Steve Blackman probably owes as much to the Hardcore Championship as it owes to him. He spent more time with the belt than anyone else (an unthinkable 172 days across six reigns) and brought more to the division than anyone else. Combining the innovation of Raven - thanks to his assorted martial arts weapons and unique style - with the menace of Boss Man, Blackman has left an imprint upon the belt like no other. Fans loved his brutal deconstructions of opponents, going to work with lightning-fast strikes and painful shots with any weapon that took his fancy. He had the unique ability to look like a master of anything he wielded, leading to matches often resembling Hollywood action sequences as opposed to professional wrestling bouts. It's interesting to consider where Blackman would be without the Hardcore Championship. While never enjoying the most star-studded or long-term career, he will forever be beloved by many as the archetypal hardcore wrestler, the living embodiment of the WWE's particular brand of extreme action. Before his involvement with the division, he was merely a generic badass figure, often the recipient of go-away heat due to his perceived lack of character. Moments such as his terrifying match against Shane McMahon, as well as various entertaining squash matches on television (often against far larger men) led to an organic babyface following - a midcard popularity for which he is remembered to this day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWGnGaszoLc