ECW was never known for playing it safe, and few moments in the company’s history generated more controversy than the infamous crucifixion angle involving Raven and The Sandman.
During a recent appearance on “INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet,” ECW Original The Sandman looked back on the controversial segment, the backlash that followed, and the reaction from Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle.
The angle, which aired in 1996 in Extreme Championship Wrestling, saw Raven’s flock tie Sandman to a wooden crucifix in one of the most shocking visuals in wrestling history. According to Sandman, he was more involved in the segment than many fans may realize.
When asked if he remembered Raven pitching the idea to him, Sandman admitted he couldn’t recall the conversation itself, but revealed he personally built the crucifix used in the angle.
“No, I can’t remember, but I made it. I made it out of wood. If you guys go back and you watch Tommy Dreamer against Brian Lee in the scaffold match, I built that scaffold. It’s hanging down by chains from the ceiling, made out of the same four-by-fours that this thing’s made out of. So I made that thing too. So this thing was easy. I thought this was great.”
The segment remains one of the most debated angles in wrestling history, with many believing it crossed a line even by ECW standards. Sandman made it clear that the controversy was part of the appeal.
“Well, yes, that’s why I did it, but I didn’t care. I don’t know. I’ve never been a God-fearing person. I think there’s something, but I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe in like, the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost kind of part of it. So to me, it wasn’t really blasphemous, for one, and for two, it’s professional wrestling, you know what I mean, and for three, f*ck anybody that didn’t like it.”
The fallout from the segment became almost as legendary as the angle itself. Following backlash from fans and critics, Raven publicly apologized for the segment. Sandman said he strongly opposed the decision and believed nobody involved should have backed down.
“Oh, no, I told him not to. I told everybody. It’s Paul [Heyman], Todd Gordon, Shane [Douglas], Kurt Angle me and Raven. I told all of them, ‘You’re all fcking assholes. This is bullsht.’ He should not be going out there, and walked away.”
The controversy also famously played a role in Angle distancing himself from ECW at the time. Angle, who had only recently won Olympic gold and was exploring a future in professional wrestling, reportedly wanted no association with the angle after witnessing it firsthand.
Sandman said he understood Angle’s perspective, especially considering it was his first exposure to the wrestling business.
“I can’t blame Kurt. First of all, I can’t blame anybody for the father and son the Holy Spirit sht. It’s his first delve into professional wrestling, and I could see how he’s a little bit aghast at it. He’s trying to dip his foot into the waters. ‘I’m not sure I want to be involved with this.’ So I can understand his perspective. I can’t understand Paul’s perspective of even considering letting Raven go and doing that. That’s fcking bullsh*t.”
The crucifixion angle remains one of the defining examples of ECW’s willingness to push boundaries during the 1990s wrestling boom. While opinions on the segment remain divided decades later, Sandman clearly has no regrets about participating in one of the most controversial moments in wrestling history.
You can watch the entire interview with The Sandman on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet below.
(H/T to “INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet” for the quotes.)
