Author: The ECW Mass Transit Incident remains one of the most controversial moments in professional wrestling history. Extreme Championship Wrestling was known for its cutting-edge, counter-culture wrestling angles and physical in-ring style. However, on November 23, 1996, an event at a house show in Revere, Massachusetts, resulted in serious consequences that nearly destroyed the promotion before it truly had a chance to establish itself.
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ECW Mass Transit Incident: The Night That Nearly Destroyed the Promotion
Eric Kulas had just turned 17. He was a young man attempting to establish himself in professional wrestling and hoped to achieve this by working a house show for ECW.
Like many aspiring wrestlers, Kulas arrived at the arena early and had packed his gear.
An old rule of thumb in the wrestling business: Always carry your gear because you never know when a promoter might need an extra hand.
At the time, Kulas’s wrestling character was Mass Transit, a parody of Jackie Gleason’s character Ralph Kramden in The Honeymooners.
It was also a name that reflected his physical stature.
What Kulas wanted was to be accepted and respected by his peers in the wrestling community.
After Axl Rotten no-showed the event, ECW booker Paul Heyman was left without a tag-team partner for D-Von Dudley for a match against the Gangstas.
Kulas, with his father, Stephen, vouching for him, volunteered to take Rotten’s place.
Heyman claims that Kulas stated he was 23 years old and that legendary wrestler Killer Kowalski had trained him.
Graduating from Kowalski’s training school was no easy feat, and Heyman had positive experiences with wrestlers from his program.
Former ECW tag team champions The Eliminators (Perry Saturn and John Kronus) had trained under Kowalski, as had WWE’s Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Chyna.
The problem: Kulas lied about his credentials. No one, let alone Kowalski, had trained him.
He also misrepresented his age to gain access to compete. Kulas told Heyman he was 23.
New Jack recalls Kulas claiming to be 20. Some sources indicate he claimed to be 19. Regardless, it was clear that the teenager had been dishonest about both his age and experience to secure a spot on the show.
Backstage, Kulas reportedly created friction with locker room personnel due to his behavior. In retrospect, this is understandable.
An untrained wrestler with no understanding of professional wrestling protocol or locker room etiquette had been granted access to a closely-knit professional environment.
Before the match, Kulas was informed that he would need to “get color” (be cut intentionally to draw blood as part of the match psychology). The young wrestler had never undergone this procedure, so he asked New Jack to perform the cut for him.
The Gangstas’ wrestling style is notably physical and aggressive, typically featuring the use of various objects as part of their offense. D-Von Dudley was a trusted ECW performer. Kulas was not. He took the brunt of the Gangstas’ intense physical match, and New Jack used a surgical scalpel to create a cut on Kulas’s forehead.
The cut, however, went deeper than intended and resulted in a significant laceration. The injury was severe and required immediate medical attention.
The match was originally scheduled to be a squash match (one competitor easily defeating the other). D-Von was worked over outside the ring by both Saed and New Jack.
Once the Gangstas had finished their segment with D-Von, they focused their offense on Kulas inside the ring. They used several foreign objects, including toasters and crutches, as part of their attack.
As the match drew to a close, New Jack held Kulas and used a surgical scalpel to cut his forehead.
Kulas immediately expressed distress. He fell to the mat and was clearly affected by the severity of the injury.
The bleeding was significant and concerning to observers. ECW talent was well-known for using theatrical blade work as part of their storytelling in the ring. However, this incident appeared to exceed the normal parameters of professional wrestling practice.
Blading (self-inflicted or opponent-inflicted cuts) was established practice in professional wrestling, and numerous wrestlers have employed this technique. However, the severity of Kulas’ injury had profound consequences for both him and ECW.
Because Kulas was 17 years old, he was legally too young to compete. Since the event was not televised, ECW hoped the incident might go unnoticed. However, footage circulated through ECW’s ‘FanCam’ service.
The video captured New Jack asking “You alright?” after the cut, which some interpreted as part of the match flow. However, both New Jack and Saed continued their offense after this exchange.
The footage also captured Kulas’ father, Stephen, calling out: “Take it easy on him! He’s just a kid! Ring the bell. He’s 17!”
Medical personnel present at the event immediately attended to Kulas. While being treated, New Jack made comments from the microphone that were controversial and inflammatory, including offensive language and racial slurs.
The incident was controversial for multiple reasons, both the physical nature of what occurred during the match and the statements made afterward.
While ECW eventually moved past this event, it became permanently associated with the promotion’s history.
The Mass Transit Incident represents a significant moment in ECW’s early development, one that threatened the promotion’s viability before it had established mainstream success.
Shortly after the incident, the syndicated television program Inside Edition interviewed the Kulas family.
The program presented Eric Kulas as an unprepared victim rather than a willing participant in a professional wrestling match.
The family, supported by the television program, criticized ECW for failing to adequately protect the teenager and questioned the promotion’s safety protocols.
The Inside Edition segment emphasized the severity of Kulas’ injury and highlighted that Heyman had not verified his age or credentials before allowing him to compete.
The segment presented ECW in a negative light and, as a result, alienated ECW’s pay-per-view provider, Request TV. ECW was preparing for its inaugural pay-per-view event, Barely Legal, but following the Mass Transit Incident and the subsequent media coverage, Request TV canceled the broadcast.
Heyman invested considerable effort in negotiating with Request TV to reverse their decision. The company eventually agreed to broadcast Barely Legal approximately five months later, in April 1997.
The Inside Edition interview concluded with the Kulas family announcing their intention to pursue legal action against ECW.
However, the program presented only one perspective on the events, emphasizing Kulas’ injury and reaction without fully disclosing that Kulas had been a willing participant in the match, albeit one who had misrepresented his age and experience.
Mass Transit Incident Trial: What Really Happened in Court
Several years after the incident, Jerome ‘New Jack’ Young was charged with assault and battery with a weapon by the Kulas family.
During the trial, Young testified that Kulas had specifically requested to “get color,” meaning he had asked to be cut intentionally as part of creating visual drama in the match.
Young explained that Kulas wanted visible marks to establish credibility as an up-and-coming wrestler.
Other witnesses corroborated Young’s account that Kulas had requested the cut and that it was part of the match’s planned psychology.
After considering all testimony, the jury acquitted Young of criminal charges. Additional civil charges were also filed against Young.
Following the trial, Young was determined not liable in the civil case as well.
Evidence presented during the proceedings revealed that Eric’s father had called out “He’s only 17!” and “Take it easy on him. He’s just a kid!”
This revelation significantly undermined the Kulas family’s case, as it established that his father was aware that his son was participating in a physical professional wrestling match, knew that risk was inherent to the activity, and knew his son was underage. Additionally, Kulas maintained his role as a heel competitor as he was escorted to the backstage area following his injury.
During the legal proceedings, authorities determined that Kulas had not been truthful about his background. He had deceived Heyman regarding both his wrestling experience and his age.
While Kulas was indeed 17 years old, he had claimed to be 19, 20, or 23 depending on which person he was speaking with.
He had also falsely claimed to be trained by the late Killer Kowalski. Kulas demonstrated a pattern of deception, and his father was complicit in supporting these false claims.
Kulas not only lacked the experience he claimed to possess, he had no professional wrestling experience whatsoever. While the severity of his injury was significant, the outcome could have been considerably worse given his complete lack of training.
It was revealed that Stephen Kulas (Eric’s father) had approached ECW officials requesting that his son be allowed to compete.
Heyman disclosed that Kulas’ qualifications had been endorsed by a professional wrestler known as Tiny the Terrible, who had supported the claim that Kulas had trained under Kowalski.
The reality was that Kulas was a 17-year-old fan who deliberately misrepresented himself to gain access to professional wrestling competition, fully aware that doing so carried inherent physical risk.
Once the extent of Kulas’ deception became clear, New Jack indicated he held no remorse regarding the incident.
New Jack later revealed that Kulas had approached him before the match requesting specific offense (“spots”) despite being scheduled to lose. According to New Jack, this request was disrespectful and prompted his response that Kulas would “go down in history.”
It appears New Jack intended to make a significant statement through this match. While it was established that Kulas had requested the cut, New Jack evidently wanted to create a memorable and definitive moment at this house show. New Jack maintained his critical stance regarding Kulas before and after the incident.
Several years following the legal proceedings, Kulas passed away at age 22 from complications related to gastric bypass surgery.
New Jack, characteristically unrestrained in his commentary, made a final statement regarding the matter using offensive language.
Why the Mass Transit Incident Still Sparks Debate Today
How should contemporary fans view an incident that occurred nearly thirty years ago? The fundamental question remains: “What if?”
While the Mass Transit Incident did not ultimately determine ECW’s ultimate trajectory, it certainly impeded the promotion’s progression. Had the incident not occurred, ECW’s pay-per-view provider would likely not have withdrawn support for the Barely Legal event.
While the initial accusations made by the Kulas family were contradicted by trial evidence, this does not negate the fact that the injury Kulas sustained was severe. Notably, this was not an isolated incident involving New Jack.
Young has acknowledged engaging in altercations with other wrestlers during matches. Young has also faced criminal charges related to violent incidents occurring outside the professional wrestling context, making him an easy target for accusations and contributing to the controversy surrounding this particular incident.
The Mass Transit Incident remains a controversial chapter in ECW history, one that raises important questions about wrestler safety, liability, and the responsibility of promoters to verify credentials and protect all participants, regardless of age or experience level.
Jonny Candido, brother of late ECW performer Chris Candido, shared his recollection of the incident based on conversations with his brother:
“My brother told me the story. The Mass Transit individual obviously didn’t understand basic locker room protocol. He approached New Jack and made claims about how the match would proceed.
When starting in professional wrestling, protocol dictates greeting the locker room and allowing veterans to call the match unless directed otherwise.
He forged his liability waiver (given his age) and approached Jack with demands about the match structure.
“He was scheduled to lose to Jack, but he wanted significant offense and was being disrespectful.
“Then, when faced with the cutting procedure, he was apprehensive and asked Jack to perform it. At that point, Jack didn’t require much encouragement.”
According to the book ‘The Rise and Fall of ECW,” Heyman had requested photo identification, and Kulas provided fraudulent documentation.
However, the trial testimony conflicted on this point, with claims made that Heyman had not requested identification.
Paul Heyman provided this account of the events:
“Axl Rotten was unable to make the show. Something occurred. Backstage, there was a young man claiming to be trained by Killer Kowalski in Boston. His resume indicated he was approximately 21 or 22 years old. One of our referees indicated he recognized the individual from independent wrestling events. He was a large individual, approximately 400 pounds, and was dressed in a bus driver character outfit resembling Ralph Kramden from The Honeymooners. He identified himself as Mass Transit.
“He had provided a resume that proved to be fraudulent, and he had been working unauthorized shows in Rhode Island, though our referee was unaware of this.
This young man arrived with an individual known as Tiny the Terrible, a respected professional wrestler.
“I asked Tiny if he knew this person.
Tiny confirmed, ‘Yes, he is one of Kowalski’s top students and has been wrestling for a couple of years. I will vouch for him.’
“So I scheduled him with D-Von against the Gangstas.
“Before the match, New Jack asked him, ‘Do you want to be cut?’
“The young man responded, ‘No, can you do it for me?’
This arrangement was not commonly done, having another performer execute the cut, but it was not unprecedented within wrestling practice.”
Heyman has acknowledged that even he believed New Jack exceeded appropriate boundaries in executing the cut on Kulas.
Heyman also noted that Kulas’ reaction and distress may have contributed to the incident appearing more severe than it actually was medically.
“But the young man panicked and began expressing significant distress. The bleeding was substantial, but it originated from the forehead, which characteristically bleeds profusely, though such injuries are typically not life-threatening.”
This assessment summarizes the Mass Transit Incident: While the situation appeared dire enough to influence ECW’s pay-per-view provider to withdraw support, the incident ultimately did not prove fatal to ECW’s long-term viability.
The Lasting Legacy of ECW’s Mass Transit Incident
New Jack passed away from a heart attack on May 14, 2021. The day before his death, he shared his perspective on the Mass Transit Incident through social media, which would become his final public statement on the matter.
He wrote: “I don’t feel bad at all. He died years later due to health complications related to weight. He asked me to cut him so I did.”
New Jack maintained his characteristic directness and controversial perspective regarding the incident until his final days.
The Mass Transit Incident stands as a complex historical moment, one that involved the deception of a minor wrestler, the aggressive execution of a requested procedure, significant media scrutiny, legal proceedings, and profound implications for ECW’s early development.
These stories may also interest you:
- New Jack: The Story of Wrestling’s Most Violent Man
- Sandman and the ECW Incident That Went Too Far
- Chris Candido Story: Deception and Redemption Before Death
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