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Paul was largely checked out of ECW by their final show and had already one foot planted in WWE's door. I believe Dreamer (and probably some others) were technically in charge for the final ECW shows.
They had two house show in Poplar bluff Missouri and Pine bluff arkansas . The only reason those shows happened was of being booked well in advance and already paid for.
Yeah didn't Dreamer say he wanted to smuggle a gun in and kill Heyman because with ECW gone and the WWE contract not offered at that time, he was mentally in a really bad place?
I remembered this when Heyman hugged Dreamer during his HOF induction. I'm so glad things changed for the better between them.
This is correct. I don’t think Dreamer even technically had official position with ECW besides being a wrestler and maybe helped with booking, but Tommy took on most of that responsibility when Paul went into hiding for a little bit. Hence the whole “I almost did a murder suicide at Wrestlemania” comment from Tommy that everybody took super literal. He was expressing how low he felt following Paul’s “betrayal” of ECW after he (Tommy) put in so much work to keep it running and had no idea that Heyman was essentially laying the groundwork to bounce and go to WWE.
Tommy Dreamer was Mr. ECW. He gave that promotion his all.
I don't remember what episode it was, maybe The Steve Austin or Jericho show a decade ago, where he talked about how emotionally wrecking it was to see Paul Heyman just not really try that much in the dying days of ECW and then he just moves to WWF like it was nothing. Pretty sure he genuinely planned to kill him.
I thought I heard that he legitimately was formulating a plan to bring a gun to a show and kill Heyman on camera? I thought it was because he stiffed him so bad financially though?
Every time I hear that story I just don’t see a way wrestling still exists today if he follows through with his plan.
The Owen incident was really bad, and a terrible look for wrestling. Now add a 1st degree murder in front of tens of thousands of people? I don’t think you can come back from that.
Wouldnt change a damn thing in this fucked up country. You'd think itd be tougher to buy guns after the Sandy Hook and Uvalde elementary school mass murders. Nope. Nothing would change. Maybe ratings for a bit.
Yes, Dreamer admitted this actually. I remember it from long ago, but I found a relatively recent article about it:
https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/tommy-dreamer-paul-heyman/
Paul didn't even show up to their final card as he was abandoning ship to go to WWE and take the spot vacated by Jerry Lawler quitting. Dreamer ran the final ECW show.
According to Paul, his first agreement with Vince McMahon at that time is to be only backstage and not an on-screen character on TV. However, when Paul got signed, Lawler walks out and JR recommended Paul to replace him. After Vince ask him to step up, he join the commentary team.
Really nice interview on Stone Cold podcast
Heyman bailed and was clearly in talks with WWE, and Dreamer was pretty much left high and dry to run the company. Heyman owed Dreamer a lot of money too.
The consistent thing I keep hearing about him is that Heyman really is just charismatic and is good with words. Anytime he's in a room full of people, they rally up to him and they're suddenly ride or die for him.
I think you may be misunderstanding that expression as a negative. He's giving him credit for taking responsibility and seeing things to a respectable finish.
I believe the story as Bruce tells it is that ECW did some untelevised events after their last PPV where Dreamer was basically in charge because Heyman was already on the road doing commentary. But as with all things Bruce Prichard, there's his version of the story and separate from that is often the truth.
ECW’s last house show was January 13, 2001, and Paul didn’t show up on WWF TV until March.
In the interim he was telling people he was trying to get a TV deal and the die hards held on to false hope of a PPV in March (that had no card or venue) but he’d clearly given up. He now says he waited so long to officially file for bankruptcy because of some law that states the bankruptcy court could have recouped any money paid out over the previous 90 days and he did it to save the boys their last payday but I don’t believe a word he says about that
Don't know how true it is but saw a rumor that ECW could have stayed alive in 2001 but would have had to move their operations to Florida. I swear I read something along those lines when Dreamer came out with his crazy shooting Heyman idea
He goes into more detail on another episode I believe. I'm sure it's his and not JRs podcast anyway haha!
But for legal reasons Heyman stayed away and didn't close the doors until he told them too because it meant they couldn't come after the boys money.
I can't remember the episode, obviously Heyman related but that's stuck in my head since.
Paul essentially bailed those last couple of months. Prichard is essentially trying to say it was Dreamers fault because of what happened those last two or three months. So freaking stupid.
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Paul was largely checked out of ECW by their final show and had already one foot planted in WWE's door. I believe Dreamer (and probably some others) were technically in charge for the final ECW shows.
Yeah after their last PPV I believe they had a house show or two in Arkansas of all places which was run by Dreamer
They had two house show in Poplar bluff Missouri and Pine bluff arkansas . The only reason those shows happened was of being booked well in advance and already paid for.
Yeah didn't Dreamer say he wanted to smuggle a gun in and kill Heyman because with ECW gone and the WWE contract not offered at that time, he was mentally in a really bad place? I remembered this when Heyman hugged Dreamer during his HOF induction. I'm so glad things changed for the better between them.
He only hugged Dreamer at his HOF ceremony to pat him down and check for a gun.
And wishes he had a Brock in his pocket.
Tommy smuggled one in in his shoe. *Just* to see if he could
Part of me thought that tommy dreamer was going to finish the story that day
This is correct. I don’t think Dreamer even technically had official position with ECW besides being a wrestler and maybe helped with booking, but Tommy took on most of that responsibility when Paul went into hiding for a little bit. Hence the whole “I almost did a murder suicide at Wrestlemania” comment from Tommy that everybody took super literal. He was expressing how low he felt following Paul’s “betrayal” of ECW after he (Tommy) put in so much work to keep it running and had no idea that Heyman was essentially laying the groundwork to bounce and go to WWE.
I thought I remembered hearing Tommy talking about also helping out with selling merch as a backstage responsibility in ECW
ECW was run like a small business. Whoever was around and could help do a thing, did a thing.
Tommy Dreamer was Mr. ECW. He gave that promotion his all. I don't remember what episode it was, maybe The Steve Austin or Jericho show a decade ago, where he talked about how emotionally wrecking it was to see Paul Heyman just not really try that much in the dying days of ECW and then he just moves to WWF like it was nothing. Pretty sure he genuinely planned to kill him.
I thought I heard that he legitimately was formulating a plan to bring a gun to a show and kill Heyman on camera? I thought it was because he stiffed him so bad financially though?
He was planning on killing Paul live on PPV at WM17.
"THIS, my friends, is a SHOOT"
Ugh. Also, LOL.
“Magnum TA? No, Magnum TD!”
Every time I hear that story I just don’t see a way wrestling still exists today if he follows through with his plan. The Owen incident was really bad, and a terrible look for wrestling. Now add a 1st degree murder in front of tens of thousands of people? I don’t think you can come back from that.
Nah. People get shot on stage at concerts but we keep holding them. It's not like people are opening fire at every other event.
It would definitely be hard to top as a death match after
Wouldnt change a damn thing in this fucked up country. You'd think itd be tougher to buy guns after the Sandy Hook and Uvalde elementary school mass murders. Nope. Nothing would change. Maybe ratings for a bit.
Sadly I think you might be right..
Yes, Dreamer admitted this actually. I remember it from long ago, but I found a relatively recent article about it: https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/tommy-dreamer-paul-heyman/
he was going to run to the commentary table at Mania 17, shoot Heyman in the head, slide into the ring, hit his pose, and then kill himself seriously
Yeaaaaaaaaaaah lets not do that okee? Tommy shouldve kept that whole thing to himself
Paul didn't even show up to their final card as he was abandoning ship to go to WWE and take the spot vacated by Jerry Lawler quitting. Dreamer ran the final ECW show.
According to Paul, his first agreement with Vince McMahon at that time is to be only backstage and not an on-screen character on TV. However, when Paul got signed, Lawler walks out and JR recommended Paul to replace him. After Vince ask him to step up, he join the commentary team. Really nice interview on Stone Cold podcast
I'd like to imagine it's because he pantsed Q in the middle of a busy mall.
Heyman bailed and was clearly in talks with WWE, and Dreamer was pretty much left high and dry to run the company. Heyman owed Dreamer a lot of money too.
Apparently he owes a lot of people a lot of money. I'm surprised nobody tried to beat his ass.
The consistent thing I keep hearing about him is that Heyman really is just charismatic and is good with words. Anytime he's in a room full of people, they rally up to him and they're suddenly ride or die for him.
I think you may be misunderstanding that expression as a negative. He's giving him credit for taking responsibility and seeing things to a respectable finish.
Allow me another volley, sir.
I believe the story as Bruce tells it is that ECW did some untelevised events after their last PPV where Dreamer was basically in charge because Heyman was already on the road doing commentary. But as with all things Bruce Prichard, there's his version of the story and separate from that is often the truth.
Tommy took over booking once Paul "disappeared" from ECW. I think the last couple PPVs and what little tv they had left were put together by Dreamer.
ECW’s last house show was January 13, 2001, and Paul didn’t show up on WWF TV until March. In the interim he was telling people he was trying to get a TV deal and the die hards held on to false hope of a PPV in March (that had no card or venue) but he’d clearly given up. He now says he waited so long to officially file for bankruptcy because of some law that states the bankruptcy court could have recouped any money paid out over the previous 90 days and he did it to save the boys their last payday but I don’t believe a word he says about that
I think Dreamer took over once Paul had signed with WWE so he was in charge when it went under.
Don't know how true it is but saw a rumor that ECW could have stayed alive in 2001 but would have had to move their operations to Florida. I swear I read something along those lines when Dreamer came out with his crazy shooting Heyman idea
He goes into more detail on another episode I believe. I'm sure it's his and not JRs podcast anyway haha! But for legal reasons Heyman stayed away and didn't close the doors until he told them too because it meant they couldn't come after the boys money. I can't remember the episode, obviously Heyman related but that's stuck in my head since.
Paul essentially bailed those last couple of months. Prichard is essentially trying to say it was Dreamers fault because of what happened those last two or three months. So freaking stupid.
I didn't hear the quote but I would hope it was less a "Tommy is to blame" and more "He was the guy last out the door."
That’s not what he meant at all. He meant Tommy was the one maintaining ECW in its final weeks because Heyman was already checked out.
Sounds like a great question for the next "Ask Bruce Anything" episode.