WCW Hardcore Championship
Encyclopedia
The World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Hardcore Championship was a title in World Championship Wrestling
. The title was defended in Hardcore matches, in which there were few rules and restrictions and weapons were allowed. Eventually, the rules were changed so that matches began in the backstage area but would only end by pinfall in the ring. The belt was created in response to the growing popularity of hardcore wrestling
in North America
.
The title lasted from 1999 to 2001. The very first WCW Hardcore champion was Norman Smiley
who defeated Brian Knobbs
in Toronto
, Ontario
at the WCW pay-per-view
Mayhem
on November 21, 1999. Other notable champions are 3 Count
who won and defended the belt as a trio. Brian Knobbs who held the belt a record three times and was the one to defeat 3 Count at WCW Uncensored 2000. Terry Funk (a two time hardcore champ) also held the title for a period of almost two months, from April–June 2000 when he was defeated by Eric Bischoff
at a WCW Monday Nitro
in Atlanta, Georgia. Bischoff later awarded the title to Big Vito as a reward for helping him take it from Funk. Lance Storm
later won the title and renamed it the Saskatchewan
Hardcore International Title (or S.H.I.T.). The final competitive hardcore champion in WCW was Meng, who defeated Crowbar
and reigning champ Terry Funk
at WCW Sin
on January 14, 2001. It was largely abandoned after Meng left the company to return to the WWF. Meng awarded the belt to Barbarian
as a gift on an episode of Thunder, which was Meng's final appearance on WCW television. The title belt was handed over formally to the WWF upon the purchase of WCW. The title is now displayed in WWE headquaters in Stamford, Connecticut
.
The WCW Hardcore Title was a continuation from the WCW Hardcore Trophy that Fit Finlay won in the Junkyard Battle Royal that took place at the 1999 Bash at the Beach
pay-per-view. Shortly after the PPV, the trophy was seized by Eric Bischoff and removed from television. Afterwards Norman Smiley was crowned first oficial WCW hardcore champion.
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
. The title was defended in Hardcore matches, in which there were few rules and restrictions and weapons were allowed. Eventually, the rules were changed so that matches began in the backstage area but would only end by pinfall in the ring. The belt was created in response to the growing popularity of hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
The title lasted from 1999 to 2001. The very first WCW Hardcore champion was Norman Smiley
Norman Smiley
Norman Anthony Smiley is a British professional wrestler best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling...
who defeated Brian Knobbs
Brian Knobbs
Brian Yandrisovitz , better known as Brian Knobbs, is an American professional wrestler, best known as one half of the tag team The Nasty Boys along with Jerry Sags.-The Nasty Boys:...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
at the WCW pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
Mayhem
WCW Mayhem
Mayhem was a professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by World Championship Wrestling and held in the month of November in 1999 and 2000. It is noted for being the first wrestling pay-per-view named after a video game, rather than the video game named after a pay-per-view.- 1999 :Mayhem 1999...
on November 21, 1999. Other notable champions are 3 Count
3 Count
3 Count was a professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling which formed in 1999. The group consisted of Shane Helms, Shannon Moore and Evan Karagias and they were given a boy band gimmick. For a brief time, Tank Abbott was added to the group as a manager and...
who won and defended the belt as a trio. Brian Knobbs who held the belt a record three times and was the one to defeat 3 Count at WCW Uncensored 2000. Terry Funk (a two time hardcore champ) also held the title for a period of almost two months, from April–June 2000 when he was defeated by Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
at a WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
in Atlanta, Georgia. Bischoff later awarded the title to Big Vito as a reward for helping him take it from Funk. Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
later won the title and renamed it the Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
Hardcore International Title (or S.H.I.T.). The final competitive hardcore champion in WCW was Meng, who defeated Crowbar
Devon Storm
Christopher "Chris" Ford is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Crowbar, where he was a one time Hardcore Champion, a one time World Tag Team Champion with David Flair and a one time Cruiserweight Champion, which he...
and reigning champ Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
at WCW Sin
WCW Sin
Sin was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Championship Wrestling that replaced WCW's January PPV event, Souled Out. Sin was the third to last WCW PPV before the company was bought by the World Wrestling Federation...
on January 14, 2001. It was largely abandoned after Meng left the company to return to the WWF. Meng awarded the belt to Barbarian
Sione Vailahi
Sione Havea Vailahi is a professional wrestler best known in wrestling as The Barbarian.-Life and career:Born and raised in Tonga, Sione was one of five teenagers sent by the King of Tonga to Japan to study Sumo wrestling in the mid 1970s. Tonga Fifita was one of the other teenagers...
as a gift on an episode of Thunder, which was Meng's final appearance on WCW television. The title belt was handed over formally to the WWF upon the purchase of WCW. The title is now displayed in WWE headquaters in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
.
The WCW Hardcore Title was a continuation from the WCW Hardcore Trophy that Fit Finlay won in the Junkyard Battle Royal that took place at the 1999 Bash at the Beach
Bash at the Beach
Bash at the Beach was a yearly professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Championship Wrestling . It was the company's PPV for the month of July, held from 1994 to 2000. The show centered around a beach theme, with the set around the entrance area for the wrestlers decorated with...
pay-per-view. Shortly after the PPV, the trophy was seized by Eric Bischoff and removed from television. Afterwards Norman Smiley was crowned first oficial WCW hardcore champion.
See also
- List of WCW Hardcore Champions
- World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...