The original ECW had its fair share of recognizable stars, from Mr. Monday Night Rob Van Dam to talents like Sabu and AEW commentator Taz. The company also had a notable number of stables, including the table-obsessed Dudley Family, who made waves in the WWE's Attitude Era.
But there are many more ECW stables that have long been forgotten by fans, despite often the caliber of talent that was involved within them. This is an unfortunate reality that needs to be rectified. Below are 10 original ECW stables that you've likely forgotten existed in the land of extreme.
10 The Gangstas
A fair few wrestling fans remember New Jack thanks to his borderline insanity and the bumps he took in the glory days of extreme. However, few recall he was, in fact, part of not just a tag-team, but an entire stable. The Gangstas came to the ring to the roar of the Dr. Dre and Ice Cube classic "Natural Born Killaz." Consisting of New Jack and Mustafa Saed, they subsequently massacred whoever was unfortunate enough to be in the ring at the time. But The Gangstas also consisted of D'Lo Brown at one point, and was even a foursome with the wrestler Killer Kyle at one forgotten point in wrestling history.
9 The Full-Blooded Italians
The FBI are one of the more recognizable stables that were featured on ECW programming, coming to define the company. Still, many people forget who the members of the group actually were, and just how large the group grew in its prime. An unbelievable 14 wrestlers were at one point involved with the FBI, including names you wouldn't expect like Chuck Palumbo and Mabel (WWE's Big Daddy V/Viscera). In ECW, the group is famously remembered as involving JT Smith, Little Guido, Big Val, Tracy Smothers, and Tommy Rich. Hilariously, Guido is in fact the only legitimate Italian in the faction.
8 The Dupps
Everyone remembers the Dudleys, nobody remembers The Dupps. As a tag-team Bo Dupp and Jack Dupp performed as The Dupps in the later years of ECW. The family's members would grow to include Puck Dupp, Stan Dupp, and even their valet Fluff Dupp.
Stan Dupp would, in fact, become better known in the WWE as Trevor Murdoch, where he would even become a WWE Tag Team Champion. That said, their family name didn't quite gain the luster of several other wrestling families during their careers.
7 The Unholy Alliance
The Unholy Alliance was a tag-team involving Mikey Whipwreck and Tajiri. Though they achieved stable status by including their manager, The Sinister Minister James Mitchell (a man whose career The Undertaker should take a closer look at). The team were able to obtain the ECW World Tag Team Championships during their run, though today very few remember their existence. Tajiri is better remembered for his WWE career, and for the brief period when he was managed by former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson.
6 The Triple Threat
The Triple Threat was a main-event level stable in ECW that is somehow scarcely remembered when looking back on the company today. The team consisted of Shane Douglas, Chris Benoit, and Dean Malenko. Later incarnations included other notable ECW stars like Chris Candido and Bam Bam Bigelow. Despite the caliber of the members involved, and the fact that Shane Douglas was one of the closest wrestlers ECW had to a company face. He was comparable to John Cena in the WWE, but the stable isn't really talked about when the legacy of ECW is discussed.
5 Raven's Nest
When people think of Raven having a stable, they remember The Flock in WCW, which involved members like Billy Kidman. What few know is that this group was actually a rehash of the original ECW concept, which lay the blueprint for a stable managed by the misanthropic Raven.
The Nest would assist Raven between 1995-1997 during some of his most memorable ECW feuds, including against Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman. It included members like Stevie Richards and, at one point, Cactus Jack.
4 The Super Destroyers
A team that should be entered into any "worst name for any tag-team" competition, The Super Destroyers were a team in ECW in the days before the promotion went extreme. Wrestlers Doug Stahl and A.J. Petrucci did the in-ring work and were rounded out by their manager, Hunter Q Robbins III (not Triple H). The team was the first-ever ECW World Tag Team Champions. Their legacy has been lost in the sands of time due to the limited coverage ECW garnered before Paul Heyman got involved with the promotion.
3 The Heavenly Bodies
Though known more as a tag-team, The Heavenly Bodies went through many variants during their history and were often flanked by Jim Cornette, turning them into a stable. The team would make limited appearance at ECW events, including an occasion where they aligned themselves with Raven's Flock. This iteration of The Heavenly Bodies involved Tom Prichard (not the mustache one) and Jimmy Del Rey (the mustache one), who were one of the most famous versions of the legendary team. They wrestled their last tag-team match together under the ECW brand.
2 The Dangerous Alliance
No affiliation to The Unholy Alliance; The Dangerous Alliance was a wrestling stable that Paul Heyman formed before ECW, both in the AWA and in WCW. Originally, they included the likes of Arn Anderson and Ravishing Rick Rude. Heyman revived the stable in ECW in 1993, where he coaxed WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Snuka and Don Muraco to the group, among others.
This version of The Dangerous Alliance didn't last long, however, as on ECW TV Heyman would bin them in favor of more recognizable ECW names like Shane Douglas and Sabu. They were never as heavily featured as the stable was in WCW, which is why few remember their ECW run under the name.
1 The Impact Players
The Impact Players, true to their name, made a huge impact in ECW during their tenure. The team of Justin Credible, Lance Storm, Dawn Marie, and Jason Knight were featured as the top heel stable during their run. This led Credible to his ECW World Heavyweight Championship run. Despite their success in the company, The Impact Players aren't anywhere near as fondly remembered by fans as other ECW stables like The Dudleys. It's a great shame given how well-presented the group was on ECW TV and how talented Lance Storm was in his prime.