Tommy Dreamer Almost Made The Biggest Mistake Of His Life At WWE WrestleMania 17
Daniel Foster
Published Mar 27, 2026
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For some wrestlers, the sport treats them very nice. They live out their dream, become stars, and make lots of money while fans idolize them. However, that doesn't go for everyone. There's been too many times when the sport of professional wrestling crumbles the mind of someone through utter pain, loss, and depression. This was especially back in the 90s when the culture was so cut-throat and toxic. With WWE and WCW leading the charge, Paul Heyman's ECW was left to constantly be sprinting to catch up until it couldn't anymore. That left many wrestlers feeling let down, including Tommy Dreamer who, in a terrible mindset, thought about making a name for himself in the worst way possible.
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Tommy Dreamer Fell Into A Deep Depression When ECW Had To Close Its Doors
The original ECW was in dire straits financially which was no secret, but somehow, someway, it always seemed to keep on sticking around. That was until 2001 when the promotion used up all its lives and had to shut down for good. It was a tough pill to swallow for most of the talent, but especially for Tommy Dreamer, who was the heart and soul of ECW, so much so that he used his own money as well as money from his parents to keep the company alive. Unfortunately, he was watering a dead flower.
He was still working indie dates, but was living with his parents in his 30s. However, it wasn't until he found out that Paul Heyman had practically given up on ECW, and had been secretly under WWE's employment, that he really lost himself. Not only did he feel betrayed by someone he called a friend, but he had also been offered a big money contract from WCW that he turned down out of loyalty for Heyman. Heyman was begging Dreamer to stay in ECW while collecting paychecks from Vince McMahon to no one's knowledge, and that's what really sent Dreamer spiraling.
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Tommy Dreamer Planned To Kill Paul Heyman And Then Himself At WrestleMania 17
Paul Heyman had called Tommy Dreamer and told him that he was able to get Dreamer signed to the company, and he was set to debut in the famous TLC II match. Dreamer was supposed to take Rhyno's spot as the interference on behalf of Edge and Christian. However, those plans changed to him being involved in a Hardcore Championship situation. It was supposed to be all about him, but unfortunately, neither of those plans formulated, and that was truly the last straw for Dreamer.
Dreamer was working for an independent promotion in Texas around the time of WrestleMania, and had noticed a sign that said, "guns welcome." He was confused, but was told that guns were allowed inside Texas venues. This knowledge, along with the terrible mental health he was suffering from led him to legitimately think about going to WrestleMania, bringing a gun inside, and shooting Paul Heyman then himself. It was on his mind for days. He had the whole thing planned out too. He would've jumped the rail right behind where Heyman would've been sitting on commentary, shot him in the back of the head, did his classic pose, then shot himself too. Thankfully, Dreamer was able to pull himself out of the awful place he was in at the time, but he also had a little help from an unlikely source.
A Phone Call From Jim Ross Gave Tommy Dreamer All The Hope He Needed
Sometimes, all it takes to help someone who's depressed is a simple action from someone else to let them know they're being thought about. With Tommy Dreamer in a dark place mentally, he got a phone call from a number that he didn't know, so he ignored it. It was Jim Ross who left a message for Dreamer, and he told him to hang tight because they were still thinking of him, and they were going to get it done. There's no way of knowing if Dreamer would've actually ended up going through with it, but that phone call from Jim Ross saved the wrestling world from ever having to find out.
Tommy Dreamer knows how stupid it was. He knows how terrible it was to even think about doing it, but that's how it is for people suffering from that kind of depression. For Dreamer, it ate away at him. It seemed like everything was getting worse for him, and he just wanted someone to blame, and that someone became Paul Heyman. Luckily for Dreamer, he was brought into the company not long after WrestleMania, and even though he was never positioned as a top star, he still enjoyed a successful career.
