10 WWE TV Matches That Were Better Than They Had Any Right To Be

2001 signalled a renaissance of sorts for the usage of WWE's mid to lower card talent in the form of the Hardcore title scene. Nevertheless, the title was never given enough time to ever feel truly important.

The likes of Rob Van Dam and Tajiri didn't have a guaranteed spot on the flagship show, so had to take every chance they could to entice the audience into rooting for the newcomers, amidst the chaos of the torrid Invasion angle.

No-DQ rules were in play and the duo tore down the house in a five minute blitz through their greatest hits, incorporating Lucha-Libre and Japanese Strong-Style for the unassuming capacity crowd to gorge on. Adding steel chairs into the mix only heightened the drama as RVD landed a chair-edition of his trademark 5-Star Frog Splash.

Back in 2001, the onus of the Raw product was to tell stories using your mouth and shenanigans galore, but this hidden gem reminded fans how a few minutes of exciting physical dialogue can be just as effective.