ECW was a hot spot in the '90s, as the promotion was unlike anything professional wrestling has seen before or since. The company prided itself on being outcasts, being unwanted by larger, more prestigious promotions, and being something that rebelled against the traditions of professional wrestling. It also served home to some of the best wrestlers in the world.
Beyond the hardcore legends like Sandman, Raven, and Tommy Dreamer, ECW also served as a way for names like Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, and Rey Mysterio to get their breaks in America before WCW or WWE would even give them a second look. Here is a look at 10 other surprising wrestlers who competed in ECW that fans might have missed.
10 Doink The Clown
If there is one thing ECW fans hated with a passion, it was goofy, gimmick wrestlers. Sure, they loved their Sandman's and Raven's but when it came to trash men, repo men, and evil dentists, ECW fans would boo them out of the building. That included clowns, and Paul Heyman brought in Doink the Clown with one purpose.
This was the original Doink (Matt Borne), and 911 killed him. Borne stuck around as Paul Heyman started an angle where he claimed WWE tried to ruin Borne's wrestling career with the clown gimmick.
9 Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stunning Steve Austin was one of the best in-ring stars in WCW. He was a former member of the Dangerous Alliance and somehow was able to get his Hollywood Blondes tag team with Brian Pillman over without WCW pushing them hard. When WCW fired him after an injury, ECW brought him in.
Heyman let Austin cut great promos while he healed up, and then he had a few matches before heading to WWE to morph into Stone Cold Steve Austin.
8 Brian Pillman
Brian Pillman was at an exciting stage in his career when he decided to leave WCW. He started acting like he was going crazy, and it legitimately made people believe he lost it. WCW granted him his release just to get rid of him, and he played the nutjob out of the ring as well.
ECW brought him in, and he played an insane former WCW guy in the ring and the locker room, selling his new role like a star. He didn't last long before WWE came calling.
7 Ricky Morton
Ricky Morton was one-half of the legendary Rock 'N' Roll Express. He was considered one of the best babyfaces in the history of professional wrestling and was possibly the most underrated superstar to ever step foot into the ring. The Rock 'N' Roll Express is still going strong today.
However, in the '90s, Morton tried to branch out. For a while in WCW, he took on the role of a heel called Richard Morton. He even tried his hand in ECW. At ECW House Party 1997, he teamed with Tommy Rich and lost to The Gangstas. At Crossing the Line Again, he lost to Stevie Richards.
6 Tommy Rogers
While Ricky Morton gave ECW a try for a couple of matches, another fantastic '80s tag team wrestler saw some real success there. Tommy Rogers was part of The Fantastics, one of the most underrated teams in the territory days. Rogers joined ECW in 1997 and worked there until 1998 as both a wrestler and producer.
It was at this time that Rogers proved he was a solid light heavyweight and great technical wrestler after a career in the tag team division.
5 Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels took the world by storm in 2002. He was in the main event of the first-ever Ring of Honor Wrestling show and was the first real gimmick there as The Fallen Angel. Daniels was also a TNA original as part of Triple X with Low-Ki and Elix Skipper.
However, he was wrestling a decade before those promotions started. In 1999, Daniels wrestled on ECW Hardcore TV as enhancement talent.
4 Viscera
Nelson Frazier had a tough time finding himself in professional wrestling. When he first hit the mainstream, he was Mable in the group Men on a Mission. However, fans didn't care, and he soon became King Mabel after becoming arguably the worst King of the Ring winner ever. Then, WWE released him.
When he returned, he was Viscera in the Ministry of Darkness, and he found his place in professional wrestling. However, in between, he worked in various territories, including a stop in ECW in 1998. It was a one-night-only appearance at November to Remember when he helped the FBI.
3 Terry Gordy
Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy was one of the best big men to ever step into a wrestling ring. He proved this as a member of The Freebirds, as a champion in the UWF, and as the tag team partner of Dr. Death Steve Williams.
In 1993, Gordy overdosed on pain killers and suffered brain damage. He tried to continue his career and worked in ECW three years later. He contended for the ECW title, teamed with both Tommy Dreamer and Dr. Death, and even fought Bam Bam Bigelow in his time there.
2 One Man Gang
For years, there wasn't a rougher, tougher man in the territories than The One Man Gang. However, when Gang went to WWE, he was repackaged in the goofy gimmick of Akeem the African Dream. He did have some success in the Twin Towers, but when he left WWE, his reputation as shot.
In 1998, One Man Gang showed up in ECW in his original persona to feud with RVD, Sabu, and Shane Douglas.
1 Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jake "The Snake" Roberts was involved in one of the top matches at ECW's biggest PPV in 1998, November to Remember. He teamed up with Tommy Dreamer as a mystery partner to battle Justin Credible and Jack Victory at the big event.
He also appeared the year before as a special guest when he showed up during a match between Tommy Dreamer and Jerry Lawler, attacking both men but allowing Lawler, representing WWE, to pin Dreamer and win the match.