The belt was created in response to the growing popularity of hardcore wrestling in North America.

During Bash at the Beach (1999), Fit Finlay won a "junkyard invitational" to be crowned "WCW Hardcore Champion".

Other notable champions are: 3 Count, who won and defended the belt as a trio; Brian Knobbs, who held the belt a record three times and was the one to defeat 3 Count at Uncensored 2000; and Terry Funk, a three-time champion who also held the title for a period of almost two months, from April to June 2000, when he was defeated by Eric Bischoff at a WCW Monday Nitro in Atlanta, Georgia.

Meng presented the championship to Barbarian as a gift at an independent wrestling event on January 21, 2001.

The shortest reign was that of Carl Ouellet, who was awarded the title after Lance Storm gave it up but lost it 38 minutes later to Norman Smiley.