Jeff Hardy Underrated!
We have all heard of the Charismatic Enigma Jeff Hardy and all know about his professional wrestling career, including the success he has had along the way, but for some reason he has never been held on the same level as John Cena and Randy Orton regardless of the achievements he has earned over the years.
When Jeff Hardy broke out as a singles star in 2002 after a grueling ladder match with the Undertaker it looked as tough he would be launched into the spotlight he rightfully deserved but instead struggled to get a decent match of any show, being forced to sell beat-downs by Brock Lesnar and even teaming with the likes of 3-minute warning in low-end brawls. After years of disappointment, and competing in TNA from 2004-2005 loosing to the likes of Jeff Jarrett, Rhyno, and Abyss, Hardy had still not been given a major title victory and returned to the WWE. Throughout 2006 and 2007 Hardy had some title success by winning the Intercontinental Championship and also becoming World Tag Tag Teams Champions along with his brother Matt, but was still kept in the mid-card zone. At this point in his career Jeff Hardy had seen the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton debut and go on to become multi-time World Champions. Hardy would have to wait until December 2008 to join their ranks when he finally captured the WWE Championship, only to loose it to Edge 1 month later at Royal Rumble 2009. Later that year Hardy defeated CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship but once again lost it shortly after at Summerslam to Punk. Hardy had been screwed twice out of a decent title run so, as before, he left for TNA.
During his second tenure at TNA, now known as Impact Wrestling, Jeff Hardy held the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on 3 occasions between 2010 and 2013. However, once he lost the belt to Bully Ray at Lockdown 2013 success would only be moderate for Hardy with both Willow and Brother Nero making appearances (painful to watch). This all took place whilst main-event mainstays Cena and Orton traded WWE and World Heavyweight Championship reigns, cementing their legacy among the greatest of all time. After a 7 year absence, Hardy returned to WWE immediately winning the Raw Tag Team Titles with brother Matt and having an entertaining series against Sheamus and Cesaro. Currently, Hardy has become the U.S. Champion after defeating Jinder Mahal in April of this year and has had defenses against Randy Orton and Shelton Benjamin.
Some fans have turned on Hardy claiming him to be boring, out-dated, and even calling him a letdown. It has now been 16 years since Hardy's breakout singles match against the Undertaker on Raw and still, it feels as though he is being held back from stardom, with the US Title reign not getting any real storyline build and a WWE Title shot seeming a distant dream for the Anti-Christ of Professional Wrestling. For all of us Creatures out there it seems like we'll just have to hope and pray that at some point the rest of the universe realizes what a great talent Hardy has been, and still is to this day.
When Jeff Hardy broke out as a singles star in 2002 after a grueling ladder match with the Undertaker it looked as tough he would be launched into the spotlight he rightfully deserved but instead struggled to get a decent match of any show, being forced to sell beat-downs by Brock Lesnar and even teaming with the likes of 3-minute warning in low-end brawls. After years of disappointment, and competing in TNA from 2004-2005 loosing to the likes of Jeff Jarrett, Rhyno, and Abyss, Hardy had still not been given a major title victory and returned to the WWE. Throughout 2006 and 2007 Hardy had some title success by winning the Intercontinental Championship and also becoming World Tag Tag Teams Champions along with his brother Matt, but was still kept in the mid-card zone. At this point in his career Jeff Hardy had seen the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton debut and go on to become multi-time World Champions. Hardy would have to wait until December 2008 to join their ranks when he finally captured the WWE Championship, only to loose it to Edge 1 month later at Royal Rumble 2009. Later that year Hardy defeated CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship but once again lost it shortly after at Summerslam to Punk. Hardy had been screwed twice out of a decent title run so, as before, he left for TNA.
During his second tenure at TNA, now known as Impact Wrestling, Jeff Hardy held the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on 3 occasions between 2010 and 2013. However, once he lost the belt to Bully Ray at Lockdown 2013 success would only be moderate for Hardy with both Willow and Brother Nero making appearances (painful to watch). This all took place whilst main-event mainstays Cena and Orton traded WWE and World Heavyweight Championship reigns, cementing their legacy among the greatest of all time. After a 7 year absence, Hardy returned to WWE immediately winning the Raw Tag Team Titles with brother Matt and having an entertaining series against Sheamus and Cesaro. Currently, Hardy has become the U.S. Champion after defeating Jinder Mahal in April of this year and has had defenses against Randy Orton and Shelton Benjamin.
Some fans have turned on Hardy claiming him to be boring, out-dated, and even calling him a letdown. It has now been 16 years since Hardy's breakout singles match against the Undertaker on Raw and still, it feels as though he is being held back from stardom, with the US Title reign not getting any real storyline build and a WWE Title shot seeming a distant dream for the Anti-Christ of Professional Wrestling. For all of us Creatures out there it seems like we'll just have to hope and pray that at some point the rest of the universe realizes what a great talent Hardy has been, and still is to this day.
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