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WWE has made a blockbuster announcement during the Money in the Bank PPV tonight as the Hardcore Legend and former RAW GM Mick Foley will be returning to Monday Night RAW tomorrow on 20 May 2019 to announce WWE's newest title.
This comes as a huge surprise as WWE already has many titles on the main roster, with the most recent one being the Women's Tag Team Championships that were announced earlier this year. Introducing another new title might turn out to be a great idea though.
While WWE has kept it a secret as to which title will Mick Foley announce, I am pretty sure it is going to be - the Hardcore Title. Now to answer your question of why so, I have some valid points to back my prediction.
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In this article, let's take a look at the 5 reasons why the title announced by Mick Foley on RAW tomorrow night would be the Hardcore Title. Do let me know in the comments section if you don't agree with my prediction and think some other title will be announced.
#5 The Hardcore Legend
This first point in itself is a good enough reason as to why the title announced on the RAW after Money in the Bank will be the Hardcore title. The man announcing the title, Mick Foley, is a Hardcore legend. He is someone who would prefer sleeping with a barbed wire bat instead of a pillow at night.
Foley has had numerous hardcore matches throughout his career and has pushed his body to extreme limits to entertain the fans. He didn't earn the title of the Hardcore legend without any casualties, as he has lost or damaged some of his body parts during some grueling matches in his career, including his teeth and an ear.
His Hell in a Cell match with The Undertaker where the Dead Man threw him off the cell is still one of the most hardcore spots in WWE's history. It's only befitting that a championship that embodies hardcore-ness is announced by a legend who has lived by the same motto throughout his career.
#4 One of the most interesting Championships in history
If you are unaware of the rules about the Hardcore title or have forgotten about it, let me remind you that the most special thing about this title is that it is on the line 24-7. Anytime, anywhere, anyone can attack the champion and pin him (provided a referee is present) to win the title and become the new Hardcore champion.
We've seen many interesting title changes for the Hardcore Championship throughout history. The title was first introduced in 1998 when the championship was just awarded to Mankind, aka Mick Foley, by Vince McMahon himself, but was then later unified by Rob Van Dam with the Intercontinental Championship in 2002.
The Hardcore title is one of the most interesting titles in WWE's history but was only around for just 4 years. Bringing it back can make WWE programming very interesting for sure.
#3 The chaos will ensure the ratings go up
There's no hiding the fact that WWE is battling with bad rating issues in the past few weeks as both RAW and SmackDown are falling apart in terms of ratings.
We have previously seen Vince McMahon desperately announce the WildCard rule a few weeks ago to help counter this issue, but introducing the hardcore title would be a much better way to tackle the situation.
The chaos that comes with the title can ensure some amazing and entertaining segments each week on RAW and SmackDown. One fan very correctly explained on Reddit as to why this is the right time to bring back the Hardcore title -
You know what needs to come back? Think about it. 24/7 defense in the age of social media? Would truly always be on the line.
Honestly, 24-7 title changes would mean that the title could actually change hands anytime, even on live shows and social media. This would certainly keep fans interested in these house shows and make them check WWE's social media time and again as well, which means increased interest in the product that would lead to high ratings.
#2 The Wildcard rule would make it even more interesting
Introducing the Hardcore title might just be a step that could assist the recently introduced WildCard rule, according to which a select few superstars (3 or 4) from RAW are allowed to appear on SmackDown each week and vice versa.
The rule sure makes the brand split and Superstar shake-up quite pointless, but if the superstars are appearing on the other brand, it better be a proper surprise and for something that makes sense rather than Apollo coming to RAW to job to Mojo Rawley.
The Hardcore Champion at any point of time will have to be alert and ready to face any superstar, not only from his brand but the other one as well. Another interesting thing to consider would be whether someone from NXT could appear and challenge for the title as well. This "anywhere, anytime" rule could lead to some really interesting storylines and unexpected champions.
Imagine someone like Adam Cole (BayBay) appearing out of nowhere on RAW and winning the hardcore title. That would be awesome!
#1 A step away from the PG Era
One interesting observation at Money in the Bank was the unexpected blood that we saw on TV. Firstly we saw Samoa Joe bleed freely after his quick match with Rey Mysterio, and then we saw the Freak, Lars Sullivan with blood flowing from his head during his attack on the Lucha House Party. Blood is something which is seen rarely these days on TV, and WWE not trying to hide the blood at Money in the Bank might be a sign of huge changes to come.
The introduction of the Hardcore title would mean that WWE will be showing more and more of blood and gruesome spots on TV, something which would definitely not be PG. With the arrival of a new top competitor in AEW, Vince might just decide to tame down the PG aspect of the product and make it edgier.
Who do you think should be the first Hardcore Champion if the title is announced tomorrow? Do let me know your opinions and views in the comments section below.
