The decline of former Hardcore Champions

[ChrisMWaters 0]

OK...with the recent releases of Matt Hardy, Rhyno, and Molly Holly (cries at that name), I noticed something:

 

We're rapidly losing wrestlers that have once held the WWF/E Hardcore Champonship.

 

I mean, look at all these former Hardcore champions that aren't wrestlers on the WWE roster anymore (source: http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/whcwwf.html )

 

Mankind: Rare appearances here and there. Hasn't been on since last year.

Big Bossman: Dead

Road Dogg: TNA

Billy Gunn: TNA

Al Snow: Don't think he wrestles anymore

British Bulldog: Dead

Test: Fired, unknown where he is

Crash Holly: Dead

Tazz: Retired from active wrestling

Pete Gas: Not WWE Employed (someone help here?)

Rodney: Same as Gas

Joey Abs: Same as Gas

Thrasher: Retired from wrestling

Perry Saturn: Um...well, not in WWE (where is Saturn these days?)

Matt Hardy: Recently cut

Bobcat AKA Godfather's Ho: Dunno where she is, heard she's a women's wrestler in other promotions though

Gerald Brisco: Backstage at WWE staff (?)

Pat Patterson: Retired from working in WWE at all

Steve Blackman: Too injured to compete

Shane McMahon: Putting him here because he hasn't been on TV since late 2003

Raven: TNA

K-Kwik: TNA

Rhyno: Recently cut

Mike Awesome: Last I saw him was in TNA...may be back in Japan now.

Jeff Hardy: TNA

Goldust: TNA

Molly Holly: Recently released

Tommy Dreamer: I think he became a OVW teacher

Shawn Stasiak: Dunno where he is

Justin Credible: Dunno where he is

Terri: Gone...not missed

Christopher Nowinski: Too injured to compete

Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli: Dunno where he is now

 

So, that leaves the remaining as still wrestlers on the WWE roster that were former Hardcore Champions:

 

Hardcore Holly, Viscera (his bio is on WWE.com), Funaki, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, Maven, Spike Dudley, The Hurricane, Christian, Bubba Ray Dudley, William Regal, Steven Richards, Booker T, Trish Stratus, and Bradshaw

 

That's scary how few are left. It is truly a rare breed.

[Guest Nater]

Of that list, not a single one of them was able to make the title worth a damn.

[caboose 0]

34 have left, 19 remain.

 

I don't see the big deal, not a lot of the 34 cut would really be any use right now.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

34 have left, 19 remain.

 

I don't see the big deal, not a lot of the 34 cut would really be any use right now.

Maybe not.

 

I was just noting that, that's all.

[Taker666 0]

the Godfather Ho that won the Hardcore title, wasn't that victoria?

[ChrisMWaters 0]

the Godfather Ho that won the Hardcore title, wasn't that victoria?

No, actually.

 

It's this woman...

 

http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/profiles/b/bobcat.html

[alfdogg 0]

Finishing Move:

Cameltoe Clutch (Reverse Boston Crab)

Haha.

[Mole 0]

Wow, a title that didn't mean anything and was only was given to Mick Foley for being the man.

 

If it wasn't for Crash, the title would have been dead really quickly.

 

So, who cares?

[Taker666 0]

Wow, a title that didn't mean anything and was only was given to Mick Foley for being the man.

 

If it wasn't for Crash, the title would have been dead really quickly.

 

So, who cares?

the only time the Hardcore title was entertaining was when the Mean Street Posses were trying to hunt down Crash for the title at the Airport, the laundry,the hotel and Funtime USA!!

 

good times!

[Guest Trivia247]

Hey I say Steve Blackman did a good job as Hardcore champion, it certainly got him alot over than he was any other point in his WWF career.

[Guest Phoenix]

I just know that Bradshaw was a former Hardcore champion. He came out on heat with a life preserver on and a kayak. If I recall he is the former World Champion. That is not much of a decline to me.

 

As for Saturn I was told that he had been shot in the back 4 times while saving a woman from being raped. So that is where he has been. In case anyone cared.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

As for Saturn I was told that he had been shot in the back 4 times while saving a woman from being raped. So that is where he has been. In case anyone cared.

Indeed, and the man has wrestled since. What a legend.

[cabbageboy 0]

Rob Van Dam was the best hardcore champion period. Sure Crash did goofy comedy skits with the 24/7 thing but the title was still widely viewed as a joke. When RVD had the hardcore championship he was the most entertaining wrestler in the promotion.

[Slayer 0]

I thought Crash was pretty damn amusing with the belt

[Stephen Joseph 0]

 

As for Saturn I was told that he had been shot in the back 4 times while saving a woman from being raped. So that is where he has been. In case anyone cared.

Indeed, and the man has wrestled since. What a legend.

http://www.mopsquad.com/artman/publish/article_529.htm

 

Damn. Just Damn.

 

It's guys like that we need to recognize more often.

[Carnival 0]

i have a new found respect for Saturn.

[SuperJerk 0]

Hardcore Holly, Viscera (his bio is on WWE.com), Funaki, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, Maven, Spike Dudley, The Hurricane, Christian, Bubba Ray Dudley, William Regal, Steven Richards, Booker T, Trish Stratus, and Bradshaw

Booker T and Trish were hardcore champs?

 

(Wait...did I just use "Trish" and "hardcore" in the same sentence?)

 

 

Seriously, though, since for 90% of its existence, the Hardcore title was the undercard title, it doesn't come as a surprise that many of the folks who held it have been released.

 

That 10% was when RVD got it over to being a legit upper-midcard title, and faced guys like Jericho, Angle, the Rock, and Undertaker for it.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Hardcore Holly, Viscera (his bio is on WWE.com), Funaki, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, Maven, Spike Dudley, The Hurricane, Christian, Bubba Ray Dudley, William Regal, Steven Richards, Booker T, Trish Stratus, and Bradshaw

Booker T and Trish were hardcore champs?

 

(Wait...did I just use "Trish" and "hardcore" in the same sentence?)

Booker T won the title at one of the British PPVs.

 

Trish won it on Raw around the time of Bubba Ray Dudley's reign.

 

I think she won it in a mixed tag match with the Hardcore and Women's titles on the line.

[SuperJerk 0]

The title apparently changed hands five or six times the night Trish won it.

[RHR 0]

I am just going to say, that tonight, or some night soon, during the period where my friends and I do our "tribute" shots (and there has been ALOT latey...RIP Mitch)...it'll be my honor and privilege to do a shot for Saturn...and nice to know that I'm tipping one back for someone still ALIVE.

 

To quote the streets, "Big upps Saturn!"

[Carnival 0]

That 10% was when RVD got it over to being a legit upper-midcard title, and faced guys like Jericho, Angle, the Rock, and Undertaker for it.

That was a weird. I was pissed jericho was fighting for it. I still saw it as a jobber title. but he did make it respectable, fighting the likes of hardy and Jericho fighting the big show for it. I think Kane was involved. then Bradshaw won it and the title went back in the dumps. Much like another championship....

[reign 0]

Rob Van Dam was the best hardcore champion period. Sure Crash did goofy comedy skits with the 24/7 thing but the title was still widely viewed as a joke. When RVD had the hardcore championship he was the most entertaining wrestler in the promotion.

Couldn't have said it better...you definately cared when the Hardcore Champion was out there...

[Matt Young 0]

Even though I liked Stamboli and hated Bradshaw at the time, it was pretty cool when Stamboli beat Bradshaw for the title, and then as he was giving his victory speech backstage, Bradshaw came out of nowhere with a Clothesline from hell, which looked brutal, and regained the belt.

[chuck415 0]

Hey I say Steve Blackman did a good job as Hardcore champion, it certainly got him alot over than he was any other point in his WWF career.

HeadCheese?

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

While RVD has the best reign as Hardcore champ, I really enjoyed Raven when he had the belt. Plus, he and Rhyno had a pretty sweet match at Backlash '01. I'm sure the Gore through the shopping cart didn't help rhyno's neck at all.

[Ace309 0]

http://www.mopsquad.com/artman/publish/article_529.htm

 

Damn. Just Damn.

 

It's guys like that we need to recognize more often.

Jesus fucking Christ! He deserves all the props he can get for that.

[jester 0]

Holy shit.

 

I'm surprised the bullets didn't bounce off Saturn's big steel balls. This guy is some kind of tough.