WWE NXT is taking a unique trip this week into the world of nostalgia. And who on planet earth doesn’t enjoy nostalgia more than pro wrestling fans? Wednesday night’s November 6th edition of NXT will take place at the famed 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, formerly known as the home of Extreme Championship Wrestling, the ECW Arena.
ECW was a pro wrestling pioneer in the 1990s, bringing a hardcore independent style to the mainstream. The promotion, ran by Paul Heyman, featured a collection of stars that would go on to huge things on the national stage alongside cult favorites. ECW featured maybe the most diverse collection of talent of any wrestling promotion, with everyone from Terry Funk to New Jack and Steve Austin to Sabu playing a role.
To commemorate the occasion, NXT released a promotional video mashing up some of their present day stars with ECW stars of the past. And they did so set to the tune of the classic ECW theme.
Get ready to go EXTREME. #WWENXT heads to Philadelphia and the 2300 Arena, formerly known as the ECW Arena, TOMORROW at 8/7c on @TheCW! pic.twitter.com/kCgFyw8zc6
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) November 5, 2024
Although ECW always positioned itself as the renegade promotion, they managed to gain a national television deal with TNN in 1999 at the height of the wrestling boom. However, the deal lasted only a little more than a year thanks to conflicts between Heyman and the network and the company closed its doors in 2001. It was then resuscitated for a few years in the 2000s after its property was purchased by WWE as a third brand to Raw and Smackdown. Ironically given the 2300 Arena show, ECW was finally ultimately phased out as a brand and replaced by NXT.
Don’t expect NXT to start breaking out the tables and thumbtacks on Wednesday night in a full tribute to ECW, but the scene at the 2300 Arena should be memorable nonetheless.
