Richards’ passion for
wrestling is a bit extreme

By Joe Mason
Times Sports Editor

Extreme Championship Wrestling has been a huge part of Stevie Richards’ life.
And, at the same time, Stevie Richards has been a large part of the ECW legacy.
Richards (whose real name is Michael Manna) was part of the first match in ECW history, when he battled Jimmy Jannetty to a 20-minute draw.
That match took place more than 14 years ago at the now-defunct Michael Jack’s bar in Center City.
"It was on the bar’s dance floor . . . there were maybe two-hundred people there," Richards said of the match, which occurred in February 1992.
Since then, ECW has undergone a lot of changes.
The promotion, which was based in South Philadelphia, blossomed from wrestling matches in small venues, such as bars and recreation centers, to big productions in large venues.
It also expanded from a small outfit in the tri-state area to a promotion that was selling out arenas all over the United States and into Canada.
In 1997, ECW made its way to pay-per-view, when Richards participated in the main event.
But in 2000, ECW fell on hard times.
The organization was still selling out arenas across the country. But at the time, the promotion’s television deal with The Nashville Network had expired and the network decided to go with World Wrestling Entertainment and its rise to prominence in the ring. After that, ECW owner Paul Heyman could no longer afford to pay the wrestlers’ escalating salaries, so the business went down for the count.
That was until earlier this month, when WWE owner Vince McMahon decided to bring back ECW.
Now it’s up and running again.
And it returned home to Philadelphia on June 23, with a show at the former ECW Arena in South Philadelphia. It will be back in Philly on July 4 with a show at the Wachovia Center.
And back on the roster is Richards, who was part of it all at the very beginning.
"ECW is different, we’re like the middle-class wrestling promotion," Richards said. "I think ECW wrestlers, we were like your regular guys. I think guys in your neighborhood, regular guys, could be an ECW wrestler.
"We’re just a little more athletic, a little crazier and a little more insane," he continued. "But we related to the fans. It’s really amazing."
There’s a good reason for Richards’ ability to relate to the common guy on the street.
After all, that’s exactly what he was.
Prior to making his professional wrestling debut close to 15 years ago, Richards spent his entire life in Philly. He grew up in Port Richmond and graduated from Frankford High School in 1989.
While competing in ECW, he lived in the Oxford Circle area and later in the Far Northeast.
Living in the area and being a star wrestler had its perks. But it also meant he was always around his fans.
And when they didn’t like his matches, they weren’t too timid to let him know.
"I was just like every other wrestler in that I worked hard . . . we were known for working very hard," he said. "But when (the fans) didn’t like my match, I was pretty accessible. I was in the supermarket or at the gym. If they didn’t like what they were seeing, they could tell me about it."
But that’s what made ECW fun.
It’s what made the promotion intimate, what helped it grow from a regional promotion into a national product with a cult following.
"Our fans were as much a part of the show as the wrestlers, and they were pretty creative," Richards said. "They made us the promotion we were. And they’re really the reason we’re back.
"ECW wasn’t about the wrestlers, it wasn’t about Stevie Richards, it wasn’t about the Sandman, it wasn’t even about Paul Heyman. It was about the fans," he explained. "That’s what made it so special."
While most of Richards’ success came with ECW, he also succeeded in other federations. In the summer of 1997, Richards left ECW for World Championship Wrestling, which was owned by Ted Turner. When Richards arrived at WCW, the promotion was the hottest thing in sports entertainment.
He later moved on to the high-profile World Wrestling Federation, which later became known as World Wrestling Entertainment, and for the past seven years he has been employed by the company, which is owned by McMahon.
He’s lived the dream. He’s been in front of huge crowds, playing everything from a goofball to a right-wing conservative. And he has made a good living doing something he loves.
But it often has been a painful living.
During his time in the ring, Richards suffered many injuries. After suffering a serious neck injury during his final days with ECW, he underwent several operations, and later he had surgery on his vocal cords so that he could regain full ability to speak.
"That’s why I have such a raspy voice now," Richards said. "It was a tough period, but I believe everything happens for a reason."
Now he’s just hoping to get back in an ECW ring and perform.
And Richards, a resident of Stamford, Conn., these days, is really looking forward to coming home.
"I have a lot of friends there, and it will be great to be back in front of the fans that really made us and helped put us on the map," Richards said.
"We’re doing the ECW Arena, which is now known as the (Alhambra Arena), but to all the guys who ever wrestled in ECW, that will always be the ECW Arena," Richards said. "I think we would always like to wrestle in places like that, but that’s not my call. I’m just hoping to get back and have fun and give the fans their money’s worth. That’s what ECW is all about." ••
Sports editor Joe Mason can be reached at 215-354-3035 or jmason@phillynews.com