What if WWE brings back the Hardcore Championship
The Hardcore Championship was a staple of the Attitude Era. Mostly mid-card talent waged war for the right to be called champion, first in a falls count anywhere matches built to showcase the more violent and over the top tendencies of that period in wrestling history.
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The 24/7 rule took matters to the next level, as the title was deemed to always be on the line leading to backstage attacks, and impromptu matches in unconventional settings far from a wrestling ring.
It made sense enough for WWE to do away with the Hardcore title. The Attitude Era was behind the company, and while the world hadn’t become as concussion conscious and averse to headshots as it would become soon after, WWE was already dialing back its more over violence.
On top of everything, the constant Hardcore Matches and the 24/7 defenses had started to feel played out, and the oddball rules associated with title had truly taken it from a meaningful championship to more of a gag prop.
The title has been gone for nearly two decades now—plenty of time for what’s old to become new again, and after a whole new cast of weapons and wild spots have been introduced to wrestling fans. And so this article considers: what if WWE brings back the Hardcore Championship?
#5 Dean Ambrose reigns
If there’s one star of the current generation who would clearly have made more sense in the Attitude Era than today, it’s Dean Ambrose.
The Lunatic Fringe’s more crazed behavior has largely been played for laughs throughout his singles tenure in WWE, and it’s telling that such a natural heel’s only time spent as a heel singles performer quickly became such a farce and demanded that he turned back.
Whether it’s as a face or heel, a Hardcore division would be a proper platform to showcase the hardcore tendencies Ambrose displayed as Jon Moxley pre-WWE, and that he has hinted at from time to time in WWE.
It’s unclear if Ambrose will end up re-signing with WWE, or if he really will be gone within a couple months’ time. If he is on his way out the door, becoming the first champion of the Hardcore division’s new era would be a nice early boost to the title’s credibility.
If he sticks around, he could readily flow in and out of the title’s ranks for months, if not years to come.