The Blue Meanie Makes Request Of WWE Ahead Of WrestleMania's Return To Philadelphia

"WrestleMania 40" will be held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA on April 6 and 7, 2024. Philly is the home of ECW, and while the promotion in its original state has been gone since 2001, its legacy lives on.

Speaking to Wrestling Inc. Senior News Editor Nick Hausman, former ECW and WWE star The Blue Meanie detailed what he hopes WWE does during "WrestleMania" weekend in the City of Brotherly Love.

"'Mania is here in two years and last time WrestleMania was in Philly, it was WrestleMania XV," Meanie said. "ECW wasn't officially under WWE's umbrella, and every year WrestleMania, when they go to a town, they have some sort of acknowledgment to the territory of the time, whether it's World Class in Dallas, the Freebirds in Georgia, or whatever. Wherever they go, they always... Now that ECW's been officially under the umbrella for WWE, it'd be nice if they did a little nod to ECW WrestleMania weekend, whether it's at Access or a little cameo — maybe a gimmick battle royal."

If "WrestleMania 40" weekend were to have some ECW spice, one would think wrestlers from that era would be honored at the Hall of Fame. However, Meanie isn't about to pound the table for an induction. "You've got to put a ring on it like Beyonce said," Meanie joked. "That's not for me to decide. When you say, 'Oh, I want a thing,' it looks disingenuous."

With that said, don't expect Meanie to decline WWE if such a gesture was made. "I would not be opposed," Meanie said. "So, acknowledge ECW, WWE, while your biggest show of the year is in Philly and acknowledge something that, quite frankly, I think inspired the Attitude Era."