Members See below Disbanded 2013 | Debut 1995 Promotions ECW
XPW
BTW | |
Former
member(s) Shane Douglas (leader)
Dean Malenko
Chris Benoit
Chris Candido
Brian Lee
Bam Bam Bigelow
Supreme
Lizzie Borden | ||
The Triple Threat was a professional wrestling villainous stable that existed in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from 1995 to 1998. It was Shane Douglas's answer to Ric Flair's Four Horsemen. Douglas legitimately disliked Flair since he felt that Flair had held him back during his first run in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), when Flair was one of the bookers in WCW at the time.
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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 World Tag Team Champions. Malenko also became a two-time ECW World 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 World Wrestling Federation (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 Hardcore 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 WCW, Benoit and Malenko were both members of the prominent Four Horsemen stable and often teamed together.
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 World 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 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 ECW World Television Championship to Taz, but won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship at Hardcore Heaven. Rick Rude aligned with the Triple Threat to help Douglas became the greatest world champion in ECW by having Rude select Douglas's opponent. However, it became a ruse when Rude select Triple Threat member Bam Bam Bigelow as Douglas's next opponent. Bigelow then challenged Douglas for the title and won, but forfeited his membership in the group in the process. Lance Storm took his place, but it was short-lived, 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 and instead 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 World 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 championship than for their partner's well-being.
For a brief time in 1998, once again every member of the group had an ECW title, with Douglas holding the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, Bigelow holding the ECW World Television Championship, and Candido holding one half of the ECW World Tag Team Championship with Triple Threat prospect Lance Storm. The group disbanded completely after Bigelow left for WCW, and Candido and Douglas went their separate ways after Douglas lost the ECW World Heavyweight Championship to Taz at Guilty as Charged.
The New Triple Threat (ECW)
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.
The Revolution (WCW)
In 1999, the three original members again teamed up, joing forces with Perry Saturn and Asya to form the group The Revolution.
Douglas, Candido and Bigelow in WCW
In 2000, Douglas, Candido and Bigelow were briefly reunited in a group together in WCW. Despite not using the name Triple Threat, they imitated the mannerisms of the group. The group was disbanded shortly after, when Candido left WCW.
Triple Threat reunited in XPW
In 2002, the Triple Threat reunited as Douglas, Lizzie Borden and Supreme, and went by the name The Irish Guys and Gals. The three dominated the single's division in Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW), with Douglas holding the XPW World Heavyweight Championship and Supreme holding the XPW King of the Deathmatch Championship. Douglas would feud with Candido in XPW until XPW folded in 2003.
Douglas, Candido and Bigelow in JAPW
In 2004, Douglas, Candido and Bigelow reunited at a Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) show just one year before Candido's death in 2005.
Deaths
Three members of the Triple Threat died in a three-year span from 2005–2007. First on April 28, 2005, Candido would die of a blood clot from foot surgery. Then on January 19, 2007, Bigelow would die of heart disease and an overdose of cocaine and Benzodiazetine. On June 25, Benoit killed himself after strangling his youngest son Daniel and his wife Nancy.