Three of RVD's four Hardcore Championship reigns came at the title's peak; the Invasion angle saw every belt in the company as a key possession in the war between the two promotions. This led to the previously mentioned Summerslam 2001 encounter, which unquestionably did wonders for Van Dam's popularity. Just as he can be regarded as one of the few beneficiaries of the Invasion angle, so too can the Hardcore belt be seen as something which actually had its prestige boosted by the largely disappointing storyline. Rob also has the distinction of being the last ever champ, defeating Tommy Dreamer on a 2002 edition of Raw to unify both the Hardcore and Intercontinental belts. It's fitting that the last ever match of the championship's history was between two former-ECW stars, especially as many regard the Philadelphia promotion responsible for inspiring the extreme nature of the Attitude Era as a whole. The bout was fittingly hard-hitting, but also demonstrated a great deal of respect between the pair, who shared a tearful hug following RVD's eventual victory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ek0H60feF0
