Triple Threat

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the US game show, see Triple Threat (game show).
Triple Threat
Stable
Members See Below
Debut 1995
Disbanded 1999
Promotions ECW

The Triple Threat was a professional wrestling heel stable that existed in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from 1995 to 1998. It was Shane Douglas' answer (so to speak) to Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen; Douglas legitimately hated Flair since he felt that Flair had held him back during his first run in World Championship Wrestling (Flair had been a booker in WCW at the time).

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] First incarnation

The original Triple Threat consisted of Shane Douglas, Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko in ECW. At one point they dominated ECW, as Douglas was ECW World Heavyweight Champion, and Benoit and Malenko were ECW Tag Team Champions. Malenko also became a two-time ECW Television Champion. The group developed a hand signal -- the three outer fingers raised with palms facing outward.

During the summer of 1995, Douglas left for the WWF, thus disbanding the Triple Threat. However, for a brief time 2 Cold Scorpio was added as a member of the Triple Threat (at least one episode of ECW TV had Scorpio, Benoit, and Malenko cutting a promo together stating they were the Triple Threat).

Nevertheless, when Benoit and Malenko left for WCW, the Triple Threat ceased to exist until Douglas returned to ECW. During their time in World Championship Wrestling, Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko were both members of the prominent Four Horsemen stable and often teamed together.

[edit] Second incarnation

In late 1996, approximately a year after his return to ECW, Douglas reformed the stable with Chris Candido and "Bulldozer" Brian Lee, and Francine as their manager. Douglas held the ECW Television Championship, but sought to regain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. In early 1997 a masked man, who displayed the mannerisms of Rick Rude, began stalking Francine. At ECW's first pay-per-view event, ECW Barely Legal, the man was revealed to be Brian Lee, who was kicked out of the Triple Threat for betraying Douglas.

Bam Bam Bigelow joined the group shortly after. Douglas lost the TV title to Taz, but won the ECW World Heavyweight title at Hardcore Heaven '97. Bigelow then challenged Douglas for the title and won, but forfeited his membership in the group in the process. Lance Storm took his place. It was short-lived, however, as Storm and Candido did not get along and Storm was kicked out. Eventually, Bigelow returned and replaced Storm.

Taz began a protracted feud with the entire stable, as he wanted a shot at Douglas' World title but was repeatedly denied, being forced to wrestle matches against the other members of the Triple Threat. His frustration led to his creation of the Fuck The World Heavyweight Championship in defiance.

Another angle had Candido and Storm winning the ECW Tag Team Championship together, and were forced to defend it despite their hatred for one another. During their reluctant title defenses, each man tried to one-up the other, and showed more concern for retaining the gold than for their partner's well-being.

For a brief time in 1998, once again every member of the group had ECW gold, with Douglas holding the World Heavyweight Championship, Bigelow holding the TV Championship, and Candido holding one half of the Tag Championship with ex-member Lance Storm. The group disbanded completely after Bigelow left for WCW, and Candido and Douglas went their separate ways after Douglas lost the ECW Title to Taz at ECW Guilty as Charged 1999.

[edit] In WCW

In 1999, another group was formed in World Championship Wrestling, which consisted of Douglas, Benoit, Malenko, Perry Saturn and Asya, called The Revolution.

In 2000, Douglas, Candido and Bigelow were briefly reunited in a group together in WCW, but did not use the name Triple Threat. They did, however, use everything else about the group. It was disbanded shortly after, starting when Candido left WCW.

[edit] In wrestling

Theme song

Perfect Strangers by Deep Purple

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

[edit] The New Triple Threat

In late 1998, Rob Van Dam, Sabu and Taz teamed up to form the "New Triple Threat". They wrestled Douglas, Candido and Bigelow at November to Remember on November 1, 1998 and were able to defeat them. The New Triple Threat then disbanded due to inner dissension.

[edit] Current Status of the Stable

As of now, Shane Douglas is the only surviving member of the most popular incarnation of the Triple Threat. Chris Candido died in 2005, and Bam Bam Bigelow died in 2007. Benoit, an early member of the Threat, committed a double murder (wife and son) /suicide in 2007, while other earlier members Malenko, Storm, Lee and Scorpio are still alive. The Triple Threat's surviving members are either in retirement, semi-retirement, or are in active duty in independent territories.