10 Superstars you didn't know were in ECW

Extreme Championship Wrestling was a US North East fixture from 1994 to 2001, led by the charismatic Paul Heyman and gave the wrestling world mainstream hardcore wrestling. From Sabu and Rob Van Dam to the Dudley Boyz and Tommy Dreamer, ECW had a cult following and really shook up the wrestling industry for most of the 90's. There were a few WCW / WWE superstars however that were not your average ECW wrestler but still popped up at one time or another in the upstart promotion.

#10 Arn Anderson

New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE

One of the legendary four horsemen and proponent of the AA spinebuster, Arn Anderson was a permanent fixture in WCW and briefly WWE as part of the 'Brainbusters' with Tully Blanchard. A brief talent share (although mostly one-sided) would occur between WCW and ECW, with Arn Anderson appearing on ECW TV in Atlanta, and then going on to participate in a tag match at ECW: When World's Collide in 1994 alongside Sabu, Terry Funk, and Bobby Eaton. This was the extent of AA's involvement in ECW but still cool to go back and watch.

#9 Doink the Clown

Doink the Clown has been portrayed by multiple wrestlers over the years, but most famously by Matt Bourne. After entertaining audiences from 1992 to 1995, Bourne appeared on the independent circuit and ended up for a few matches in ECW.

Shane Douglas who was the ECW Champion at the time used Doink as a motivator to criticise Vince McMahon for ruining a talent like Bourne, reducing him to comedy and face paint, and encouraged him to fulfill his full potential. Ditching the clown gimmick for a more serious persona, Bourne would dress his defeated opponents in clown accessories to humiliate them.

#8 Sid Vicious

Sid Eudy has appeared in WWF and WCW, as Sid Justice and Sid Vicious, becoming four-time world champion and headlining two WrestleMania's. Sid battled the top stars of the industry from 1989 due to his impressive physique and intense attitude. Being part of the 4 Horsemen, eliminating Hulk Hogan from a Royal Rumble, beating Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship before finally losing it at WrestleMania to The Undertaker, Sid did it all across the two largest American promotions.

After his career had begun to wind down by 1999, Sid joined ECW and feuded with the Dudley Boyz and Justin Credible in a series of matches, not capturing any gold before the impending financial doom of ECW meant monetary problems forced him to quit.

#7 Jerry the King Lawler

Paul Heyman and Jerry Lawler going at it

Jerry Lawler has been a professional wrestler since 1970, winning over 168 championships and appearing all over the world, as well as being the main booker and owner of Memphis Wrestling. In 1992, Jerry entered the WWF as a commentator and into a feud with Bret Hart and then onto Doink the Clown.

In 1995, ECW and WWF entered into a working relationship that Jerry featured in heavily, calling ECW 'Extremely Crappy Wrestling' on WWF commentary and led to ECW stars such as RVD to 'invade' Monday Night Raw. Due to his actions, Jerry was made to participate in a match with ECW's 'Innovator of Violence' Tommy Dreamer, losing to him at ECW: Hardcore Heaven.

#6 Jim the Anvil Neidhart

Jim Neidhart will forever be remembered as part of the Hart Foundation, tag-teaming with Bret Hart in Calgary and then the WWF from 1985 through to his eventual departure in 1992. Before returning again to WWF in 1994 at the King of the Ring PPV, Jim would tour the world and appear in NJPW at the G1 Climax and World Tag League, in WCW in mainly jobber type matches and then ECW. Wrestling in a few matches and going 1-1, he wrestled at the ECW: November to Remember PPV in a draw with The Sandman.

After another 2 years with the WWF ended with another firing, Neidhart would return to ECW for a couple more matches against Ron Simmons and Marty Jannetty, going 1-1 with 1 draw again Janetty before once again returning to the Hart Foundation back at the WWF!

#5 Mabel / Viscera

Mabel flattening his opponent Bam Bam Bigelow

Nelson Frazier Jr appeared in WWF/E through three separate stints over the course of 15 years, first as 'Men on a Mission' Mabel, becoming King of the Ring '95, then as the ghoulish bodyguard for The Undertaker, Viscera. This look became synonymous with the Attitude Era as Viscera's over 500lb frame with 'white out' contact lenses really created a demonic look for the Ministry of Darkness.

It was between these two stints however that Nelson would appear as Mabel in ECW, for one night only, at ECW: November to Remember. Enforcing with the Full Blooded Italians, Mabel would cause a stir whilst a single's match between Tracey Smothers and Tommy Rodgers occurred until little Spike Dudley came down to the ring to help make the save for Rodgers and give Smothers the win.

#4 Ron Simmons

Ron Simmons was the first African-American World champion in WCW, and had a memorable tenure in WWF/E as Farooq, winning the WWF Tag Team championships on 3 separate occasions with Bradshaw in the APA.

After a successful career in college football and as part of the Cleveland Brown's team, Simmons joined Jim Crockett Promotions (eventually WCW) and stayed for over 7 years. Leaving WCW due to falling down the card and shortly before finally signing with WWF, Simmons joined Paul Heyman in ECW in late 94 to bring in some top talent into the ECW main event scene. Progressing feuds with ECW champion Shane Douglas and Mikey Whipwreck over the course a few months, the run wasn't anything special and the offer from WWF soon came for Simmons. Damn!

#3 Gangrel

David Heath or Gangrel was a great mid-card character as part of the WWF Attitude Era and regularly entertained us alongside Edge and Christian with bloodbaths and fangs as 'The Brood'. Although he never won any WWF Championships, Gangrel performed in the WWF for three years in his first run and returned to the company in 2004 for a second run.

Before entering the WWF however, Gangrel appeared in ECW as 'The Vampire Warrior' in 1995, feuding with Tommy Dreamer over the love of his real-life wife Luna Vachon. The stint only lasted a few months before signing with the WWF and continuing his vampire gimmick on mainstream TV.

#2 Dusty Rhodes

The bullrope match between Dusty and Steve Corino

The 'American Dream' had an amazing career spanning 40 years with notable runs as NWA Champion, WCW World Champion and US Champion. Towards the end of his full-time wrestling career, Dusty by chance was at the soundstage that WCW filmed on when Paul Heyman was filming an ECW episode. Dusty was asked to appear on ECW TV to which he happily obliged, cutting some promo's on Steve Corino who had started to hate hardcore wrestling and call himself 'The King of Old School'. This eventually led to a couple of PPV matches between the two, including a bullrope match in 2000 at Living Dangerously that Dusty won in a gory spectacle that evidenced just what the promotion was all about.

#1 Steve Austin

The Texas Rattlesnake is probably the greatest sports entertainer of all time, based on his overall appeal and ability to transcend the wrestling business.

That being said, at one time Steve was not getting the push he deserved as 'Stunning Steve Austin' in WCW and ended up being fired by Eric Bischoff. Picking up with his old manager Paul 'E' Dangerously (Paul Heyman) in ECW, Steve would begin to cut epic promo's about WCW and feud with ECW's Sandman and Mikey Whipwreck through 1995 before finally signing with the WWF.

Steve would adopt Mikey's finisher (the Whipper-Snapper) and rename it the Stone Cold Stunner to give us one of the most iconic finishing moves in history.

Edited by Shiven Sachdeva