#2 Shane Douglas
After former 'Dynamic Dude' Shane Douglas had a forgettable run with WWE in the early 90's he joined ECW too much success in 1993.
Shane was a top star in ECW from his early days, becoming ECW Champion for a few weeks before forfeiting the title due to ECW's new business relationship with the NWA. After winning the belt again in 1994, in the biggest moment in ECW history, Douglas threw down the NWA title belt and stated that he did not want to be champion of a "dead promotion".
Douglas raised the ECW Heavyweight Championship belt and declared it to be a world championship belt, renaming it the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. WWE recognizes this moment as the beginning of the ECW Championship and Douglas as the first ECW Champion.
Shane returned to WWE in 1995 in hopes of they enhancing the edgy character he created in ECW, WWE had different plans, however. He returned to WWE with a college dean character under the ring name Dean Douglas. He lectured fans and wrestlers while writing on a chalkboard, would be shown taking notes of his opponents at ringside during some matches, and frequently carried a paddle (dubbed the "Board of Education") with him to the ring, a far cry from the revolution he started in ECW.
Shane would hold the WWE Intercontinental Championship for 10 minutes and ultimately left WWE towards the end of the year, citing that he would never work for Vince McMahon again.
He returned to ECW in 1996 for another very successful run, which included more reigns as ECW Champion. He would also wrestle for WCW and TNA.