4. Hardcore Hak vs. Bam Bam Bigelow - WCW Nitro 1999
Showing up unannounced on one edition of Nitro in 1999, The Sandman cracked Van Hammer over the head with his trademark Singapore Cane, before grabbing the mic and letting everyone know that he was in WCW to make a statement about exactly what hardcore wrestling was all about. Targeting Bam Bam Bigelow, who had also worked with ECW, the man was renamed Hardcore Hak. Upward mobility was limited for Hak in Atlanta, but he did create a niche for himself in the Hardcore division, contesting memorable battles against the likes of Bam Bam, Raven and Brian Knobbs. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x301ex_hak-sandman-s-wcw-debut-vs-bam-bam_sport Even though he'd been re-dubbed as something else, fans weren't fooled, and still considered Hak to be the embodiment of Extreme Championship Wrestling. It was a fairly strange time, in all honesty, seeing The Sandman appear on WCW shows. It couldn't last, mainly due the man's character - smoking, drinking and cussing - effectively being an extension of his real life personality, and The Sandman was back in ECW later that same year.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
