Extreme Championship Wrestling

Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and operated by its parent company HHG Corporation. The promotion was founded in 1992 by Tod Gordon as an NWA affiliate under the name Eastern Championship Wrestling. The following year, businessman and wrestling manager Paul Heyman assumed creative control from Eddie Gilbert, and the promotion was subsequently rechristened Extreme Championship Wrestling.

Under Heyman's direction, ECW became known for its hardcore wrestling style, featuring matches built around weapons such as chairs, tables, and fire, as well as adult-themed storylines. The promotion also showcased international wrestling styles rarely seen in the United States, including Mexican lucha libre and Japanese puroresu. By the second half of the 1990s, ECW had established itself as the third major national wrestling promotion in the country, competing with the WWF and WCW. The promotion debuted on national television in 1999 with ECW on TNN but held its final events in January 2001 after failing to secure a new television contract, leading to the company's closure.