The Memphis Championship Wrestling (MCW) Hardcore Title first champion was Bitty Little, because Little forced MCW Commissioner Al Kee Holic to award him the championship, even though a tournament had been scheduled to determine the first champion.[1] Joey Abs gave the belt to MCW Commissioner Shooter Schultz after winning it, and Schultz abandoned the title on June 1, 2001.[1] Schultz claimed to hate hardcore wrestling, and he vowed to throw the belt into the Mississippi River.[2]