Tim Roberts, who wrestled on the independent scene in The Northeast and Puerto Rico under the name "Tim Arson" and famously appeared on the first episode of ECW on SciFi as the "ECW Zombie" passed away sometime overnight. There isn't much known about the circumstances of his passing, except that he was found in bed. Roberts broke into the business training at Johnny Rodz' school in Brooklyn, NY and began working for a number of independent promotions in the Northeast in 2011. USA Pro Wrestling used him in a prominent position very early on in his career and it was obvious from those matches that he had tried to pattern himself after Triple H early in his career, both in physique and his style in the ring as he was a huge fan of the old school style of working in the ring.
In 2006, Arson began working regularly for World Wrestling Council, IWA Puerto Rico and NWS, an independent promotion on the Island at the time, including a feud with perennial top Island babyface Glamour Boy Shane.
Roberts got a look from WWE around the same timeframe and when fellow Rodz alumnus Big Vito vouched for him, Roberts ended up cast as the ECW Zombie. In one of those only in wrestling stories, the original script for the debut episode called for The Sandman to cane a Martian as a send-up of ECW being on the Sci Fi Network.
The Network objected, afraid to offend their regular fan base and somehow, a deal was made that a Zombie would be OK. So, Roberts ended up becoming the first-ever character to appear on the show, doing a growling promo and being caned by Sandman. -----------------------------------------------------------
I'd never heard the martian story before. Friggin' Vince.
RIP, Mr. Roberts. Thank you for that everlasting and wonderful memory and portrayal of The ECW Zombie. Quite a legacy, and I mean that!
I never understood the hatred for the ECW Zombie. It's like people didn't realize it was intentionally stupid. The whole thing was supposed to be a spoof of the cartoony crap that WWE was putting on at the time ECW first rose to prominence. And wasn't Sandman's entire schtick that his entrance usually took more time than his matches?
Thread ahead: The Annual Raw Main Events Quiz (2014 Edition) Next thread: WCW Starrcade: December 29, 1996 Previous thread: NBA D league announcer likes wrestling catchphrases