!”
ECW remains near and dear to Heyman. He ran the promotion until it was forced to close in 2001.
Heyman recently named two ECW legends who he’d like to see in the WWE Hall of Fame. He appeared on the Battleground Podcast and said his picks are Sabu and Joey Styles.
Paul Heyman wasn’t going to stay quiet on the 25th anniversary of the ECW Barely Legal event.
The event took place back on April 13, 1997. It was held inside the ECW Arena, now the 2300 Arena, in Philadelphia, PA. In the main event, Terry Funk defeated Raven to become the ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
Paul Heyman took to his Instagram account to reflect on the 25th anniversary of Barely Legal:
“Sigh.
“I suck at being nostalgic.
“I’m still too ambitious, looking for new things to accomplish. Yet I would be remiss if I didn’t say SOMETHING about this anniversary.
“ECW Barely Legal did not take place at a time where there was 1 brand so dominant, it was easy for companies to call themselves alternative or revolutionary.
“We took on two billion-dollar companies during the most hyper-competitive environment in the history of the industry.
“ECW’s fight to get on PPV has been covered in books, documentaries, et al. From PPV distributors’ confusion w/ MMA; our competitors doing everything to keep us off PPV; our uncompromising insistence on doing the show w/ our directors, a one-man announce booth, from the world’s most infamous bingo hall on literally the wrong side of the tracks in South Philly; we were willing to die before we’d sell out our vision.
“As much credit as we get for being outlaws, true to our cause … we weren’t the ones who got ECW cleared on PPV. It was our fans.
“The emails; letter-writing campaigns; bombarding cable company execs w/ round-the-clock faxes (what’s a FAX?); picketing #Cablevision offices. ECW was a true revolution.
“We didn’t have sponsors, billion dollar trust funds, secret financiers. We had balls, a belief in ourselves and our fans, who championed the cause, changed the industry forever.
“I don’t like writing these looks back because the journey to PPV was filled with such moment-by-moment heart-pounding pressure, it’s impossible to encapsulate in mere words. It’s why I’ve shunned all pushes for a scripted movie to be made about it. #BubbaRayDudley likes to say ECW was wrestling’s version of #Napster. We weren’t meant to last. We were there to lead the revolution, indeed evolution, of where the business would go. I often tap out trying to describe it better.
“We did it. We made it. The ECW fans got us there.
“For that, I will forever be indebted … and I’m going to spend the rest of my career continuing that passion, drive, ambition to over-deliver past anyone’s expectations; to be part of something where the level of performance is … all puns intended…EXTREME!”
ECW remains near and dear to Heyman. He ran the promotion until it was forced to close in 2001.
Heyman recently named two ECW legends who he’d like to see in the WWE Hall of Fame. He appeared on the Battleground Podcast and said his picks are Sabu and Joey Styles.