A Book by Tod Gordon and Sean Oliver
Tod Gordon’s book, Tod is God: The Authorized Story of How I Created Extreme Championship Wrestling, is an eye-opening memoir that pulls back the curtain on the gritty, rebellious rise of ECW, from its earliest days to the moment Paul Heyman muscled in and essentially took credit for everything. As the founder of ECW, Gordon gives readers a front-row seat to the wild, no-holds-barred world of professional wrestling in the 1990s. While settling a score with Heyman isn’t the sole purpose of this book, Gordon takes great care in setting the record straight regarding numerous mistruths Heyman has alluded to over the years.
“In Tod is God—so named for a chant the ECW fans created to honor the founder—Gordon chronicles each step of the company’s meteoric rise to prominence, as well as the elements that led to his removing himself from the company before its demise. Gordon’s former partnership with ECW booker Paul Heyman made for magical TV and in-ring moments. The friendship between Gordon and Heyman, both a blessing and curse, was the once-in-a-lifetime bond responsible for so many of history’s greatest teams, bands, and partners. Gordon has stayed silent on the causes for the split and, by doing so, assumed blame for it. Until now.”
Gordon’s writing is as fast-paced and unfiltered as the promotion he helped create. He dives deep into ECW’s evolution, from its humble beginnings as Eastern Championship Wrestling to its transformation into a revolutionary force that changed the industry forever. His stories are packed with behind-the-scenes drama, legendary personalities, and the kind of chaos that made ECW infamous. One of the book’s greatest strengths is its honesty – Gordon doesn’t hold back when discussing the power struggles, betrayals, and financial disasters that ultimately led to his departure from the company. He also doesn’t shy away from describing the backstage antics he and his employees engaged in – wild debauchery, drug use, and all the excess that defined the era. He doesn’t attempt to clean up his image or protect his own reputation; instead, he lays it all out, showing that even while running ECW, he was still maintaining his world-renowned pawn business as his actual primary job.
A significant portion of the book sees Gordon giving a rundown of ECW’s most notable names – The Sandman, Sabu, Taz, Bill Alfonso, and more. He introduces each wrestler, shares stories of how they met, details the hijinks they got up to, and gives his unfiltered thoughts on them. In many ways, the book plays out like a series of “shoot interviews,” making it a highly entertaining read for wrestling fans. One of the most striking chapters focuses on Chris Benoit– a man Gordon has come to loathe due to his horrific actions in 2007, which led to the death of Gordon’s close friend, Nancy Benoit. He doesn’t hold back, making it clear that no matter how talented Benoit was, his legacy should be erased.
Gordon also offers a candid look at his relationship with Paul Heyman, the so-called “mastermind” behind ECW’s creative direction – a reputation that Gordon calls into question. He details how Heyman frequently took credit for things Gordon actually did, mismanaged money, got the company into trouble, and ultimately left Gordon with no choice but to sell off his share of the promotion. Heyman then attempted to rewrite history, painting Gordon as the villain in conspiracies – such as the false claim that he was a mole for WCW. This part of the book is undoubtedly one of its biggest draws and may just change your perspective on a man many consider a “wrestling genius” – when, in reality, he comes off more like wrestling’s equivalent of Elon Musk.
Beyond all the drama, Tod is God is also a love letter to the wrestling business. Gordon’s passion for the industry and the wrestlers who helped build ECW shines through on every page. He celebrates the contributions of stars like Sabu, The Sandman, and Tommy Dreamer while acknowledging the physical and mental toll the business takes on those involved. For longtime ECW fans, this book is a must-read, offering fresh insight into an era that redefined professional wrestling. Even for those unfamiliar with ECW, Tod is God is an engaging, behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a groundbreaking promotion.