4 ECW legends who could appear on WWE NXT at the 2300 Arena
WWE is taking NXT on the road to Philly, where they will film the brand's next show at the iconic 2300 Arena. This building has been home to some of the most extreme moments in wrestling history. Formerly known as The ECW Arena, it is a shrine to hardcore wrestling.
Several former ECW stars will be in attendance for the NXT show at the 2300 Arena. "The Queen of Extreme" Francine, Bubba Ray Dudley, and Rob Van Dam are some of the names expected to appear.
This is our list of four ECW legends who could appear at NXT at the 2300 Arena:
#4 4-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion "The Franchise" Shane Douglas
When Extreme Championship Wrestling signed Shane Douglas in 1993, he became one of the pillars of the original success of the hardcore-style company. After a run with Eddie Gilbert's Hotstuff International, ECW dubbed Shane "The Franchise" to make him the face of the company. Douglas led the charge against WCW and WWF as ECW set the wrestling world on fire with their controversial, hardcore style.
Shane Douglas is one of the greatest ECW legends in the brand's history. He held the world title four times, for a total of nearly 900 days. Some of his best feuds came against other hardcore legends like Terry Funk and Sabu. Douglas will soon turn 60, and he still finds time to climb back into the ring. He is actively making his rounds at conventions, and other indie events, so it would make perfect sense to see him show up at NXT's taping at the 2300 Arena.
#3 3-time WWE Hardcore Champion Rhyno
Despite not spending much time in ECW, Rhyno's run with the promotion was very impactful. He signed in 2000, just a few years before the company folded. He was also recognized as the final ECW World Heavyweight Champion before WWE bought them over.
Rhyno was one of those ECW stars who made the jump to WWE, signing with them shortly after the acquisition. He was a part of the infamous Invasion storyline before going on to become a three-time Hardcore Champion. The 49-year-old is currently on the TNA roster and, considering their current relationship with WWE, it would not be a surprise to see a "Gore!" pop up at the NXT event.
#2 5-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion The Sandman
Known as one of the ECW Originals, The Sandman first started his run with a surfer persona. In 1994 he morphed into a beer-chugging fan-favorite who marched through the crowd with his Singapore cane in tow.
The Sandman helped create the legendary atmosphere inside the 2300 Arena that will never be duplicated.
Following the sale of Extreme Championship Wrestling, The Sandman took his cane to TNA, where he and a few other ECW stars brought hardcore wrestling to the six-sided ring.
In 2005, he made his WWE debut at the Hardcore Homecoming event. The Sandman still makes appearances at wrestling events and conventions. He could electrify the crowd at the 2300 Arena if the Stamford-based promotion decides to bring him in for the NXT event.
#1 WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley
When fans discuss the greats of tag team wrestling, The Dudley Boyz are undoubtedly a part of the conversation. As one of the most decorated duos of all time, D-Von and Bubba Ray have a list of accolades that are too long to mention. In 2018, The Dudleys took their rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame.
Bubba is already booked to appear on the NXT show as Trick Williams' partner against Ethan Page and Ridge Holland. With that said, there is a very real possibility that the WWE Universe could see a Dudley Death Drop if D-Von comes out to help his longtime partner.