First Episode Of VICE's Dark Side Of The Ring Season Two Teased
It will seemingly chronicle the Mass Transit incident...
In 2019, VICE debuted two new series on professional wrestling. The Wrestlers focussed upon the Independent wrestling scene around the world, chronicling DDT in Japan, Lucha Libre in Mexico, and Voodoo wrestling in the Democratic Republic Of Congo.
Dark Side Of The Ring also premiered earlier this year as it documented controversial subjects within the industry. During the first season, the show focussed upon the Montreal Screwjob, the Von Erich family, and Randy Savage & Miss Elizabeth's relationship, among other subjects.
VICE announced in July that the show had been renewed for a second season and last night they tweeted their first teaser for the new series. The tweet included a silhouetted image of a large man dressed in a Ralph Kramden-esque outfit, signifying the first episode will focus upon the infamous Mass Transit Incident in ECW.
Back on November 23rd 1996, at an ECW house show, D-Von Dudley was supposed to team with Axl Rotten against The Gangstas, New Jack and Mustafa Saed. However, Rotten could not make the show due to travel issues. A 17-year-old Erich Kulas volunteered to take his place after claiming he was 23 and had been trained to wrestle by Killer Kowalski. The problem was Kulas had never actually trained to become a professional wrestler.
None the wiser, Heyman agreed and Kulas performed as Mass Transit, a bus driver character based upon Ralph Kramden from The Honeymooners. The match itself was designed to be a squash in which The Gangstas emerged victorious. To put them over, Kulas was told prior to the match that he would have to "get colour" and do a blade job. However, Kulas had never bladed before, so he asked New Jack to cut him. New Jack agreed and towards the end of the match, he bladed Kulas with a surgical scalpel but cut too deeply, severing two arteries in Transit's forehead.
Blood immediately sprayed from Kulas's head and he screamed in agony. The Gangstas continued with the match and Kulas eventually passed out.
Three years after the incident, the Kulas family filed charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon against New Jack, but because Erich asked to be bladed, the former ECW wrestler was acquitted of all charges.
Erich Kulas later passed away on May 12th 2002 following complications from gastric bypass surgery.
Dark Side Of The Ring also premiered earlier this year as it documented controversial subjects within the industry. During the first season, the show focussed upon the Montreal Screwjob, the Von Erich family, and Randy Savage & Miss Elizabeth's relationship, among other subjects.
VICE announced in July that the show had been renewed for a second season and last night they tweeted their first teaser for the new series. The tweet included a silhouetted image of a large man dressed in a Ralph Kramden-esque outfit, signifying the first episode will focus upon the infamous Mass Transit Incident in ECW.
Back on November 23rd 1996, at an ECW house show, D-Von Dudley was supposed to team with Axl Rotten against The Gangstas, New Jack and Mustafa Saed. However, Rotten could not make the show due to travel issues. A 17-year-old Erich Kulas volunteered to take his place after claiming he was 23 and had been trained to wrestle by Killer Kowalski. The problem was Kulas had never actually trained to become a professional wrestler.
None the wiser, Heyman agreed and Kulas performed as Mass Transit, a bus driver character based upon Ralph Kramden from The Honeymooners. The match itself was designed to be a squash in which The Gangstas emerged victorious. To put them over, Kulas was told prior to the match that he would have to "get colour" and do a blade job. However, Kulas had never bladed before, so he asked New Jack to cut him. New Jack agreed and towards the end of the match, he bladed Kulas with a surgical scalpel but cut too deeply, severing two arteries in Transit's forehead.
Blood immediately sprayed from Kulas's head and he screamed in agony. The Gangstas continued with the match and Kulas eventually passed out.
Three years after the incident, the Kulas family filed charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon against New Jack, but because Erich asked to be bladed, the former ECW wrestler was acquitted of all charges.
Erich Kulas later passed away on May 12th 2002 following complications from gastric bypass surgery.
Written by Aidan Gibbons
Editor-in-Chief of Cultaholic.com Twitter: @theaidangibbons
