Extreme Championship Wrestling will forever have a place in the hearts and minds of wrestling fans from all over the world. It was the perfect storm of rebellion during a time when teen angst was considered pop culture. All along the Eastern seaboard in places like the Elk’s Lodge and the ECW Arena, fans would come from all over to catch and be a part of the revolution.

Owner Paul Heyman fostered that revolutionary feeling to create a sense of camaraderie amongst all of the ECW alumni. Whether they first achieved fame or reinvented themselves under Heyman’s tutelage, here’s 10 wrestlers we all forgot started in ECW.

10 Rey Mysterio

There is no arguing that it was Eric Bischoff who gave many Luchadors a chance to work and be seen on a national platform. But it was in ECW where Rey Mysterio got his start in America.

Debuting against his old rival Psicosis, the two Luchadors reignited their feud in ECW. His time in the land of Extreme showed just how tough the little guy was, long before he made it to WCW and eventually the WWE. His best matches might have come after ECW, but how many Hardcore matches do you get to see Rey work in? Only in ECW.

9 Lita

She didn’t even spend six months in ECW, and yet die-hard ECW fans will never forget Lita as Miss Congeniality. Lita in ECW was sort of like some of the Indy vets heading to NXT nowadays. It was like a finishing school for her.

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She worked famously with ECW fan favorite tag team, Doring and Roadkill, as Doring girlfriend. On her way to becoming one of the most popular superstars of the Attitude Era, she helped to bring actually women’s matches to ECW against the likes of Jazz.

8 Chris Jericho

By his own account, Chris Jericho tried to break down the walls of ECW for nearly a year before Heyman signed him. Jericho had already worked in several territories, but ECW was the big break that he needed to springboard to one of the big two.

Jericho defeated Pitbull # 2 to capture the TV title. Because of the talent in ECW, Jericho might have had the best series of matches ever - against the likes of 2 Cold Scorpio, Taz, Sabu, RVD, and the Franchise Shane Douglas.

7 Dean Malenko

Dean Malenko is one of few wrestlers with the distinct honor of being part of two promotions top stables. In WCW, he eventually took his rightful place as a Horsemen. In ECW, he was also one of the founding members of the Triple Threat, alongside Shane Douglas.

His send-off in ECW before heading to WCW is one of the most memorable in wrestling history. He wrestled Eddie Guerrero as the crowd chanted “Please don’t go.”

6 Eddie Guerrero

On his first night in ECW, the legendary Eddie Guerrero defeated 2 Cold Scorpio for his first ECW TV title. He then proceeded to ha he a series of matches with Dean Malenko where they traded that title back and forth.

His brief run in ECW and how it ended is to this day regarded as some of his best matches ever and certainly the best technical matches in ECW history.

5 Tajiri

The Japanese Buzzsaw, Yoshihiro Tajiri had a pretty good run on the WWE mid-card, winning multiple tag team and singles titles. He also famously delivered the green mist right into Triple H’s eyes. But the Japanese sensation got hit start in America in the Land Of Extreme.

Related: 10 Wrestlers That Should Have Left ECW Sooner

He had several great international matches with the likes of the insane Luchador, Super Crazy. Tajiri’s best moments in ECW however, came as part of the Unholy Alliance, with Mikey Whipwreck and the Sinister Minister.

4 Chris Candido

Unfortunately, No Gimmicks Needed is known a lot more for the backstage antics of his then-girlfriend Sunny and less for the tremendous talent that he was. At a young age, the former Skip was offered a place training up and comers along with his partner, Zip aka Tom Prichard.

But feeling he still had a whole heap of ring time left in him, Candido headed ECW. Along with Shane Douglas and Bam Bam Bigelow, he formed the most memorable version of the Triple Threat, and had a matter of respect feud with Lance Storm.

3 Steve Austin

Even the biggest star on the planet headed through ECW. Yes, Steve Austin worked for WCW. But there, he was just a good mechanic that was part of the Dangerous Alliance and then the Hollywood Blondes. Once Bischoff let him go (by FedEx), he turned to his former manager who offered him a spot to come on TV and air his grievances.

The result was Austin’s parody of Nitro (Monday NyQuil) and went from Stunning Steve to the Superstar Steve Austin. In ECW was where Austin began to get an edge and become the Texas Rattlesnake.

2 Cactus Jack

There was a time where it seemed like all Mick Foley was going to be known for was bleeding on every continent in an intense career of Hardcore Death Matches. Some of that blood was spilt in ECW. In ECW, Cactus Jack helped train Mikey Whipwreck and helped get him over.

Related: 5 ECW Wrestlers That Thrived In WWE & That Thrived In WCW

But Foley also delivered some of the best promos of his career in ECW. If you’ve never seen his “I’m Hardcore” series of promos, you owe it to yourself to do so. For something more serious check out a very real “Cane Dewey,” which started his heel turn.

1 Brian Pillman

Similar to Austin and Foley, Brian Pillman also made quite the name for himself on the national stage as Flyin’ Brian. But the controversial legend of The Loose Cannon really took off when he showed up out of the blue in ECW, and then proceeded to work blue.

The psychopath threatened to go to the bathroom right in the middle of the ECW ring. Pillman didn’t wrestle a match during this go around, but he learned exactly how far he could take his new character in a promotion where there were no rules.

Next: 5 Wrestlers ECW Regretted Releasing (& 5 They Should Have Released)