"You think The Sandman would get over in today’s WWE? Scratch that, you think The Sandman would get over ANYWHERE BUT ECW? That was the genius of Paul Heyman."
"In the tradition of Lou Thesz, in the tradition of Jack Brisco of the Brisco Brothers, of Dory Funk Jr., of Terry Funk— the man who will never die. As the real Nature Boy Buddy Rogers, upstairs tonight. From the Harley Races, to the Barry Windhams, to the... [grimaces in a look of disgust] Ric Flairs, I accept this heavyweight title. Wait a second. Of Kerry Von Erich. Of the fat man himself, Dusty Rhodes. This is it tonight, Dad. [looking at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship belt] God, that's beautiful. And Ricky Steamboat, and they can all KISS! MY! ASS!!! [throws down the NWA World Heavyweight Championship belt] Because! I am not the man who accepts a torch to be handed down to me from an organization that died - RIP - seven years ago. The Franchise, Shane Douglas, is the man who ignites the new flame of the sport of professional wrestling! [taking the ECW title belt] Tonight, before God and my father as witness, I declare myself, The Franchise, as the new ECW Heavyweight Champion of the world! We have set out to change the face of professional wrestling. So tonight, let the new era begin! The era of the sport of professional wrestling! the era of The Franchise! The era of the E-C-W!"
—Shane Douglas, upon winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at the end of a tournament at then-Eastern Championship Wrestling, August 27, 1994
"In ECW, we broke all the rules. Then we figured out why there are rules in the first place."
—Lance Storm
