Matt Cardona & 9 Other Non-Hardcore Wrestlers Who Had Extreme Matches
There are certain types of wrestlers who relish being involved in hardcore matches where they push themselves to the extreme. Whether it's light tubes or thumbtacks, flaming tables, or barbed wire, there are countless wrestlers who have made a genuine career for themselves by putting their bodies on the line on a regular basis.
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Companies like CZW and ECW have helped to provide places for these wrestlers to make a living as well. However, every now and then these hardcore matches end up creeping into mainstream wrestling. This can be because the storyline dictates it, or because a hardcore wrestler happens to be available to compete. This has helped create some truly memorable moments with non-hardcore wrestlers ending up in the most extreme situations possible.
10 Matt Cardona (GCW Homecoming Weekend, 2021)
Matt Cardona is the complete opposite of a hardcore wrestler, however, that was the entire story between him and Nick Gage. An expert of deathmatch wrestling, the two men battled in the stipulation for the GCW World Title.
It was a very violent match that featured plenty of weapons and a lot of blood. In the end, Cardona scored the victory, but he was certainly made to pay for it in a match that had the entire wrestling world talking.
9 Chris Jericho (AEW Fight For The Fallen, 2021)
Speaking of Nick Gage, he also got the opportunity to pop up on AEW Dynamite recently where he competed against Chris Jericho. This was done as part of the Five Labors Of Jericho, which is a storyline that has seen MJF push Jericho to his extreme.
That is how he ended up in an extreme match with no rules against Gage, an expert in this field. Just like Cardona, Jericho was able to get the victory here, but it was a bloody battle that featured plenty of weapons, including a pizza cutter.
8 Edge (WrestleMania 22)
A hardcore match taking place at WrestleMania is something that would likely never happen again, but at WrestleMania 22 that is what took place. Mick Foley is an expert of the hardcore style, but the same cannot be said for Edge.
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The two men put their bodies on the line in this match which featured plenty of big bumps with barbed wire and thumbtacks. But what people most remember this match for is when Edge stepped up and Speared Mick Foley through a burning table, which was a crazy spot.
7 Randy Orton (Backlash, 2004)
Randy Orton is an incredibly smooth professional wrestler who makes everything look fantastic. However, when it comes to hardcore wrestling, that is certainly not what people expect from him.
The Viper also tangled with Mick Foley in a match that saw him really put his body on the line. While it wasn't the type of match that Orton would typically have, it clearly worked out for him and allowed fans to really gain respect for him, and accept him as a star for the future.
6 AJ Styles (TNA Impact, 5/3/10)
AJ Styles has been one of the best professional wrestlers in the world throughout his career, but a hardcore wrestler he is not. However, during his feud with Abyss, Styles found himself in a Monster's Ball match with the bigger man.
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Abyss was always happy to work in the hardcore environment and with his power and strength, he caused carnage every time. That was the case against AJ as well, yet it was Styles who managed to secure the victory.
5 Britt Baker & Thunder Rosa (AEW Dynamite, St Patrick's Day Slam, 2021)
The Lights Out match between Britt Baker and Thunder Rosa brought two women out of their comfort zone and created one of the greatest women's matches in modern history. They held nothing back in this unsanctioned clash and brought tons of energy and violence.
The match featured plenty of hardcore spots and a lot of blood, with this being a particularly great encounter for Britt, who was able to stand out and really make a name for herself.
4 Brian Myers (Impact Wrestling, 10/27/20)
Brian Myers has truly pushed himself since being released by WWE, which has led to a lot of great moments for him. One of those came when he stepped into the hardcore wrestling world against a real veteran of the world in Tommy Dreamer.
The match featured some brutal spots including kendo sticks and LEGOs rather than thumbtacks, which was a painful moment. However, Myers stepped up and proved his ability to fight against anybody.
3 DDP (WCW/nWo Slamboree, 1998)
DDP's time battling in a hardcore match came against an expert in the environment in Raven. However, the Bowery Death Cage match was a dud in reality, with this one having too many interferences to ever be considered a top-quality match.
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However, there was plenty of hardcore elements placed into the match, which is something that DDP didn't typically do throughout his career. Given better booking, this could have been a great match, but had to settle for being sub-par.
2 Kenny Omega (AEW Full Gear, 2019)
Kenny Omega is an experienced in-ring talent and is often considered to be one of the best wrestlers in the world. However, at AEW's Full Gear in 2019, he was pulled out of his comfort zone and into Jon Moxley's as they battled in a Lights Out match.
This was one of the most brutal matches in modern history, with the two men going to war throughout this match. They then went on to have an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch as well, adding another hardcore match to Omega's history.
1 Kurt Angle (King Of The Ring, 2001)
This match with Shane McMahon is one of the most famous of Kurt Angle's career. It was a brutal and bloody affair that saw them put together tons of crazy spots, with Angle working the match injured.
While Shane is notorious for putting together huge bumps and risky moments, the same cannot be said for Angle. A brilliant technical wrestler, fans never expected to see Angle in a match as violent as this, but he still proved himself to be great at it.
