WWE used the Hardcore Championship as a way to fit more people on the show in an entertaining fashion during the Attitude Era. Various top names like Mick Foley, The Undertaker and Kurt Angle had stints with the belt, but it was typically the under the radar performers who rarely get that same love today.
Hardcore wrestling prominent during the title of this belt since fans loved the violent element of weapons and blood. However, WWE added some comedy with the 24/7 rules of the belt being on the line at all times. Each of the following former Hardcore Champions find themselves in different roles today.
10 Raven
The absurd record for most Hardcore Championship reigns sees Raven at the top with a total of twenty-seven. WWE primarily booked Raven in the hardcore division during his early 2000s run since Vince McMahon didn’t see star potential in him.
Raven ended his WWE tenure on ugly terms by suing them in the court room. The wrestling career of Raven continued into 2020, but he has primarily been a podcast host recently. Raven hosts The Raven Effect with former NXT commentator Rich Brennan.
9 Rhyno
Another former ECW wrestler to get slotted into the hardcore division was Rhyno. WWE initially used Rhyno as part of the Team RECK faction with Edge, Christian and Kurt Angle. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find the success as the others and was a fixture in the hardcore division for quite some time.
Rhyno is one of the few former Hardcore Champions to continue wrestling without stopping over the past two decades. WWE has Rhyno on the roster just a few years ago, but he chose to leave to join Impact Wrestling for a bigger role.
8 Stevie Richards
WWE signed Stevie Richards after his stints in ECW made him a valued talent. Richards was primarily an undercard act for WWE, but one of his bigger accomplishments came as a fixture in the hardcore division.
The total of twenty-one Hardcore Championship reigns showed just how much Richards was involved in that part of the show. Stevie is currently working as a fitness instructor today and even takes online clients since wrestling fans enjoy working with him.
7 Road Dogg
WWE experimented with the New Age Outlaws of Billy Gunn and Road Dogg moving into singles roles for a short time in the Attitude Era. Road Dogg won a couple of singles titles, including the Hardcore Championship to add a popular name to the picture.
The WWE career of Road Dogg is going today behind the scenes as a top producer. NXT is the brand most associated with Road Dogg’s work as he is closely tied to Shawn Michaels and Triple H in the developmental promotion.
6 Maven
Most fans remember Maven for the noteworthy win as the first male winner of the Tough Enough reality series. WWE struggled to find the right role for Maven despite wanting to push. The Hardcore Championship was won by Maven a few times, including a big night at WrestleMania X8.
Unfortunately, that may have been the peak of Maven’s career as he never lived up to the potential WWE viewed as having. Maven has had a few jobs after wrestling as a bouncer, Brooklyn Nets executive, and he’s now in the finance game. A rare wrestling appearance in 2021 saw Maven appearing on a small indie show run by Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins.
5 Goldust
The long career of Dustin Rhodes has seen him wrestling in every role possible. WWE placed Goldust in the hardcore division in 2002 when he returned to the company. The Hardcore Championship was one of many in the time of Rhodes in the ring.
Dustin is still a fixture in the wrestling business today after joining the AEW roster. The on-screen career of Rhodes featured him recently having a great outing against Bryan Danielson. However, he is even more valued backstage as a lead coach teaching classes to the younger talents before shows.
4 Al Snow
The six Hardcore Championship reigns of Al Snow saw him holding it for the fourth most total days. Snow helped the hardcore division find some consistency, despite being known as a title that changed hands quickly.
WWE trusted Snow as the top face in the hardcore division, but he struggled to move up the card afterwards. Snow is still involved in wrestling today as the lead trainer and person in charge of the OVW promotion.
3 Hardcore Holly
Bob Holly was already a veteran of the WWE roster when rebranding as Hardcore Holly. WWE wanted to highlight his smash mouth hitting wrestling style by placing him in the hardcore division. Holly made the most of his opportunity by having six Hardcore Championship reigns.
The WWE career of Holly continued longer without much success beyond the lower mid-card picture. Holly wrestled on the independent circuit for years after his WWE release until injuries and the pandemic. The current life of Holly sees him enjoying outdoor activities like camping, biking and fishing.
2 Steve Blackman
The WWE career of Steve Blackman still sees him as a cult favorite of the longtime wrestling fan today. Blackman was known as The Lethal Weapon for his ability to harm anyone with his strikes. Few wrestlers were as tough as Blackman, and it showed in his Hardcore Championship reigns.
The wrestling run of Blackman unfortunately ended shortly after his WWE release. Blackman spent time as a bounty hunter and was even considered for an early WWE Network show. However, his current job sees the former Hardcore Champion working as a bail bondsman.
1 Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam was arguably the most successful Hardcore Champion due to him elevating the title and using it to help get himself over. The addition of Van Dam to WWE in the Invasion angle saw him winning the Hardcore Championship over Jeff Hardy in a great match.
WWE even selected to have RVD as the final Hardcore Champion before retiring the belt. Van Dam has continued wrestling and is still going today on the independent circuit. Even after his 2021 WWE Hall of Fame induction, RVD is not looking to end his career any time soon.