Tommy Dreamer is one of the most beloved professional wrestlers of all time and a true icon of the industry. As the heart and soul of ECW, Dreamer is somebody that truly epitomizes what wrestling is all about and the positives that can come from it.

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He has worked hard no matter what company he has been in, and that is something that has led to fans loving him throughout his career. Audiences have learned a lot about Dreamer over the years, from his ability to cut a passionate promo to seeing him take a genuine beating in the ring. But there are plenty of backstage stories about the ECW legend that many wouldn't believe.

10 Failed WWE Plans

Tommy Dreamer backstage Cropped

Tommy Dreamer had a good WWE career, but it never quite reached the heights that it could have done, considering his ability in the ring and to connect with a crowd. However, there were several big creative ideas for him at one point.

Dreamer has admitted that he was once supposed to have a feud with Triple H over several PPVs. But the biggest missed idea was the fact that WWE once planned for Dreamer to become Tag Team Champions alongside fellow ECW legend, RVD, but sadly neither idea happened.

9 Hunting Down A Snake

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Tommy Dreamer was well trusted by Paul Heyman, which led to him taking on a lot of roles behind the scenes. One of them just so happened to be searching for a 12-foot snake at six in the morning on the day of an ECW PPV event.

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Heyman had called to inform him that Jake Roberts was going to be appearing at the event, and Dreamer was the man tasked with finding the trusty pet. Of course, he managed to do it, which is an example of why he was given such tasks.

8 Saving Sandman

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Tommy Dreamer and Sandman have a huge history together inside the ring as rivals, but they are also genuine friends behind the curtain. That was clear when Dreamer actually saved Sandman's life, although he didn't go over the top with his actions.

Sandman had overdosed on drugs and was believed to be dead by some people. However, Dreamer didn't give up on him and actually took Sandman to the hospital, simply telling them that they found him and thought he was dead, in order to not get himself in any trouble due to the state Sandman was in. Thankfully, the doctors were able to revive him.

7 He Turned Down Big WWE Offers

Tommy Dreamer posing

Tommy Dreamer obviously became a WWE Superstar later on in his career, but Vince McMahon actually wanted to sign him much earlier than that. The company offered Dreamer large financial offers when he was working for ECW to try and sign him.

This was when Dreamer was one of the hottest names in professional wrestling, which is why it makes sense that the company would have wanted him. But it showcases the true loyalty that he had to the extreme brand, as he turned them all down.

6 He Hired Hornswoggle

Tommy Dreamer in Impact Wrestling Cropped

Tommy Dreamer is close friends with Hornswoggle, with the two men having shared a lot of great moments together on the independent scene. However, what a lot of people don't know is that it was Dreamer himself who hired Hornswoggle to WWE, being the man who called him to offer the job.

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Dreamer was working in a backstage role at the time for the company and played a key part in bringing Hornswoggle in. The two men then rode together, with Hornswoggle claiming that Dreamer became his road father.

5 Trying To Get Darren Young Signed

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Another man that Tommy Dreamer worked hard to get signed to WWE was Darren Young. On his House Of Hardcore podcast, the ECW star revealed why it took so long for that to happen, claiming that he was told by WWE that Young looked too much like John Cena.

He then revealed this wasn't the first time that happened. Corey Graves was also told that he looked too much like CM Punk, with Dreamer showcasing how hard he had to work in order to get various talents signed to the company.

4 AEW Producer

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While Tommy Dreamer isn't signed with All Elite Wrestling, something that a lot of people aren't aware of is the fact he worked backstage as a producer for the company at All Out in 2019. It's a role a lot of fans don't know he took up, but his experience and knowledge were tapped into by Tony Khan.

This was early on in AEW's existence and utilizing knowledgeable people such as Dreamer made complete sense for the company. He was able to help out and use his experience to put together a great show on the night.

3 Tommy Ball

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Wrestlers spend a lot of time backstage when touring, and they come up with a wide variety of ways to keep occupied. One of those was Tommy Ball. This was a game that just so happened to feature Tommy Dreamer, standing naked while others threw tennis balls at his private area.

The wrestlers would place bets on each other, and Edge was legendary with his accuracy at the game. It's something that actually started because of Kane, and while it is quite a crazy thing to think about, it's how many wrestlers used to pass the time.

2 His WrestleMania 17 Plans

tommy dreamer paul heyman

Wrestling can be quite a dark place at times and unfortunately, Tommy Dreamer has suffered mentally over the years as well. Heading into WrestleMania 17, he was in that place and Dreamer has admitted he had actually planned to murder Paul Heyman, and then commit suicide at this show.

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After learning that Heyman had been taking money from WWE for a long time, Dreamer was heartbroken as the company no longer viewed him in the way they had previously when he received big-money offers. Thankfully, nothing happened at the show, but it highlights what a dark place he was in at that moment.

1 He Wanted To Be Shot

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ECW was known for its violence and dangerous spots, but Tommy Dreamer was hoping to take that to a new level at one stage. He actually pitched to be shot, in the ring by a sniper. This was when talent was being raided, and he wanted to discuss it on-air and then be shot.

He felt it would be a great idea that got people talking about ECW, but Paul Heyman was concerned a fan would get hurt. In the end, Terry Funk had to convince Dreamer that it wasn't good idea, and considering how crazy Funk was known to be, that says a lot.