WCW Hardcore Championship

WCW Hardcore Championship
Information
Promotion:	WCW
Date created:	November 21, 1999
Date retired:	January 21, 2001
Most reigns:	Terry Funk & Brian Knobbs (3)
First champion(s):	Norman Smiley

The WCW Hardcore Championship was a title in World Championship Wrestling in which there were no rules and weapons were allowed in the matches. 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, but it never reached the heights of the WWF’s Hardcore Championship.

The title lasted from 1999 to 2001. It was abandoned after Meng, the reigning champion, left the company to return to the WWF. Meng gave the belt to Barbarian as a gift, but this didn't take place on TV and isn't considered part of the title history.

Many people regard the belt as a failure in WCW. It is thought that bookers never took the title seriously, and the numerous times the belt was stripped and vacated cost it even more credibility. Also, WCW misused the experienced hardcore wrestlers they had and usually put the belt on wrestlers with little to no hardcore wrestling experience.

The belt design of the commercially available WCW Hardcore Championship belt is not the same as the belt that was seen on WCW programming. The replica belt was based off original artwork sent to beltmaker JMar before the belt was made. Through his website a few months earlier, JMar held a contest to have a fan's belt made into a real belt. Amateur beltmaker P-Roc Championship Belts sent JMar a rough copy of what JMar eventually made into the WCW Hardcore Championship that was used on TV with no credit given to the original creator.

See also

• World Championship Wrestling
• Champion history - History of the wrestlers who have held the belt.
• Title matches - Matches in which the title was defended.
• Reigns by length - Lists of the length and reigns.
• Champion Gallery - A Gallery of Champions.

External links and references

• WCW Hardcore Championship at CAGEMATCH.net