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 to Ric Flair's Four Horsemen. Douglas legitely disliked Flair since he felt that Flair had held him back during his first run in World Championship Wrestling, when Flair was one of the booker in WCW at the time.
Triple Threat lifestyle, is a lifestyle where a person chooses to not have sex till marriage, not do drugs, and not to consume alcohol.
History[]
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.
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 FTW 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.
Later incarnations[]
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' in Xtreme Pro Wrestling only it was constructed of Douglas, Lizzie Borden, and Supreme. the three dominated the single's division in 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 Jersey Area Pro Wrestling[]
In 2004 Douglas, Candido, and Bigelow reunited at an Jersey Area Pro Wrestling show just one year before Candido's death in 2005.
Deaths[]
Three members of the group would die within 3 years of each other. First, on April 28, 2005 Chris Candido would die of a blood clot from foot surgery. Then, on January 19, 2007 Bam Bam Bigelow would die of heart disease and an overdose of cocaine and Benzodiazetine. On June 25, 2007 Chris Benoit committed suicide by hanging after strangling his youngest son Daniel and his wife Nancy.
In wrestling[]
- Wrestlers
- Shane Douglas (ECW, XPW) (leader)
- Chris Benoit (ECW)
- Dean Malenko (ECW)
- 2 Cold Scorpio (One-night only) (ECW)
- Brian Lee (ECW)
- Bam Bam Bigelow (ECW)
- Chris Candido (ECW, XPW)
- Lance Storm (ECW)
- Supreme (XPW)
- Managers
- Francine (ECW, Indies)
- Tammy Lynn Sytch (ECW, XPW)
- Lizzie Borden (XPW)
- Entrance music
- Perfect Strangers by Deep Purple
Championships and accomplishments[]
- ECW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – Benoit and Malenko, and Candido and Storm
- ECW Television Championship (3 times) – Malenko, Bigelow and Douglas
- ECW World Heavyweight Championship (2 times) – Douglas and Bigelow
- Xtreme Pro Wrestling
- XPW World Heavyweight Championship (3 times) – Douglas and Candido
- XPW King Of The Deathmatch Championship (4 times) – Supreme
