Paul Heyman Comments On WWE Going 'Extreme' In Philadelphia

Following the announcement that Philadelphia will host Extreme Rules later this year at the Wells Fargo Arena, Paul Heyman has offered his two cents in regard to WWE hosting the premium live event in the home city of Extreme Championship Wrestling.

Prior to advocating for the current reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Heyman was the messiah of ECW between 1993 and 2001. The Philly-based promotion focused on a variety of styles such as lucha libre and hardcore wrestling, generating a legion of fans who wanted something different from what the mainstream organizations (WWE and WCW) were offering during that time.

ECW regularly ran at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, better known to fans as the ECW Arena, which was a venue that held just over 1,000 fans. The venue was initially used as a warehouse and to host bingo games. ECW would often attract rabid and passionate fans to their events. Even when WWE visits the city to this day, fans are extremely vocal about what is being presented in front of them.

"And it's not about any particular arena," Heyman told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "I'm equally at home in the Wells Fargo Center as I would have been at The Spectrum as I was at WCW in the Civic Center and at ECW at a dilapidated bingo hall on the wrong side of the train tracks at Swanson and Ritner. It's not about the four walls that host you, it's about the audience that's in there.

"It's a litmus test. There's an honesty from the Philadelphia sports fan that comes through, that permeates through the television set when you watch these events on television. There's no BS from a Philadelphia crowd. If they like you, they will reward you and bestow on you an affirmation that is quite — no pun intended — extreme and if they don't like you and don't like what you're presenting, their negative reaction is quite — no pun intended — extreme. You're going to know where you stand when you perform in Philly."

WWE Extreme Rules will take place on Saturday, October 8, and will be the second time in history that Philadelphia has hosted the premium live event.