WWE.com: Heyman on Shane Douglas and the Birth of Extreme

[Steveweiser]

Today is the 19th anniversary of Shane Douglas throwing down the NWA World Heavyweight Title and declaring himself the ECW Champion, so WWE.com spoke to Paul Heyman about it...

www.wwe.com/classics/ecw/birth-of-extreme

[SOR]

WWECLASSICS.COM: What were the next steps for Gordon to grow his company?

HEYMAN: In June 1993, [Gordon’s] Eastern Championship Wrestling started running at Viking Hall – a bingo hall in South Philly. It was rebranded the ECW Arena and Tod Gordon joined the National Wrestling Alliance, so it was called NWA-Eastern Championship Wrestling. Anybody could join the NWA. It was like buying a membership to a community pool.

WWECLASSICS.COM: Who were the lifeguards?

HEYMAN: Nobody! All the promoters drowned! Nobody had television. The only television outlet for the NWA was NWA-Eastern Championship Wrestling, which ran Tuesday nights at 6 p.m. on Philadelphia Sports Channel. Tod had that timeslot before he joined the NWA. He had that slot anyway. The NWA needed ECW more than ECW needed the NWA.

20 years later the NWA hasn't changed at all.

[Steveweiser]

I find it funny how Heyman subreferences Dennis Coralluzzo without actually saying his name. Still some bitterness even after Coralluzzo's death.