10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About The Hardcore Title
10. The Title Was Boring Before The 24/7 Rule
Remember when that little tyke Crash Holly became Hardcore Champ in early-2000 and started the 24/7 trend? That was some good stuff. Instead of title defences now taking place under regulated conditions, the Hardcore belt was 'always on', and this meant switches could take place everywhere from backstage and in hotels, to airports and even restaurants.
It was wacky goodness, and precisely what the Hardcore Title had been missing beforehand. For the 14 months or so before Crash became champion, that Hardcore division had been crying out for something new. Copious weapon shots and a vast quantity of broken tables weren't quite enough to differentiate Hardcore from everything else.
One thing the 24/7 rule revealed was that the Hardcore Title had been a fairly dull addition to the WWF title lineup previously. It's ironic that it took slapstick violence to inject life into the division and the belt with it.
Thanks, Crash.