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ECW invades WWE: photos! t* q$ f4 D8 I7 b
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. T! ~5 G3 e% x; |9 R; ~2 QThe Sandman, Paul Heyman and Tommy Dreamer all made their first appearances in WWE sitting ringside at In Your House: Mind Games in 1996.* M0 [) f& M' ~* l
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+ d4 W% x$ S' o- @; V* uThey were later escorted from the building by security.
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Kronus of The Eliminators was one of the first ECW competitors to be seen by the WWE Universe.. T4 i" ^2 J0 p* `7 T
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The bWo were some of the first ECW competitors to appear on the company's invasion of Raw on Feb. 24, 1997.
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* h6 n4 e* l8 ^( c( f/ r! NECW's first sanctioned bout on Raw was between Stevie Richards and Little Guido.; ?! Q& @& K" g" e" H" n
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Tommy Dreamer battled D-Von Dudley at the Manhattan Center.9 h$ ]3 e' T& s6 i S+ O( D
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: }, O1 _. f8 ^2 L3 B: D; j yPaul Heyman called the action alongside Mr. McMahon and Jerry Lawler.
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5 V) y! L+ n! `1 n; I"The King" was not pleased with ECW's presence at a WWE event.- R; k4 ^7 }9 n1 F Y
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1 M$ p. j. M3 N5 d# l- K; OTazz, along with manager Bill Alfonso, took exception to Lawler's derogatory remarks.
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* ]% m$ O+ w Y" v/ o* L% |. eOne month after ECW took over Raw, Lawler and Heyman took part in a debate with ECW stars present as well.# X" z2 c- @. g; ]3 m
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Rob Van Dam arrived in WWE during spring 1997, defeating a very young Jeff Hardy.& K/ G4 e: b' B' |* b; U
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3 t% J" R& U/ g; W1 S& A4 kRob Van Dam was eventually taken under Lawler's wing when "Mr. Monday Night" considered a switch from ECW to WWE.
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Together, "The King" and RVD battled The Headbangers in a tag team match on Raw.4 D6 F$ b4 x6 Q5 S; J7 H
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Sabu also appeared in WWE, competing against Flash Funk on Raw in his hometown of Detroit during June 1997.: X9 h$ z0 r: H
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