Disney almost invested in ECW: Paul Heyman reveals House of Mouse plans for X-rated wrestling promotion

ECW legend Paul Heyman once claimed Disney held talks to invest in his hardcore wrestling brand.

The wrestling icon – who can currently be seen on SmackDown every week alongside Universal Champion Roman Reigns – transformed the industry with his work in the promotion, which went out of business in 2001 and was acquired by WWE two years later.

However, things could have been very different with apparent interest from the House of Mouse to actually get involved in Extreme Championship Wrestling.

Speaking in a classic clip on WWE Network’s Authentic, Untold Story of ECW, Heyman said: ‘We almost had a 49 percent interest purchased by – and PPV distribution handled by – Disney.

‘This was a very real discussion, a very serious discussion that moved up very fast, to where Disney was going to buy 49 percent of ECW through this new subsidiary they were going to run in paid television and become our PPV distributor, which means they’d have no problem collecting on the PPV debt.’

It’s not clear how close to an agreement the two parties actually came, but Heyman seemed to suggest it went all the way to the very top.

He added at the time: ‘It got all the way up to the vice chairman who at the last second said “Not this product. Just a little too non-Disney for Disney.” But my god, we were close.’

In an interesting coincidence, Marvel – which is now owned by Disney – once had a heavy involvement in the business, with Marvel Comics earning $100 every time Hulk Hogan wrestled for 20 years.

Back in 1985, WWE – known as Titan Sports until 1998 – reached an agreement with the company after billing the superstar as the ‘Incredible’ Hulk Hogan early in his run.

Naturally, Marvel didn’t take too kindly to that, and all sides came to a sensational agreement which saw them receive royalties and a set pay cheque every time he stepped between the rope.

In documents from the original agreement 36 years ago, Titan, Marvel and Hogan – whose real name is Terry Bollea – made a pretty amicable deal all considered, which allowed him to use the Hulk Hogan name as long as he didn’t step into the comic book world.

While this included royalties and neither side making comics using the character’s likeness, WWE also had to avoid using the Incredible Hulk’s moniker or green and purple colour scheme in any logos.

An interesting point in the contract – which can be found on IDOCPUB – also saw Marvel entitled to $100 for ‘for each wrestling match that Hulk Hogan appears in subsequent to the executive of this agreement’.

As Hogan was still involved in wrestling using his stage name at the time the contract expired in 2005 – when Bollea secured the rights himself – WWE, WCW and TNA Wrestling would all have been held to this throughout the vast majority of his active career.

Although the document was dated 25 March, 1985, the contract read: ‘The term of this license shall commence on July 9, 1984 and shall continue until the earlier of: (a) 20 years from the date of this agreement, or (b) when Terry Bollea ceases to be involved with wrestling.’

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