Tag: ECW

Raven Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles in New Documentary

ECW legend and former WWE, WCW, and TNA star Raven is known to wrestling fans as one of the sharpest minds and most captivating talkers of the 1990s. But behind the dark promos and brooding character, the man behind the persona—Scott Levy—was fighting an emotional battle that fans never saw.

In his newly released documentary, Nevermore: The Raven Effect, the hardcore icon opens up about his journey to sobriety and the mental health challenges that shaped both his life and career.

Raven revealed that he lives with multiple personality disorders, a diagnosis he discovered by accident during treatment. “You’re not supposed to know your diagnosis,” he explained, “but I happened to read it upside down on my doctor’s desk… it said histrionic personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. To me, it was freeing—now I understood why I behaved the way I did.”

The former ECW World Champion went on to describe how those disorders affected his life and relationships. “Narcissistic Personality Disorder is basically egomania,” he said. “But histrionic is more twisted—needing to be the center of attention, being overly dramatic, using appearance to draw attention. I checked all the boxes.”

Raven connected much of his emotional turmoil to his complicated relationship with his father. He recalled that his dad’s constant insults and sarcasm shattered his self-esteem, leading him to overcompensate through ego and bravado. “If I brag about myself and convince you that I’m great,” Raven admitted, “maybe you’ll convince me that I am.”

He shared that it wasn’t until his father’s passing that he was finally able to move forward. “When he died, that’s when I finally became an adult. I was 35, but before that, I was still a kid chasing my dad’s approval.”

For fans who followed Raven’s career through the chaos of ECW, the bright lights of WWE, and the creative freedom of TNA, this revelation offers a deeply human look at the man behind one of wrestling’s most complex characters.

Raven’s story is a reminder that even the toughest minds in the business fight battles that go unseen—and his willingness to open up about those struggles continues to make him one of wrestling’s most compelling voices, both in and out of the ring.

Hardcore Legend Sabu Passes Away at 60, Just Weeks After Final Match

The wrestling world is mourning the loss of a true icon of the hardcore era, as Terrence Brunk—known to fans across the globe as Sabu—has passed away at the age of 60.

PWInsider was first to report the heartbreaking news, though details surrounding the cause and exact time of death have not yet been made public. What makes this loss even more poignant is that it comes mere weeks after Sabu officially wrestled his final match. On April 18, during WrestleMania weekend, the “Homicidal, Suicidal, Genocidal” legend stepped into the ring one last time, defeating Joey Janela in the main event of Joey Janela’s Spring Break 9.

Sabu’s legacy is deeply entwined with the roots of extreme wrestling. A second-generation star and the nephew of the legendary Sheik, Sabu broke into the business in 1985, wrestling across various Midwest territories. While he had early stints in WWE and Japan’s FMW, it was in ECW where Sabu became a game-changer. His wild, no-holds-barred style made him a cornerstone of the promotion’s rebellious identity, influencing an entire generation of performers and fans.

His brutal, high-risk matches against the likes of Rob Van Dam and Taz were the stuff of underground legend, passed around on VHS tapes long before streaming made wrestling instantly accessible. Even a brief run in WCW couldn’t keep him away from the chaos of ECW, where he remained until the company’s eventual closure in 2001.

After ECW folded, Sabu continued to bring hardcore wrestling to audiences on the independent scene and through appearances in TNA Wrestling. He returned to WWE during its ECW revival in 2006, briefly rekindling the spirit of the original brand. That run included a notable clash with John Cena at Vengeance 2006, offering mainstream fans a glimpse of what made Sabu a cult hero. He was released from WWE in 2007 but never left the ring for long, continuing to compete well into his later years.

Sabu’s death marks the end of an era. Few wrestlers embodied the raw, dangerous, and unpredictable energy of ‘90s ECW like he did. Whether crashing through tables wrapped in barbed wire or flying through the air with little regard for his own safety, Sabu lived the “hardcore” label in and out of the ring.

From smoky bingo halls to pay-per-view spotlights, his legacy will endure wherever fans celebrate wrestling without limits.

Rest in peace, Sabu.

ECW Legends Appeared At Last Night’s WWE NXT Show In Philly At The 2300 Arena

In a special episode last night of WWE NXT at the old ECW Arena (2300 Arena) in Philadelphia, PA, several ECW legends appeared on the show.

The Dudley Boyz reunited as Bubba Ray joined Trick Williams against Ethan Page and Ridge Holland, with D-Von providing a table for a big spot. Elsewhere, Tony D’Angelo defended his North American Title against Nunzio, settling an in-ring misunderstanding. Rob Van Dam also got involved, helping Je’Von Evans overcome Wes Lee after Lee tried to take out RVD backstage. Jaida Parker defeated Lola Vice in a hardcore match with Dawn Marie as the guest referee. Rhyno/Rhino delivered his signature Gore to Robert Stone during the segment where NXT GM Ava announced the NXT PLE Deadline. Plus the Queen of Extreme Francine made an appearance, sitting near ringside.

Bam Bam Bigelow And Others Will Reportedly Be Dark Side Of The Ring Subjects

The fourth season of VICE’s “Dark Side of the Ring” is in production. The documentary series, which focuses on controversial topics throughout the history of pro wrestling, will see the late Bam Bam Bigelow, Abdullah the Butcher, and the late Mike Awesome be profiled in the new season, according to PWInsider. It’s said that Mick Foley, Jim Cornette, Terry Funk, and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan have all been interviewed for upcoming episodes.

Bigelow, who performed for promotions such as New Japan Pro-Wrestling, WWE, World Championship Wrestling, ECW and the Memphis Wrestling territory throughout his career, faced many struggles in his personal life. In his younger years, the former ECW World Heavyweight Champion was often arrested and was once incarcerated in Mexico City for six months. Years later, Bigelow struggled with his health and addiction. He passed away in January 2007. 

Meanwhile, Abdullah the Butcher – a WWE Hall of Famer – is known for performing in hardcore matches around the globe. Because of his activities in such bouts, Butcher has several scars on the top of his head from excessive blading. In 2014, the former All Japan Pro Wrestling star was forced to pay out $2.3 million in damages to Canadian wrestler Devon Nicholson, who had accused Butcher of blading without consent and infecting him with hepatitis C. Regarding Awesome, he controversially departed ECW and signed with WCW while still reigning ECW World Champion in the 1990s. The former WWE Hardcore Champion was tragically found dead at his home in February 2007.

“Dark Side of the Ring,” created by Evan Husney and Jason Eisener, first aired in 2019 and has previously covered topics such as the Montreal Screwjob and Vince McMahon’s steroid trial. Chris Jericho has narrated the show since season two. 

Source: Wrestling Inc,

ECW Legend New Jack Passes Away At 58

Legendary former ECW wrestler Jerome Young, otherwise known by his ring name “New Jack” has  passed away at the age of 58 Friday afternoon. According to a report from Mike Johnson as PWInsider.com.

New Jack reportedly suffered a heart attack at his home in North Carolina. New Jack’s wife informed Johnson of her husband’s death.

New Jack was a controversial performer who specialized in the hardcore style matches typically associated with ’90s ECW. He began his career in Georgia and formed his stable The Gangstas with Mustafa and future WWE Superstar D-Lo Brown. The group had a run in Smoky Mountain Wrestling which put them on the map and drew the attention of Extreme Championship Wrestling. New Jack and The Gangstas joined ECW in 1995.

“I always saw New Jack’s performances as a mid-1990s urban version of the American Dream Dusty Rhodes,” Paul Heyman said of the New Jack in a Grantland piece back in 2015. “He’s a bad man, placed in a bad situation, under bad circumstances, and he’s going to now show the bad guys how to be truly bad.”

In the wake of his passing, some of New Jack’s friends and former colleagues paid tribute to him.

“New Jack was always good to me. He told me that since Jack Victory liked me, he’d put up with me,” former ECW star Steve Corino tweeted. “We used to do these crazy 8-mans in ECW. Jack would always be last and I’d get goosebumps when that music hit. Then pray I wasn’t getting the crutch that night! Thank you Jack.”

Like a lot wrestlers, New Jack retired and un-retired several times. His last match took place an ICW in April of this year.

In 1999, New Jack was featured in the pro wrestling documentary, Beyond the Mat. More recently, he was the subject of an episode of Dark Side Of The Ring.

Source: The Sportster

Tommy Dreamer & Former ECW Stars Pay Tribute To Balls Mahoney At House Of Hardcore Show

Source: WrestleView.com

Tommy Dreamer, Rhyno, Shane Douglas, Rob Van Dam, Joel Gertner, The Blue Meanie, Danny Doring, Stephen DeAngelis, Ron Buffone and talent booked on the show (outside) took part in a tribute to the late Balls Mahoney at last night’s House of Hardcore event in Philadelphia at the former ECW Arena.

ECW Original Balls Mahoney Reportedly Passes Away

Wrestling News Blog is saddened to learn that ECW Original Balls Mahoney has passed away at the age of 44.

Chris Candido’s brother Jonny says a friend saw ambulances parked in front of Mahoney’s house and when he called his wife, she gave him the unfortunate news. Jonny later said Balls died suddenly in the home.

Balls took a rough fall a few days ago and badly hurt his hip, according to PWInsider. After the fall, he had been using a walker to get around but became ill and passed away yesterday.

WWE issued the following:

WWE is saddened to learn of reports that Jonathan Rechner, best known for competing in ECW as Balls Mahoney, has passed away. WWE extends its condolences to Rechner’s family, friends and fans.

 

ECW Original Axl Rotten Passed Away At Age 44

ECW Original Axl Rotten (Brian Knighton )passed away at the age of 44 yesterday.  PWInsider reports that Rotten was found by authorities in a local motel, which was in a bad part of Baltimore.

Knighton burst onto the pro-wrestling scene in 1993, performing in the ECW with his fictional brother Ian Rotten. The duo’s acrimonious split became one of the network’s the most famous rivalries.

As Axl Rotten, Knighton was known for dramatic matches that incorporated barbed wire, flaming tables and broken glass.

He went on to form a tag team partnership with Jonathan Rechner — known as Balls Mahoney in ECW — where he competed until 1999.

In 2005, Knighton made a brief appearance in WWE, when his and others’ old ECW characters were resurrected for a “one night only” event.

Here is Rotten’s last tweet:

 

WWE issued this statement on Axl Rotten:

WWE is saddened to learn of reports that Brian Knighton, best known for competing in ECW as Axl Rotten from 1993 to 1999, has passed away. WWE extends its condolences to Knighton’s family, friends and fans.

 

Another ECW Original Appearing On RAW Tonight?

There has been speculation that another ECW original may be brought in to team with the Dudley Boyz & Tommy Dreamer against The Wyatt Family at WWE TLC pay-per-view.

Bubba Ray Dudley posted on Twitter that he has talked with an “EXTREME BROTHER” and hinted that he may be at RAW tonight in North Charleston, SC. Here is his tweet:

 

 

Sabu Advised To Retire

Sabu

 

ECW Original Sabu reportedly was advised by doctors earlier this year that he needed to retire after breaking several bones in his arm during a match. Sabu continues to wrestle on the indies & on international tours. He has told people that he has no intention of retiring.