4 WWE women who won the Hardcore Championship

WWE established the Hardcore Championship in the late '90s with a unique stipulation in mind. The title was up for grabs 24/7, with the challenger being eligible to challenge the holder of the title at any point, whether inside or outside the ring and arena. The only rule was to carry a referee along to officiate the bizarre matches at equally bizarre locations.

The Hardcore Championship existed from 1998 to 2002. Originally it was a vehicle for Mankind's extreme tendencies but, when Crash Holly introduced the 24/7 rule, every random superstar on the roster started winning the title.

The remnants of the confused legacy of the championship can be found in the current WWE 24/7 Championship, named after the infamous rule. The likes of R-Truth, Akira Tozawa, and Drake Maverick run around for the title, and no one else is interested.

Certain women on the roster went on to win the Hardcore Championship as well. They included regular stars on the roster and bit-part players. Here is a list of four WWE women who won the not-so-coveted Hardcore Championship.

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#4 Former WWE Hardcore Champion Cynthia "Bobcat" Lynch

Cynthia "Bobcat" Lynch is a virtual unknown in the world of professional wrestling. She was never an official member of the company's roster, instead primarily wrestling in the promotion's burgeoning developmental territories.

However, she became the first woman to ever win the Hardcore Championship. She made several appearances as one of The Godfather's "hos," and in one of those appearances, she managed to win the title from the creator of the 24/7 rule: Crash Holly. She lost the title immediately to the same person.

Bobcat faded into obscurity and has been an independent wrestler ever since. She is a regular presence in the Northwest region and has done commentary and managerial duties apart from being active inside the ring.

#3 Former WWE Hardcore Champion Terri Runnels

Terri Runnels was a longtime manager in WWE, but only wrestled occasionally. That didn't stop her from winning the Hardcore Championship in 2002.

Runnels pinned Stevie Richards to win the title, only to be defeated by the same person immediately after. As a bit-part wrestler, she never won the company's Women's Championship, although she was once a part of a battle royal determining the challenger.

Runnels is mostly remembered for her managerial relationship with Goldust, to whom she was married in real life. She also managed the likes of Pretty Mean Sisters and Perry Saturn during her stint with the promotion.

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#2 WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus

According to the Vince McMahon-led promotion, Trish Stratus is the greatest female wrestler to ever wrestle for them. It is hard to dispute the notion as Stratus routinely produced impressive matches alongside the likes of Lita, Mickie James, and Molly Holly at a difficult time for women in the company.

Stratus won the Hardcore Championship once. Bubba Ray Dudley attacked champ Crash Holly with a trash can, allowing the Canadian to pin him and claim the championship. She lost the championship to Stevie Richards shortly after.

#1 WWE Hall of Famer Molly Holly

Although less appreciated when compared to fellow WWE trailblazers Trish Stratus and Lita, Molly Holly is beloved by fans for her impressive in-ring work and genuinely lovable personality.

Holly once played the role of Mighty Molly, a sidekick to comic superhero The Hurricane. She eventually decided to desert The Hurricane and did so in style, winning the Hardcore Championship from him in the process.

Holly attacked the future WWE producer with a frying pan and pinned him to claim the title. She humorously lost the title by getting a door slammed to her face. Christian wasted no time in winning the title from Holly, whose reign lasted nearly half an hour.

Molly Holly went on to win the Women's Championship twice before leaving the promotion and professional wrestling in 2005, reportedly due to the company's focus on looks rather than wrestling ability.

She continued to make periodic appearances in the company, including being a competitor in two Women's Royal Rumble matches. She also made appearances on the independent circuit, mostly as a guest referee.

Holly was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021. She remains the longest-reigning female holder of the now-defunct WWE Hardcore Championship.