10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About The Hardcore Title
6. It Was The First Real Shot Fired In The Invasion
Instead of seeing Hollywood Hogan invade Raw or Goldberg smash Stone Cold, fans eagerly anticipating what the WWF vs. WCW war would bring were left reeling when Mike Awesome won the Hardcore Title in June 2001. Worse, the WWF passed this off as the first shot fired during the product-devouring 'Invasion' angle.
Things may not have been so bad had announcers not tried to pass Awesome's Madison Square Garden win off as what fans had fantasised about. It's doubtful that this moment was quite up there in the dream match stakes when people salivated over cross-promotional warfare.
Most fans probably don't even remember Mike Awesome becoming Hardcore Champion at all, let alone the fact it took place on WWF turf at MSG. Winning such a low-level belt was hardly a shot across the bows from WCW either.
Couldn't they have targeted the WWF Heavyweight Title or something?