The Shimmy 09.22.08: The Hardy Report Card (Part Two)

Happy Monday, folks, and welcome back to The Shimmy. This week we continue our look back at the PPV matches of Matt and Jeff Hardy, looking at the year 2000 in particular. Enjoy!

Table Match: The Hardys vs. Dudley Boyz (Royal Rumble 2000)

The addition of the Dudleyz to the WWE brought with it the addition of the Tables Match. This was the first Tables Match and quite frankly it was the best one. Over the years the Tables Match has been kind of a throwaway gimmick, but here it was a really over, very fresh idea. This is probably the most famous non-Ladder match of the TLC era and in my opinion it was the WWE coming out party for the Dudley Boyz. Jeff Hardy continued to prove what a crazy bastard he is by delivering a Swanton Bomb off the balcony of Madison Square Garden (through a table no less!). This would help set the stage for the future Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Matches and would give the Dudley Boyz a gimmick that stays with them to this day.

My Grade: A

No. 1 Contender’s Match: The Hardys vs. Edge & Christian (No Way Out 2000)

For those that weren’t watching wrestling at the time, let me just say that these two teams wrestled each other a lot, and I don’t think they ever had a bad match. Edge & Christian were starting to slowly transform into the cocky, almost surfer like talking, heel duo that would go on to run the tag division for the next year. The Hardys were seemingly on the outs with manager Terri, whose services they had won after the No Mercy Ladder Match, and that came to fruition here as she cost them the match. Edge & Christian would end up rejecting her offer to manage them. This match was supposedly for a World Tag Team Title shot at WrestleMania, but E&C cashed in early so that we could get the great three-way bout at the big show.

My Grade: A-

World Tag Team Title, Triangle Ladder Match: Dudley Boyz© vs. The Hardys vs. Edge & Christian (WrestleMania 2000)

I actually wasn’t a big fan of this match for the longest time. I’m not sure what it was; maybe I was in such a lousy mood while watching an underwhelming WrestleMania show (my favorite match on that show is still the Hardcore Battle Royal) but I just wasn’t as awed with this match as the rest of the world. Then this match was blown out of the water by the subsequent TLC Matches so I didn’t really think much of it. A few months ago I watched this match on WWE 24/7 and I finally got it. It really is a great match and all six men busted their asses to put out a MOTYC. Jeff Hardy again trumped everybody for crazy stuff done in a single match but that doesn’t mean the other five men didn’t destroy their bodies as well. At the time I was happy to see Edge& Christian win the belts because they were my favorite of the three teams and they were the only ones to have not won the titles already. Who knew that they’d go on to hold six more? This is still the weakest of all the TLC Matches (as D-Von calls this one TLC Zero) and I’d even put the Hardys-E&C Ladder Match at No Mercy 1999 above this one, but that speaks more to the quality of the other matches than the lack of quality in this one.

My Grade: A

Hardcore Title, Six Man Match: Crash© vs. Hardcore Holly vs. Tazz vs. Perry Saturn vs. Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy (Backlash 2000)

Ahhh, the Crash Holly days of the Hardcore Title. Crash was the “Houdini of Hardcore” and he had shown that earlier in the week. This match was originally supposed to just be a Four-Way, minus The Hardys. But after Matt Hardy won the title on Raw utilizing the 24/7 rule, and Crash then won it back on SmackDown as Matt was in the midst of defending it against Jeff, the brothers were added to the match. This was the kind of chaotic fun that made the Hardcore Title great during this time period. If I remember correctly most of the match centered around the challengers chasing Crash because they had to pin him to win the title. Good old Elroy would prevail though, at least until his next potential challenger would inevitably jump him.

My Grade: B

World Tag Team Title, Fatal Four-Way Elimination Match: Too Cool© vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardys vs. T&A (King of the Ring 2000)

Ah yes, the Too Cool title run. There was a time when they were one of the most over acts in all of wrestling. They had only won the titles a few weeks before this from Edge & Christian thanks to some help from Kid Rock’s little buddy Joey C. This was one of those “Throw the top tag teams not doing anything into a match” type deals. It was pretty solid, but I think most people expected Edge & Christian to regain their straps. As such it didn’t leave The Hardys in there for too long as they were the second team eliminated after T&A hit the bricks.

My Grade: B

Six Person, Intergender Tag Team Match: The Hardys & Lita vs. T&A & Trish Stratus (Fully Loaded 2000)

I’ll be honest, I don’t remember too much about this match. The real issue here was Trish and Lita (this was back before Trish was seen as a viable wrestler as crazy as that sounds now) and the two tag teams were just there for the ride. And for those that don’t remember T&A was the ever impressive team of Test and Albert (former Prince, future A-Train and Giant Bernard). I seem to remember a few of these matches, most of which took place on free TV.

My Grade: B-…but I’ll accept arguments from those with a better memory

World Tag Team Title, TLC Match: Edge & Christian© vs. The Hardys vs. Dudley Boyz (SummerSlam 2000)

Yes, the actual gimmick of the TLC Match is just a glorified Ladder Match with a souped up name, but that doesn’t stop it for being wicked awesome. There are really only so many things one can say about these types of matches before it starts to be repetitive. The spots were both innovative and dangerous and these six men, say it with me, busted their asses for our entertainment. I’m not sure how else to really describe this match other than that you have to see it for yourself.

My Grade: A+

World Tag Team Title, Steel Cage Match: Edge & Christian© vs. The Hardys (Unforgiven 2000)

This is a great match that somehow went unnoticed when I did my Top Ten Matches of 2000 column last year. While the TLC Match looked like it may have been the big moment for The Hardys as it happened in their backyard, this was where The Hardys finally managed to get one up on their Canadian counterparts. After you’ve had an epic TLC Match one month prior it’s hard to come up with a great Steel Cage Match but these two teams managed to do it, full of the daredevil antics that made The Hardys famous. Even though they had already won the tag titles during their Michael Hayes’ days, this seemed like it was their first meaningful win.

My Grade: A

World Tag Team Title Match: The Hardys© vs. Los Conquistadors (No Mercy 2000)

After The Hardys captured the World Tag Team Titles at Unforgiven, WWE Commissioner Mick Foley gave Edge & Christian a rematch in a Ladder Match on the first Monday Night Raw on TNN (We’ve Got Pop). The only condition was that if they lost they could not get another title shot against The Hardys as long as they were champion. E&C lost so they figured out of the title picture. Around the time the golden-clad, masked luchador tag team Los Conquistadors burst on to the scene. They won a Tag Team Battle Royal to earn a shot at The Hardys here. Oh yeah, Los Conquistadors were Edge & Christian and everybody knew it (Contrary to what Edge says now, he was Dos and Christian was Uno). This was a fun gimmick and at the end of night Los Conquistadors were the new World Tag Team Champions. Si!

My Grade: B-

Survivor Series Elimination Match: The Hardys & Dudley Boyz vs. Bull Buchanan & Godfather & Edge & Christian (Survivor Series 2000)

The Hardys won the World Tag Team Titles back the following night on Raw as a backstage attack on Christian left Uno unable to compete in the championship rematch, making it a Handicap Match. Foley upheld the “Edge & Christian can’t challenge The Hardys” stip so E&C cost The Hardys the titles to the Right to Censor team of Bull Buchanan & The Goodfather. When The Hardys got their rematch at the UK PPV Rebellion, they lost again, this time due to interference from the Dudley Boyz who seemingly joined Right to Censor. This was just an elaborate ruse so that the Dudleyz could put the RTC members through tables. For some reason The Hardys forgave the Dudley Boyz and teamed with them here. These matches always have a certain amount of excitement and the good guys got their payback in the end so all is well.

My Grade: B

Six Person Intergender Elimination Tag Team Match: The Hardys & Lita vs. Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn, & Dean Malenko (Armageddon 2000)

Eddie must have really felt important here. The first of his teammates eliminated, and by Lita no less. But I digress. The real story here was between Lita and Dean Malenko who was in the midst of an awkward, yet still entertaining, Ladies Man phase. This was around the time that Lita started to slightly overshadow the rest of Team Xtreme and it is very much on display here.

My Grade: C

That’s all for 2000. Next week is 2001 with TLC II!

The Shimmy Likes It Raw!

What’s on tap for tonight’s show?

We now know that Chris Jericho will defend his World Heavyweight Title at No Mercy in a Ladder Match against Shawn Michaels. What will Jericho do to get the upper hand tonight?

With his rematch with Jericho done and over with, what does CM Punk do next? Does he look for revenge against the men that cost him his title in the first place, Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase, Manu, and Randy Orton?

The Honk-a-Meter continues tonight as Santino Marella tries to break the Honky Tonk Man’s record for the longest Intercontinental Title reign. This should be five weeks and counting…

Will Kane try to even up the battle with the high flying duo of Rey Mysterio & Evan Bourne?

One Tree Hill looks to come off of last week’s emotional episode with everyone trying to move on from Quentin’s death. It also looks like Chester’s life may be in trouble as well, and I swear to God if anything happens to that rabbit I am going to go postal on somebody.

ESPN has the first Monday Night Football appearance of Brett Favre in a Jets jersey. Will John Madden’s favorite player be able to stop the massively overrated San Diego Chargers? More importantly, what braintrust at ESPN booked a then Favre-less Jets team for MNF last year? Even more importantly still, will Jerricho Cotchery and Laverneous Coles be able to help me win in my fantasy league this week?

That’s all I got for this week. Enjoy your Monday, everybody. Until next time, don’t die. Clark…out.