Raven shares his thoughts on the controversial crucifixion angle in ECW.
Wrestling and religion collided in 1996 when Extreme Championship Wrestling aired an angle involving Raven and The Sandman. The infamous incident saw Raven place The Sandman on a cross, with barbed wire wrapped around his head.
Adding to The Sandman’s torment was his son, Tyler, also known as “Hardcore Hak,” who was manipulated into performing “The Raven’s Crucifix” taunt and turning against his father. The storyline has since become one of professional wrestling’s most notorious angles.
Raven on the infamous crucifixion angle in ECW
During a recent episode of INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, Raven was asked whether he felt the crucifixion angle with The Sandman in ECW crossed the line or was too controversial.
“I didn’t think it was pushing the envelope,” Raven. I didn’t think so. I understand why Paul E [Paul Heyman] made me cut an apology afterwards, but partly it’s because my family’s Jewish. I don’t follow the religion, but my family’s Jewish, and my last name is Levy, so people just assume I’m Jewish, and Paul E is Jewish, and Todd’s Jewish. Todd Gordon, the owner.
“So they thought it was a mockery of Christianity, but had nothing to do with that. I mean, Madonna masturbated with a crucifix on MTV., I’m thinking this is tame compared to that. To me, it was just a metaphor. It was a metaphor. The Crucifix with Sandman was just for him to feel my pain. Because Raven was always. I considered him a martyr for society’s dysfunction.”
The angle famously prompted Kurt Angle to stage a walkout in protest. He also threatened legal action against the promotion if any footage involving him from the event were to air. Angle was fresh off his 1996 Olympic victory and understandably did not want his reputation to be damaged.
WWE later recreated a toned-down version of the angle during the Attitude Era, when The Undertaker hung “Stone Cold” Steve Austin from his symbol on the May 17, 1999, episode of RAW is WAR.
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