WWE Hardcore Championship: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 02:18, 20 August 2025

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{{short description|Men's professional wrestling championship}}

[[Image:WWEhardcorebelt.JPG|thumb|300px|right|The original WWE Hardcore Championship belt]]

{{Infobox pro wrestling championship

[[World Wrestling Entertainment]]'s '''Hardcore Championship''' was a championship defended under [[hardcore wrestling|hardcore]] rules:

|name = WWE Hardcore Championship

|image = WWE Hardcore Championship.png

|caption = The WWF/WWE Hardcore Championship (circa 2002)

|promotion = [[WWE]]

|created = November 2, 1998

|retired = August 26, 2002

|firstchamp = [[Mick Foley]]

|finalchamp = [[Rob Van Dam]]

|mostreigns = [[Raven (wrestler)|Raven]] ([[List of WWE Hardcore Champions|26]] reigns)

|longestreign = [[Big Boss Man (wrestler)|Big Boss Man]] ([[List of WWE Hardcore Champions|97 days]])

|shortestreign = [[Terri Runnels]] (8 seconds)

|oldest = [[Pat Patterson (wrestler)|Pat Patterson]] ({{Age in years and days|1941|1|19|2000|6|19}})

|youngest = [[Christopher Nowinski]] ({{Age in years and days|1978|9|24|2002|7|6}})

|heaviest = [[Big Show]] ({{convert|500|lb|kg|abbr=on}})

|lightest = [[Terri Runnels]] ({{convert|100|lb|kg|abbr=on}})

|pastnames =

* WWF Hardcore Championship (1998–2002)

* WWE Hardcore Championship (2002)

}}

The '''WWE Hardcore Championship''' was a [[hardcore wrestling]] championship in the WWF (now [[WWE]]) which was contested under "hardcore" rules (no [[Professional wrestling#Disqualification|disqualifications]], no [[Professional wrestling#Countout|countouts]], and [[Professional wrestling match types#Falls Count Anywhere match|pinfalls count anywhere]]). In the latter part of the title's history, a rule was implemented allowing anyone to challenge the champion at any place or time, provided a [[Referee (professional wrestling)|referee]] was present (dubbed the "24/7 rule"). It is considered one of the most defining titles of the [[Attitude Era]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1385109-ring-rust-radios-attitude-era-draft-results-and-fantasy-cards | title=Ring Rust Radio's Attitude Era Draft Results and Fantasy Cards | website=[[Bleacher Report]] }}</ref> It was established on November 2, 1998, with [[Mick Foley|Mankind]] as the inaugural champion. In 2002, it was unified with the [[WWE Intercontinental Championship]] by [[Rob Van Dam]], the final Hardcore Champion.

== History ==

*'''No Disqualifications''', meaning all weapons and interference are legal.

=== Ratification ===

*'''Falls Count Anywhere''', meaning pinfalls and submissions do not have to take place in the ring.

During a storyline where The Corporation was manipulating Mankind, Vince McMahon awarded the taped-up, broken championship belt to Mankind as a backhanded compliment to keep him away from WWF Championship contention. Rather than reject the dilapidated title belt, Mankind embraced it with gratitude, calling McMahon "dad," to the disgust of The Corporation. The title was won by the Big Boss Man a month later, and was then defended as a regular title.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

*'''No Holds Barred''', meaning that the referee will allow anything and will only end the match with a pinfall or submission.

*'''24/7 Rules''', meaning the belt was being defended at all times, allowing the championship to change hands anytime as long as there was a [[Referee (professional wrestling)|referee]] present.

{{TOCright}}

==History==

[[Vince McMahon]] first awarded [[Mick Foley|Mankind]] the belt on [[November 2]], [[1998]]. After losing the title to the [[Ray Traylor|Big Bossman]], he never attempted to recapture it, mainly because of his main event [[Push (professional wrestling)|push]] he received shortly after he lost the belt. At the time of the belt's conception, the idea was that the belt was to have been used in comedy segments to try to push Mankind's reputation as a famous Hardcore wrestler, but as Foley was getting over with the crowd as well as the rising popularity of [[Hardcore wrestling]] at the time (mostly made famous by the [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] promotion), the Hardcore Championship seemed to gain a life of its own. Its growing popularity led competitor [[World Championship Wrestling]] to create their own [[WCW Hardcore Championship|Hardcore Championship]], a move followed by numerous [[independent circuit|independent]] promotions.

=== 24/7 rule ===

When [[Mike Lockwood|Crash Holly]] won the belt, he introduced the "'''24/7 rule'''"; which meantthat the belt was to be defended "at all times... as long as there was a referee was present." This allowed for many [[comic relief]] moments, includingsuch as the belt once changing hands at a motel while the champion was asleep, and(Crash aHolly segmentlost onthe antitle episodewhile ofhe was sleeping to ''[[WWEGerald Raw|RAWBrisco]]''), whereand [[The Headbangers]] chasedchasing Crash Holly around ''Funtime'', an amusement park in [[Brooklyn, New York]] with(Holly Crasheventually escapingescaped repeatedfrom attemptsa toball takepit theand titleran from himthe beforebuilding, escaping fromstill the ball pitchampion).

At [[WrestleMania X8]], [[Maven Huffman|Maven]] defended the title against [[Goldust]]. After they knocked each other out with trash can lids, [[Spike Dudley]] entered and pinned Maven to win the title. Then, in the backstage area, [[Gregory Helms|The Hurricane]] pinned Spike for the title. [[Molly Holly|Mighty Molly]] (The Hurricane's sidekick) told The Hurricane to go to the "Hurri-cycle" before knocking him out with a frying pan when his back was turned and pinning him. While looking for a safe place, [[Christian (wrestler)|Christian]] won the title by pinning Molly after hitting her in the head with a door. As he was about to leave the building in a taxi, he was attacked and pinned by Maven, who regained the title and escaped in the taxi.

The addition of this rule is said to have made the division both more interesting and more confusing, adding a vast array of holders and matches. Still, others believed this rule cheapened and devalued the championship for the same reasons. This rule has led to the shortest title reigns and quickest title changes in WWE history. On [[April 2]], [[2000]] at ''[[WrestleMania 2000]]'' in [[Anaheim, California]], for example, there were 10 title changes in a period of 15 minutes.

[[Trish Stratus]] faced [[Jazz (wrestler)|Jazz]] (managed by then-Hardcore Champion [[Stevie Richards]]) for the Women's Championship, and lost due to Richards' interference. After the match, [[Bubba Ray Dudley]] attacked Richards from behind and pinned him for the title. [[Raven (wrestler)|Raven]] appeared and pinned Dudley, but quickly lost the title to [[Justin Credible]], who was then pinned by Crash Holly. Dudley hit Holly with a trash can, but Stratus stole the pin on him. Dudley tried to attack Stratus from behind, but Jazz sprayed him with a fire extinguisher. Richards then stole the final pin of the night after Dudley accidentally powerbombed Stratus through a wooden table.

The 24/7 rule was enforced until [[August 19]], [[2002]] when ''RAW'' [[List of authority figures in professional wrestling|General Manager]] [[Eric Bischoff]] decided to suspend it following a six minute [[Battle royal (professional wrestling)#Hardcore battle royal|Hardcore Battle Royal]] won by [[Tommy Dreamer]].

This rule has allowed the shortest title reigns and quickest title changes in WWE history.

===Unification and retirement===

On [[August 26]], [[2002]] [[Rob Van Dam]] "unified" the title with the [[WWE Intercontinental Championship]] when he defeated Hardcore champion Tommy Dreamer, effectively retiring the title.

Four women have held the Hardcore Championship: Molly Holly (as Mighty Molly), Trish Stratus, [[Terri Runnels]], and [[Cynthia Lynch|The Godfather's ho]].

On an episode of ''RAW'' in the summer of [[2003]], WWE wrestlers and [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] [[List of Extreme Championship Wrestling alumni|alumni]]; [[Al Snow]], [[Dudley Boyz|The Dudley Family]] ([[Mark Lamonica|Bubba]], [[Devon Hughes|D-Von]], and [[Matt Hyson|Spike Dudley]]) Tommy Dreamer, and Rob Van Dam, along with [[Vince McMahon]], and [[WWE Raw|RAW]] Co-General Manager [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]], presented the original Hardcore Championship title to ''"Hardcore Legend"'', [[Mick Foley]], as a framed gift.

The championship often changed hands at [[house show]]s, to give the audience a "big moment". In the end, the title always returned to its original holder.

The belt was unofficially reactivated by Mick Foley in mid [[2006]] for a short period when he declared himself and [[Adam Copeland|Edge]] "co-holders of the Hardcore Championship" during a feud with Tommy Dreamer and [[Terry Funk]] and following a hardcore match between the two of them at ''[[WrestleMania 22]]''. After the feud ended, the belt once again disappeared from television.

At [[WrestleMania 2000]], a [[Professional wrestling battle royal|battle royal]] match, in the style of [[Professional wrestling match types#Championship Scramble|Championship Scramble]] was [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Book|booked]] where the title changed hands 10 times during the 15 minutes. The eventual winner was [[Hardcore Holly]], [[Tazz]], [[Nelson Frazier, Jr.|Viscera]], [[Shoichi Funaki|Funaki]], [[Rodney (wrestler)|Rodney]], [[Joey Abs]], [[Thrasher (wrestler)|Thrasher]], [[Pete Gas]], and Crash Holly all held the title for varying times throughout the match, usually for very short periods of time. The longest reign in the match was [[Nelson Frazier, Jr.|Viscera]] holding the title for nearly seven minutes.<ref>[http://www.wwe.com/classics/classic-lists/8-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-hardcore-title/page-7 The Hardcore Title changed hands 10 times in one night]</ref>

===Possible Return===

It has been hinted by [[WWE]] that it is planning to bring back the Hardcore title and use it in its new brand [[Extreme Championship Wrestling (WWE)|ECW]] a secondary title like the [[Intercontinental Championship]] is to [[WWE Raw|Raw]] or how the [[WWE United States Championship]] is to [[WWE Smackdown|Smackdown]], however it may be renamed under the term "[[Hardcore Match|Extreme Rules]]" than Hardcore Rules and may create a new belt to replace the broken-plated [[WWE Championship]] belt used before.

Between the [[The Invasion (professional wrestling)|Invasion storyline]] and [[WrestleMania X8]], the "24/7" rule was only used twice, during matches on the ''[[WWE Raw|Raw Is War]]'' episodes of August 13, 2001 and September 10, 2001 respectively. Both matches were coincidentally between [[Kurt Angle]] and [[Rob Van Dam]]. On the August 13 episode of ''Raw Is War'', [[Jeff Hardy]] interfered and brought a referee with him, and pinned Van Dam for the title, setting up a match for them at that year's [[SummerSlam (2001)|SummerSlam]]. On the September 10 episode of ''Raw Is War'', however, Angle won the match, then was thrown off the entrance ramp by [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]], who then also threw Van Dam off the ramp too. Van Dam landed on Angle and a referee counted the pin.

==Statistics==

{| cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 border=1 style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; font-size:90%; background-color: #f7f8ff;"

|'''Record:'''

|'''Record holder:'''

|'''Record number:'''

|'''Notes:'''

|----

|Most reigns

|[[Scott Levy (wrestler)|Raven]]

|Twenty-seven

|Raven first took this record after beating [[Mark Lamonica|Bubba Ray Dudley]] for his 15th title on the [[April 15]], [[2002]] edition of ''[[WWE Raw|RAW]]''. He was previously tied with [[Mike Lockwood|Crash Holly]] for the record, though he would re-tie Raven twice during the next month. Raven won his 27th and final championship from [[Tommy Dreamer]] on [[August 17]], [[2002]]. Many of the reigns were extremely short and took place during [[house show]]s.

|----

|Longest reign

|[[Rob Van Dam]]

|89 days<ref>History of the Hardcore Championship at [http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/hard/ wwe.com]</ref>

|The longest reign after the 24/7 rule. He won the belt on [[September 9]]^th, [[2001]], and held it until losing it to [[The Undertaker]] on [[December 9]]^th of that same year.

After the Invasion storyline, [[The Undertaker]] won the title from Van Dam. He defended against numerous opponents (usually smaller than him) and assaulted them after the matches (with the exception of [[Big Show]]). Although the 24/7 rule was still in effect during his reign, The Undertaker was not challenged by others under the rule; in storyline, commentator [[Jim Ross]] attributed this fact to no wrestler being "stupid enough" to do so.

|----

|Shortest reign

|[[Rob Van Dam]]

|N/A

|Van Dam beat [[Tommy Dreamer]] on the [[August 26]], 2002 episode of ''RAW'' to unify the Hardcore and [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|Intercontinental]] championships. Therefore, his reign as champion technically ended as soon as he won the match. <br /><br />If this reign is discounted, the shortest reign would be nearly impossible to determine, due to the frequent title changes caused by the 24/7 rule, most of which lasted less than a minute. The shortest reign prior to the introduction of the 24/7 rule is that of [[Davey Boy Smith]], who won the title on [[September 9]], 1999, and gave it to Al Snow in the same day <ref>History of the Hardcore Championship at [http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/hard/ wwe.com]</ref> .

|----

|Oldest champion

|[[Pat Patterson]]

|59 years

|Patterson beat [[Gerald Brisco]] for the title on the [[June 19]], 2000 edition of ''RAW''. He lost the title 6 days later to Crash Holly at the 2000 [[King of the Ring#2000|King of the Ring]].

|----

|Youngest champion

|[[Christopher Nowinski]]

|23 years

|Nowinski beat Crash Holly for the title at house shows on [[July 6]] and [[July 7|7]], [[2002]], but lost it both nights to [[John Layfield|Bradshaw]].

|----

|Heaviest champion

|[[Paul Wight|The Big Show]]

|7 ft 0 in; 507 lb.

|The Big Show is a 3 time Hardcore champion, winning the title at [[WWE No Way Out#2001|No Way Out 2001]] from Raven, from [[Terry Gerin|Rhyno]] on the [[May 28]], 2001 episode of ''RAW'', and from [[Matt Hyson|Spike Dudley]] at a house show on [[July 12]], [[2002]].

|----

|Lightest champion

|[[Terri Runnels]]

|4ft 10 in; 100lb.

|Terri, one of 4 women to win the Hardcore title, won the title while conducting an interview with Steven Richards. She won it from and lost it back to [[Stevie Richards|Steven Richards]] on the [[May 27]], [[2002]] episode of ''RAW''.

|}

The 24/7 rule ended on August 19, 2002 when ''Raw'' [[Professional wrestling authority figures|general manager]] [[Eric Bischoff]] suspended it before a six-minute hardcore battle royal, won by [[Tommy Dreamer]]. Previously, a 24-hour suspension on the rule was in place for Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy's match at [[WWF Invasion]]. Commissioner Mick Foley also suspended the rule while [[Shane McMahon]] held the title, to ensure he was still the champion at [[SummerSlam (2000)|SummerSlam]], to defend against [[Steve Blackman]], whom he cheated out of the belt.

== Trivia ==

*The title belt used for the original WWE Hardcore Championship belt was a replica belt first used as a [[WWE Championship|WWF Championship]] belt in an [[Angle (professional wrestling)|angle]] between [[Hulk Hogan]] and [[Curt Hennig|Mr. Perfect]]. Perfect and [[Lanny Poffo|The Genius]] stole and smashed the belt with a hammer on an episode of [[WWE Saturday Night's Main Event|Saturday Night's Main Event]]. When it was decided to create the Hardcore Championship WWE officials took the smashed-up belt from the angle and applied pieces of [[duct tape]] with the words 'HARDCORE' and 'CHAMPION' written on them.

*When [[John Layfield|Bradshaw]] first won the belt on [[June 9]], [[2002]], he replaced it with a customized belt to fit his Texan Cowboy gimmick. The belt included a Texas flag, giant bull horns and the words 'Texas Hardcore Champion'. The belt was in fact [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|Steve Austin's]] "Smoking Skull" championship belt with a Texas flag decal placed on the front.

*When [[Tommy Dreamer]] won the title he covered the faceplate of Bradshaw's belt with a New York license plate (Dreamer is from [[Yonkers, New York]]). This version of the belt was used until the title was retired.

*Four women have held the Hardcore Championship. They are [[Molly Holly]], [[Trish Stratus]], [[Terri Runnels]] and [[Cynthia Lynch]].

*In its 1394 days in existence, the Hardcore Championship changed hands 241 times, resulting in an average title reign of 5.78 days.

Women Hardcore Champions

On May 20, 2019, WWE unveiled a new championship, the [[WWE 24/7 Championship]], which was contested under the same 24/7 rule.<ref name="Raw05202019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2019/05/20/5-20-wwe-raw-results-kellers-report-on-money-in-the-bank-fallout-will-brock-lesnar-announce-his-intensions-mick-foley-reveals-new-wwe-title/|title=5/20 WWE Raw Results: Keller's report on Money in the Bank fallout, will Brock Lesnar announce his {{sic|inten|sions|nolink=y|reason=expecting 'intentions'}}, Mick Foley reveals new WWE Title|date=May 20, 2019|last=Keller|first=Wade|work=PW Torch|access-date=May 21, 2019}}</ref>

In May 2000, Cynthia Lynch made three more WWF TV appearances as one of The Godfather's Ho's, most notably briefly winning the WWF Hardcore Championship from Crash Holly.

=== Unification and retirement ===

On September 2001, Molly Holly dumped Spike Dudley to become Mighty Molly, the superhero sidekick of The Hurricane.[1] Molly, however, eventually left The Hurricane to become a full-time solo wrestler, taking his Hardcore Championship after whacking him with a frying pan at WrestleMania X8 on March 17th, 2002 in Toronto. She promptly lost it to Christian an hour later after getting a door slammed in her face.

The title was [[Championship unification|unified]] with the [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|Intercontinental Championship]] on August 26, 2002, when Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam defeated Hardcore Champion Tommy Dreamer.<ref name="Dreamer'sbio">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/dreamer_tommy.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715172446/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/dreamer_tommy.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 15, 2012|title=Bio: Tommy Dreamer|last1=Milner|first1=John M.|first2=Bob|last2=Kapur|first3=Richard|last3=Kamchen|date=April 7, 2006|work=Slam! Sports|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]|access-date=July 31, 2009|quote=Dreamer lost a Hardcore vs. Intercontinental title unification match vs. Rob Van Dam.}}</ref> This was one month after Van Dam defeated Jeff Hardy in a ladder match to unify the Intercontinental and [[WWE European Championship|European Championships]].

=== Sporadic appearances ===

On May 6 2002 Trish Stratus had a brief reign as Hardcore Champion by defeating Crash Holly on May 6. However, under the 24/7 rules of the title, she won and lost the title within minutes after Stevie Richards pinned her.

On the June 23, 2003 episode of ''Raw'', Mick Foley (who was the first champion, as "Mankind") was awarded the Hardcore Championship belt (but not the championship) by the ''Raw'' [[Professional wrestling authority figures|authority figure]] [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] for his contributions to hardcore wrestling.<ref name="FoleyawardbySCSA">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_4277.shtml|title=6/23 Raw review: Guttman's "alt perspective" review|last=Guttman|first=James|date=June 23, 2003|publisher=PWTorch.com|access-date=August 2, 2009|quote=Stone Cold then presented Foley with the Hardcore title and congratulated him}}</ref>

On May 22, 2006, [[Edge (wrestler)|Edge]] and Foley declared themselves co-holders of the championship as part of a storyline involving alumni of the hardcore wrestling-based [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] (ECW) promotion and were brought to [[ECW One Night Stand (2006)|ECW One Night Stand]] when they and [[Lita (wrestler)|Lita]] fought Tommy Dreamer, [[Terry Funk]], and [[Beulah McGillicutty]] in an [[Intergender wrestling|intergender]] [[Tag Team Wrestling|tag team]] [[Hardcore wrestling|Extreme Rules]] match.<ref name="FoleyawardtoEdge">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_16852.shtml|title=Keller's WWE Raw report 5/22: Ongoing "virtual time" analysis of live show|last=Keller|first=Wade|date=May 22, 2006|publisher=PWTorch.com|access-date=August 2, 2009|quote=Foley presented Edge with the old Hardcore Title belt....He whispered something to Lilian. She announced they are the new co-holders of the WWE Hardcore Championship. Edge, Foley, and Lita held the belt up together.}}</ref> The title was not defended and soon quietly disappeared.

On May 27, 2002 Terri Runnels briefly held the perpetually contested Hardcore Title when she pinned a dazed Steven Richards, though he immediately pinned her to regain the title.

In November, 2024, Triple H appeared at a [[Travis Scott]] concert and handed him a new Hardcore Championship belt, this one based on the modern WWE Championship belt, while declaring him the 'new' WWE Hardcore Champion.

=== Origin of the belt ===

The Hardcore Championship belt was rumored to have been a replica of the "Winged Eagle" [[WWF Championship]] belt, which was smashed in several places and reassembled with two pieces of duct tape, and inscribed with the words "Hardcore" and "Champion" in marker. During a feud between [[Curt Hennig|"Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig]] and then-champion [[Hulk Hogan]], Hennig stole the championship belt and smashed the center medallion with a hammer during an interview. As Hennig had done so much genuine damage, a replica belt had to be used for the remainder of the story line. The center medallion on the replica and the Hardcore championship is identical. Mick Foley commented that he did not know if the belt that Hennig smashed was later used as the Hardcore Championship, but quipped that "it makes ‘perfect’ sense." WWE listed this theory as one of its urban legends, but was unable to determine whether it is true. The original belt was later sold as memorabilia by former WWE employee Mel Phillips and authenticated by belt makers Dave Millican and [[Reggie Parks]], thus debunking the longtime rumor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/classic-lists/8-wwe-urban-legends|title= The truth behind 8 WWE urban legends|publisher=WWE|access-date=August 23, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZdlGDXn2Gs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/VZdlGDXn2Gs |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title= Hulk Hogan's Real Wrestlemania 5 Winged Eagle WWF Belt Destroyed by Mr. Perfect on SNME|date=20 October 2012 |publisher=BeltFanDan via YouTube|access-date=September 21, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

When [[John Layfield|Bradshaw]] won the title in June 2002, he briefly renamed it the Texas Hardcore Championship,<ref>"WWE Raw" (July 29, 2002)</ref> and wore a Smoking Skull belt customized with the Texas flag, artificial bull horns and a Bullrope on the centerplate.

==See also==

*[[List of WWE Hardcore Champions]]

Tommy Dreamer, in the last title defense of the Hardcore Championship, used a variation of the belt with a New York license plate as a centerplate, over a replica of a [[WWE European Championship|European Championship]]. The reason for these changes was because the original belt had become so damaged from wear and tear.<ref>"WWE Raw" (August 26, 2002)</ref>

==References==

<div class="references-small">

<references/>

</div>

Travis Scott's version of the belt is a replica of the original black "Big Network" WWE Championship belt, with the original duct tape and marker 'label' as the original belt, due to the fact the original Hardcore Championship belt being now in the hands of Mick Foley, and WWE's own standardization of belt designs.

==External links==

*[http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/hard/ WWE Hardcore Title History]

== Reigns ==

[[Category:World Wrestling Entertainment championships]]

{{Main|List of WWE Hardcore Champions}}

[[Category:Hardcore wrestling championships]]

[[Vince McMahon|Mr. McMahon]] awarded [[Mick Foley|Mankind]] the '''World Wrestling Federation (WWF) Hardcore Championship''' on November 2, 1998. After Mankind lost the title to [[Big Boss Man (wrestler)|Big Boss Man]], he never attempted to recapture the title, mainly because of the main event [[Push (professional wrestling)|push]] he received shortly afterward. At the time of conception, the idea was for the belt to be used in comedy segments to play on Mankind's reputation as a hardcore wrestler. However, as Mankind and [[hardcore wrestling]] became more popular with audiences, the Hardcore Championship became a more serious title. Its popularity led competitor [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW) to create [[WCW Hardcore Championship|its own Hardcore Championship]], a move followed by numerous [[Independent circuit|independent]] promotions.

== References ==

[[de:WWE Hardcore Championship]]

{{Reflist}}

[[es:WWE Hardcore Championship]]

[[it:WWE Hardcore Championship]]

== External links ==

[[nl:WWE Hardcore Championship]]

* {{official website|https://www.wwe.com/titlehistory/hardcore-championship|Official WWE Hardcore Championship history}}

[[ja:WWE・ハードコア王座]]

* [[pthttp://solie.org/titlehistories/whcwwf.html Solie.org WWF/WWE Hardcore Championship] history]

{{WWE Hardcore Championship}}

{{WWE Championships}}

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[[Category:WWE championships]]

[[Category:Hardcore wrestling championships]]