5 Reasons WWE should have brought back the Hardcore Championship instead of creating the 24/7 title

On the May 20 edition of WWE Monday Night RAW, Mick Foley made a rare appearance, there to introduce a new championship to the WWE Universe.

While some fans suspected the return of the Hardcore Championship, given Foley’s history with that title and his moniker as the Hardcore Legend, others speculated about something along the lines of a legends’ title that part time stars might compete for and that might add some stakes to The Undertaker’s collision with Goldberg at the upcoming Super ShowDown event in Saudi Arabia.

In the end, the folks looking for the Hardcore title sort of got what they wanted. The new 24/7 title seems to in many ways be an updated version of that title, on the line at all times and across brands.

However, from the belt design, to its name, to the less than distinguished cast of wrestlers who came to the ring in an effort to obtain it, the title immediately seemed to have fallen flat. This article at five reasons why WWE should have brought back the Hardcore title instead.

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#5 A Better Belt

The 24/7 belt isn't pretty

Belt design preferences are largely a matter of personal taste. Nonetheless, nobody seemed all that fond of the aesthetic presentation of the 24/7 title.

To be fair, some of that may be as simple as giving fans a chance to get used to it, but from the large numbers on the face of the plate to the green strap, the title does look unconventional to say the least, if not outright ugly.

The Hardcore Championship wasn’t a pretty title, but that was largely by design as it was meant to look beaten and busted to represent the Hardcore division and its rules. The title started as a salvaged throwaway belt and was since subject to constant defense as wrestlers battled in non-traditional settings.

Bringing back even a more polished Hardcore Championship would have readily appealed more to fans and spares us from a title that looks as though WWE overthought its design, only to wind up with a dud.

#4 The Foley Connection

Mick Foley would have been the perfect Superstar to reintroduce the Hardcore Championship

That WWE chose Mick Foley to introduce a new tire immediately invited fans to think that the title would have some connection to his identity.

While the 24/7 title’s rules clearly link back to the Hardcore title and thus to Foley’s many hardcore battles under the visages of Cactus Jack or Mankind, there’s not a direct link between him and this new title.

There’s little intrinsic reason why a new title would need to link to Foley, but in selecting him to be the face of the title and roll it out to the live audience on Raw, WWE set up fans to expect that link.

After all, Foley hasn’t been seen much at all on Raw since his latest stint as an on air authority figure (the first Raw GM of the new brand split era).

Having him back certainly implied something special and that he was on the show to make an announcement uniquely suited to him. Foley bringing back the Hardcore title surely would have drawn a pop from, at minimum his substantial body of devout fans.

#3 Lineage

WWE loses a lineage to past greats who held the Hardcore title.

Now more than ever, WWE celebrates history. Given that the Internet has elongated even casual fans’ memories, and given the massive tape library that WWE proudly showcases via the WWE Network, its easy draw connections between different time periods.

Moreover, WWE is better equipped than ever to underscore stories they want to tell with a tinge of historical significance and selling longer term narratives that cross generations.

Had WWE decided to reinstitute the Hardcore Championship, it could have readily linked today’s Superstars to legends like Mick Foley, Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco, The Big Show, Kane, and RVD, as well as popular Attitude Era stars like Crash Holly, Billy Gunn, and Tommy DReamer who held the title.

Absent these connections, the 24/7 title is more recognizable for exactly what it is—a gimmick championship that will mostly occupy mid-carders who do not have anything better to spend their time on.

#2 Name Recognition

The Hardcore Championship means something, particularly to Attitude Era fans.

The Hardcore Championship may have been silly for its no disqualification rules, being on the line all the time, and preponderance of title changes.

However, for Attitude Era WWE fans—many of whom did not stick around for very long once that period in WWE programming was over—it stands the test of time as a fun novelty. WWE could cash in on that dynamic were it to have brought back the Hardcore Championship, by sparking the curiosity of past fans.

Particularly with the savvy use of social media—already rumored to be a part of how the 24/7 title will be uniquely marketed—WWE could attract the eyes of people who hadn’t watched wrestling for years at this point.

Hardcore is also an established, known wrestling style that does cater to a body of fans. 24/7 implies the all hours of all days quality of the title, which is a big part of its appeal, but in pigeon holing the name, invites fans of yesteryear to reject it as something new that’s not as good as the old idea it is clearly riffing off of.

#1 The Implication Of Violence

We can't expect WWE to make a full-fledged return to hardcore violence now, but it wouldn't hurt to put the idea out there to fans.

WWE doesn’t offer up a violent product these days. Sure, wrestling implies a level of violence by nature, but in WWE shying away from blood and by and large catering to a family friendly audience and sponsors, the product can easily feel more like kids’ programming than something made for adults.

Hardcore matches, let alone a title devoted to that style of wrestling, caters to a more mature audience that wants to see plunder and edgy spots.

Even if WWE won’t deliver on barbed wire, cheese graters, and fireballs, the underlying perception that they might serves a population of fans who dig a more overtly violent and gritty wrestling product.

Moreover, it opens the avenue for WWE to make occasional forays into this style of wrestling with the appropriate disclaimers in place, perhaps for a WWE Network exclusive special.

On the reverse side of all of this the 24/7 Championship immediately sounds frivolous—not like something that would appeal to a more adult audience, but rather immediately like its trying to play to a younger demographic and their lingo.

That’s arguably more consistent with WWE branding, but nonetheless limiting to the audience WWE will reach.