Shane Douglas Says ECW Doesn't Look Dated, While The WWF And WCW From The Same Era Does

Picking up steam over the course of the early to mid-'90s, ECW grew from an NWA territory to the third-biggest wrestling promotion in the United States. However, it simply wasn't meant to last. For various reasons, ECW went under in 2001 and, like WCW, was purchased by the WWF (shortly before it became WWE). 

Speaking on the "Franchise University" podcast, ECW veteran Shane Douglas talked about the heyday of the promotion, including how it stacks up today against the WWF and WCW at the time.

"For me, it was a pleasure to go back and watch [ECW Barely Legal]," Douglas said. "Because I look at it, and then I ask myself as I'm looking at it, 'Does this look dated?' ... The answer is no. It looks like it could've been recorded the night before. When you watch WWF or WCW from that same timeframe, you can peg it to that timeframe, because it feels dated."

Douglas says they didn't plan to do things that way at ECW, but the do-it-yourself mentality was all they could afford at the time. The former ECW World Champion credits the production crew for shaping the look and feel of ECW, including the certain edge that helps it stay relevant and interesting to watch today.

Though Douglas had stints with both WWE and WCW, it's his time with ECW that the veteran is best remembered for. He was a four-time ECW World Champion, a two-time ECW World Television Champion, and held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship while with the promotion. The ECW veteran recently discussed feeling proud about his ability to succeed in wrestling outside of the WWE system after he vowed to stop working with Vince McMahon.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Franchise University" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.