Few Superstars in history have been as technically gifted as Dean Malenko. Although he achieved a great deal of national success in WCW, Malenko established his formidable reputation in ECW beginning in 1994. A two-time Television Champion and one-time ECW Tag Team Champion, Malenko battled the likes of 2 Cold Scorpio, Sabu and Tazz and displayed steely tactical prowess and technical abilities that earned him the nickname “The Shooter.”
In 1995, Malenko’s rivalry with Eddie Guerrero in the ECW Arena became an international phenomenon. Their epic clashes over the ECW TV Title raised the standard for technical wrestling in America and became the stuff of sports-entertainment legend. In their final battle in ECW before moving to WCW, Guerrero and Malenko battled in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match that was, perhaps, the greatest bout in ECW history. Although the harsh ECW fans had jeered the exiting competitors at the start of the match, the night ended with the Philly crowd chanting, “Please don’t go!” — K.P