WWE Hardcore Championship

The WWE Hardcore Championship was a hardcore wrestling championship in WWE (formerly the World Wrestling Federation) and was contested under "hardcore" rules (no disqualifications, no countouts, and pinfalls count anywhere). In the latter part of the title's history, a rule was implemented allowing anyone to challenge the champion at any place or time, provided a referee was present (dubbed the "24/7 Rule").

Vince McMahon awarded Mankind the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) Hardcore Championship on November 2, 1998. After Mankind lost the title to The Big Boss Man, he never attempted to recapture it, mainly because of the main event push he received shortly afterward. At the time of conception, the idea was for the belt to be used in comedy segments to play on Mankind's reputation as a hardcore wrestler. But, as Mankind and hardcore wrestling became more popular with audiences, the Hardcore Championship became a more serious title.

When Crash Holly won the belt, he introduced the "24/7 rule" which said the belt was to be defended at all times, as long as a referee was present. This allowed for many comic relief moments, such as the belt changing hands while the champion was asleep, and The Headbangers chasing Crash Holly around an amusement park in Brooklyn (Holly eventually escaped from a ball pit and ran from the building, still the champion).

At WrestleMania X8, Maven defended the title against Goldust. After they knocked each other out with trash can lids, Spike Dudley entered and pinned Maven to win the title. Then, in the backstage area, The Hurricane pinned Spike for the title. Mighty Molly (The Hurricane's sidekick) told The Hurricane to go to the "Hurri-cycle" before knocking him out with a frying pan when his back was turned and pinning him. While looking for a safe place, Christian won the title by pinning Molly after hitting her in the head with a door. As he was about to leave the building in a taxi, he was attacked and pinned by Maven, who regained the title and escaped in the taxi.

Trish Stratus faced Jazz (managed by then-Hardcore Champion Stevie Richards) for the Women's Championship, and lost due to Richards' interference. After the match, Bubba Ray Dudley attacked Richards from behind and pinned him for the title. Raven appeared and pinned Dudley, but quickly lost the title to Justin Credible, who was then pinned by Crash Holly. Dudley hit Holly with a trash can, but Stratus stole the pin on him. Dudley tried to attack Stratus from behind, but Jazz sprayed him with a fire extinguisher. Richards then stole the final pin of the night after Dudley accidentally powerbombed Stratus through a wooden table.

This rule has allowed the shortest title reigns and quickest title changes in WWE history.

Four women have held the Hardcore Championship: Molly Holly, Trish Stratus, Terri Runnels, and The Godfather's ho.

The championship often changed hands at house shows, to give the audience a "big moment". In the end, the title always returned to its original holder.

At WrestleMania 2000, a battle royal match, in the style of Championship Scramble was booked where the title changed hands 10 times during the 15 minutes. The eventual winner was Hardcore Holly

Between the Invasion storyline and Wrestlemania X-8, the "24/7" rule was only used twice, during matches on the RAW editions of August 13, 2001 and September 10, 2001 respectively. Both matches were coincidentally between Kurt Angle and Rob Van Dam. On the August 13 edition, Jeff Hardy interfered and brought a referee with him, and pinned Van Dam for the title, setting up a match for them at that year's Summerslam. On the September 10 edition, however, Angle won the match, then was thrown off the entrance ramp by Steve Austin, who then also threw Van Dam off the ramp too. Van Dam landed on Angle and a referee counted the pin.

After the Invasion storyline, The Undertaker won the title from Van Dam. He defended against numerous opponents (usually smaller than him) and assaulted them after the matches (with the exception of Big Show). After Maven won the belt from The Undertaker on the February 5, 2002 SmackDown, the 24/7 rule resumed.

The 24/7 rule ended on August 19, 2002 when Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff suspended it after a six-minute Hardcore Battle Royal, won by Tommy Dreamer. Previously, a 24-hour suspension on the rule was in place for Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy's match at WWF Invasion. Commissioner Mick Foley also suspended the rule while Shane McMahon held the belt, to ensure he was still the champion at SummerSlam, to defend against Steve Blackman, whom he cheated out of the belt.

The title was unified with the WWE Intercontinental Championship on August 26, 2002, when Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam defeated Hardcore Champion Tommy Dreamer. This was one month after Van Dam defeated Jeff Hardy in a ladder match to unify the Intercontinental and European Championships.

On the June 23, 2003 episode of Raw, Mick Foley (who was the first champion, as "Mankind") was awarded the WWE Hardcore Championship belt (but not the championship) by the Raw authority figure, Stone Cold Steve Austin, for his contributions to hardcore wrestling.

Reigns:

• Mankind was awarded the title on November 2, 1998.
• Big Boss Man won the title on November 30, 1998.
• Road Dogg won the title on December 15, 1998. The title was vacated in February of 1999 due to a storyline injury.
• Bob Holly won the title on February 14, 1999 at St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House.
• Billy Gunn won the title on March 15, 1999.
• Hardcore Holly regained the title on March 28, 1999 at WrestleMania XV.
• Al Snow won the title on April 25, 1999 at Backlash: In Your House.
• Big Boss Man won the title on July 25, 1999 at Fully Loaded.
• Al Snow regained the title at on August 22, 1999 at SummerSlam.
• Big Boss Man regained the title on August 24, 1999.
• The British Bulldog won the title on September 7, 1999.
• Al Snow was awarded the title by Bulldog that same night.
• Big Boss Man won the title on October 12, 1999.
• Test won the title on January 17, 2000.
• Crash Holly won the title on February 24, 2000.
• Pete Gas won the title on March 13, 2000.
• Crash Holly regained the title on the same night.
• Tazz won the title on April 2, 2000 at WrestleMania 2000.
• Viscera won the title that same day.
• Funaki won the title that same day.
• Rodney won the title that same day.
• Joey Abs won the title that same day.
• Thrasher won the title that same day.
• Pete Gas won the title that same day.
• Tazz won the title that same day.
• Crash Holly won the title that same day.
• Hardcore Holly won the title that same day.
• Crash Holly regained the title on April 3, 2000.
• Perry Saturn won the title on April 11, 2000.
• Tazz won the title on the same day.
• Crash Holly won the title on the same day.
• Matt Hardy won the title on April 24, 2000.
• Crash Holly regained the title on April 25, 2000.
• The British Bulldog won the title on May 6, 2000 at Insurrextion.
• Crash Holly regained the title on May 9, 2000.
• Godfather's Ho won the title on May 15, 2000.
• Crash Holly regained the title that same night.
• Gerald Brisco won the title on May 16, 2000.
• Crash Holly regained the title on June 12, 2000.
• Gerald Brisco regained the title on June 19, 2000.
• Pat Patterson won the title on the same day.
• Crash Holly won the title on June 25, 2000.
• Steve Blackman won the title on June 27, 2000.
• Crash Holly regained the title on July 2, 2000.
• Steve Blackman regained the title on the same day.
• Shane McMahon won the title on August 21, 2000.
• Steve Blackman regained the title on August 27, 2000 at SummerSlam.
• Crash Holly won the title on September 24, 2000 at Unforgiven.
• Perry Saturn won the title on the same day.
• Steve Blackman won the title on the same day.
• Raven won the title on December 22, 2000.
• Al Snow won the title on January 22, 2001.
• Raven regained the title on the same night.
• K-Kwik won the title on February 3, 2001.
• Crash Holly won the title on the same day.
• Raven won the title on the same day.
• K-Kwik won the title on February 4, 2001.
• Crash Holly won the title the same day.
• Raven won the title on the same day.
• Hardcore Holly won the title on February 6, 2001.
• Raven regained the title that same day.
• Hardcore Holly regained the title on February 10, 2001.
• Raven regained the title on the same day.
• Hardcore Holly regained the title on February 11, 2001.
• Al Snow won the title on the same day.
• Raven won the title on the same day.
• Steve Blackman won the title on February 17, 2001.
• Raven regained the title on the same day.
• Billy Gunn won the title on February 25, 2001 at No Way Out.
• Raven regained the title that same day.
• Big Show won the title on that same day.
• Raven regained the title on March 19, 2001.
• Kane won the title on April 1, 2001 at WrestleMania X-Seven.
• Rhyno won the title on April 17, 2001.
• Big Show won the title on May 21, 2001.
• Chris Jericho won the title on May 28, 2001.
• Rhyno won the title on the same day.
• Test won the title on June 12, 2001.
• Rhyno regained the title on June 25, 2001.
• Mike Awesome won the title on the same night.
• Jeff Hardy won the title on July 10, 2001.
• Rob Van Dam won the title on July 22, 2001 at Invasion.
• Jeff Hardy regained the title on August 13, 2001.
• Rob Van Dam regained the title on August 19, 2001 at SummerSlam.
• Kurt Angle won the title on September 10, 2001.
• Rob Van Dam regained the title that same night.
• The Undertaker won the title on December 9, 2001 at Vengeance.
• Maven won the title on February 5, 2002.
• Goldust won the title on February 26, 2002.
• Al Snow won the title on March 11, 2002.
• Maven won the title on March 12, 2002.
• Spike Dudley won the title on March 17, 2002 at WrestleMania X8.