WCW Hardcore Championship

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WCW Hardcore Championship
The Hardcore belt
Details
Promotion	World Championship Wrestling
Date established	July 11, 1999
Date retired	January 21, 2001
Other name(s)
WCW World Hardcore Championship (1999) Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title (2000)
Statistics First champion(s) Norman Smiley Final champion(s) Meng Most reigns Brian Knobbs and Terry Funk (3 reigns) Longest reign Norman Smiley (51 days) Shortest reign Carl Ouellet (38 minutes) Oldest champion Terry Funk (56 years) Youngest champion Shannon Moore (with 3 Count) (20 years) Heaviest champion Bam Bam Bigelow (360 lb (160 kg)) Lightest champion Shannon Moore (with 3 Count) (181 lb (82 kg))

The World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Hardcore Championship was a title in World Championship Wrestling (WCW).^[1] The title was defended in Hardcore matches, in which there were few rules and restrictions and weapons were allowed. Eventually, the rules were changed so that matches began in the backstage area but would only end by pinfall in the ring, but later were changed back to 'Falls Count Anywhere' rules. The belt was created in response to the growing popularity of hardcore wrestling in North America.

The WCW Hardcore Title was a continuation from the WCW Hardcore Trophy that Fit Finlay won in the Junkyard Battle Royal that took place at the 1999 Bash at the Beach pay-per-view. Shortly after the PPV, the trophy was seized by Eric Bischoff and removed from television. Afterwards Norman Smiley was crowned first official WCW hardcore champion.