Hardy Boyz

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hardy Boyz
A picture of {{{current_name}}}.
Tag Team
Members Matt Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Name(s) The Jinx Brothers
The New Brood
Team Extreme
The Hardy Boyz
The Hardys
Heights Matt:
6 ft 2 in (186 cm)
Jeff:
6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Combined weight 461 lb (209.5 kg)
Hometown Cameron, North Carolina
Former member(s) Lita (as Team Xtreme)
Debut 1993
Promotions OMEGA
WWE

The Hardy Boyz (also known as the The Hardys and Team Xtreme) are a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) that consists of real life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy. Overall, they are 7-time world Tag Team Champions: 6-time WWE World Tag Team Champions and former WCW Tag Team Champions.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Independent circuit (1993-1998)

Matt and his real-life brother Jeff Hardy formed a tag team in 1993 after Jeff's debut in Trampoline Wrestling Federation (TWF). It would go under several names and in 1997, the promotion was more modernized as Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts (OMEGA). The duo worked in several North Carolinian independent promotions holding the OMEGA Tag Team Championship and NWA 2000 Tag Team Championship.[1]

[edit] World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (1998-2007)

Originally the brothers competed as teenagers in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as jobbers, both in singles and tag team competition.[1]

[edit] Rise to Popularity

The Hardy Boyz started their run as a popular tag team in a surprising win over Kaientai (Mens Teioh and Sho Funaki) on the September 27, 1998 episode of Sunday Night HEAT. Soon after their Sunday Night HEAT win, they built up a fan base following through their high-flying tag team tactics. They started to become serious contenders for the Tag Team Titles after they became managed by Michael Hayes,[2] formerly a member of the successful tag team The Fabulous Freebirds. On June 29, 1999 edition of RAW is WAR (aired July 5), they defeated The A.P.A. (Farooq and Bradshaw) to win their first WWF Tag Team Championship[1][2][3][4] but lost the titles back to The A.P.A. a little less than a month later at Fully Loaded.[1][5]

They would eventually dump Hayes as their manager in August 1999, turned heel and were briefly associated with Gangrel as part of The New Brood.[1][6] After winning a series of matches against the team of Edge and Christian, dubbed the "Terri Invitational Tournament," they won the services of Terri Runnels as their manager by winning the first ever tag team ladder match at No Mercy by defeating Edge and Christian.[1][7][8] Fans were so impressed with the match that when Edge and Christian were alone in the ring, fans gave them a standing ovation. The fans also gave both teams a standing ovation the next night on RAW is WAR.[4] This began an over two year rivalry between Hardyz and the team of Edge and Christian. They then gained notoriety as a tag team with Lita.[7]

[edit] Team Xtreme

Matt Hardy, one half of the Hardy Boyz, at WrestleMania X8.
Matt Hardy, one half of the Hardy Boyz, at WrestleMania X8.

With the addition of Lita, Matt and Jeff Hardy comprised the trio dubbed Team Xtreme, their name serving as a reflection of their "extreme" high-flying moves. In 2000, they were involved in feuds with Edge and Christian and Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) in many ladder matches and Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matches.

They faced Edge and Christian and the Dudley Boyz at WrestleMania 2000 in a triple threat tag team ladder match. The Dudley Boyz started the match as the champions, and Edge and Christian won the titles that night.[1][9] They faced Edge and Christian for the titles at Insurrextion and defeated them by disqualification, thus Edge and Christian retained the titles.[1][10] At King of the Ring, the Hardy Boyz squared off in a Four Corners elimination match for the WWF Tag Team Championship which included the champions Too Cool (Brian Christopher and Scotty 2 Hotty), T & A (Test and Albert) and Edge and Christian. Hardyz were able to eliminate T & A before getting eliminated themselves by Edge and Christian.[11]

At SummerSlam, The Hardy Boyz participated in the first ever Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match (TLC) for the WWF Tag Team Championship along with champions Edge and Christian and Dudley Boyz. Even though they were unsuccessful in capturing the titles, the TLC match skyrocketed them through the ranks of tag team wrestling.[12] At Unforgiven, however, The Hardy Boyz defeated Edge and Christian in a Steel cage match to win the WWF Tag Team Championship for a second time.[1][13][14] They went on to lose the titles back to Edge and Christian (who were dressed as Los Conquistadores) at No Mercy,[1][15] but they won the titles back the next night on RAW for a third time.[1][16][17] However, during this match, The Hardy Boyz were dressed as Los Conquistadores, but tore off their masks after the match, revealing themselves.[17] The team would lose the titles less than a month later to Right to Censor (Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather) on the November 6, 2000 edition of RAW is WAR, when Edge and Christian came out and assaulted the Hardyz, allowing Right to Censor to pick up the win and the tag team titles.[1][16]

Hardyz feuded with both Edge and Christian and Right to Censor. At Survivor Series, Hardyz along with Dudleyz defeated Edge and Christian and Right to Censor in an elimination Survivor Series match.[1][18] At Rebellion, Hardyz faced Right to Censor in a rematch for the titles but were unable to win the titles when Val Venis interfered.[1][19] On December 4 edition of RAW is WAR, Dean Malenko defeated Hardyz' valet Lita to retain the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship and earn himself a date with her three days later on SmackDown!. On the December 7 edition of SmackDown!, however, when Malenko took Lita with himself on date, he received beatings from the Hardyz.[1][20] Hardyz began feuding with Malenko and his friends, The Radicalz (Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn). The two teams faced each other in several tag team and singles matches on editions of RAW and SmackDown!.[1] The two teams also squared off against each other at Armageddon with Guerrero, Malenko and Saturn taking on Hardyz and Lita. Radicalz went on to win the match.[1][21]

On March 5, 2001, edition of RAW The Hardy Boyz captured their fourth WWF Tag Team Championship when they defeated The Dudley Boyz, after interference from Christian,[22][23] only to lose the titles to Edge and Christian two weeks later on RAW.[24] The next month at WrestleMania X-Seven, The Hardy Boyz again competed in another TLC match against Edge and Christian and The Dudley Boyz. Just as in the first TLC match, Edge and Christian were victorious thanks to help from Rhyno.[25]

On the October 8 edition of RAW, The Hardy Boyz won the WCW World Tag Team Championship from Booker T and Test.[26][27] They would lose the titles to The Dudley Boyz two weeks later.[28] On the November 12 edition of RAW, they beat Booker T and Test again, but this time for the WWF Tag Team Championship.[1][29][30] At Survivor Series, they lost the titles to the Dudleys in a Steel Cage title unification match.[31]

At No Way Out 2002, Hardyz participated in a Tag Team Turmoil match which was won by A.P.A.[1][32] At WrestleMania X8, along with APA and Dudley Boyz, Hardyz challenged Billy and Chuck for the WWF Tag Team Championship in a Four Corners elimination match. APA were eliminated by Dudleyz and Hardyz managed to eliminate Dudleyz. However, in the end, they were pinned by the champions, thus losing the opportunity.[1][33] They began a feud with the newcomer Brock Lesnar and his manager Paul Heyman. At Judgment Day 2002, Hardyz lost to Lesnar and Heyman in a tag team match.[1][34] The duo split together afterwards.

During the time they were together, they were one of the most popular tag teams because of their TLC (Tables, Ladders and Chairs) matches with Edge and Christian as well as The Dudley Boyz and their unique "grunge"-type look that appealed to WWF's younger fanbase. They also were guests in an episode of That 70's Show in which they played two un-named wrestlers.

[edit] Split

However, the team eventually split up to enable both Matt and Jeff to pursue singles careers. Jeff was later released from WWE after refusing to go to rehab after agents found out he had been taking drugs .[35][36] Hardy also cited "burn out" and the need for time off as reasons for leaving WWE.[37] He spent some time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling but realized he was not getting the exposure he had hoped for. As a result, he no-showed several times, was suspended, and completed his contractual duties. On August 4, 2006, he rejoined the WWE on its RAW brand.[38]

[edit] The Hardys (2006-2007)

The Hardys at a house show.
The Hardys at a house show.

At Unforgiven 2006, Jeff, Matt and Lita all appeared together on television for the first time in four years, where Lita insulted both brothers and left the scene with a sarcastic "We should do this again some time."[39]

In November, it was announced on WWE.com that Matt and Jeff would team up for the first time together in over four years as members of Team DX at the Survivor Series.[40] The Hardys, as they were now known, were first given a "warm up match" on ECW on Sci Fi, defeating the Full Blooded Italians (Little Guido Maritato and Tony Mamaluke).[1][41] At Survivor Series, Team DX defeated Team Rated-RKO in a clean sweep.[1][42]

On the November 27 edition of RAW, The Hardys had their first shot at Tag Team gold in 5 years. They took on World Tag Team Champions Rated-RKO (Edge and Randy Orton), but came up short when Edge hit Jeff in the back with a belt to get himself and Randy Orton disqualified deliberately to retain the titles.[1][43] That same day, The Hardys posed an open challenge to any team for ECW December to Dismember which was immediately accepted by a reuniting MNM (Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury).[43] After a run in on the intervening ECW on Sci Fi,[1][44] The Hardys defeated MNM at the pay-per-view,[1][45] starting a feud between all four men that spanned both brands. The Hardys got their first chance to gain the WWE Tag Team Championship at Armageddon, where the original Tag Team Match was changed to a 4 Team Ladder Match involving The Hardys, MNM, Dave Taylor and William Regal, and Paul London and Brian Kendrick.[1][46]

Despite coming up short, The Hardys sparked another feud with MNM when Joey Mercury was legitimately injured.[1][46][47] Whilst Jeff Hardy and Johnny Nitro continued battling over the WWE Intercontinental Championship on RAW, Matt Hardy and Joey Mercury feuded on SmackDown!. Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro tried injuring both Hardys' faces as payback for what happened at Armageddon, claiming that The Hardys had ruined Mercury's 'Hollywood good looks'. The Hardys settled their feud with MNM at the Royal Rumble when they defeated them for the second time.[1][48] Matt Hardy and Joey Mercury continued feuding, however, which was finally settled at No Way Out.[1][49]

On the April 2, 2007 episode of RAW, the Hardys won the World Tag Team Championship, for the sixth time in their career after winning a ten team battle royal.[1][50][51] After losing singles bouts with both Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch,[1][52][53] The Hardys retained their World Tag Team Championship at both Backlash[1][54] and Judgment Day[1][55] against Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch. At One Night Stand, Hardyz retained the titles against World's Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin) in a brutal ladder match.[1][56] However, the next night on RAW, Hardys lost their championships to Cade and Murdoch, when Jeff missed a swanton bomb and was pinned by Cade after Murdoch pushed his foot off of the bottom rope of the ring. Cade and Murdoch attacked the Hardys with the championship belts after the match.[1][57] The Hardys got a rematch at Vengeance, but lost after Jeff was hit with a sit-out spinebuster from Cade.[1][58]

The Hardys once again returned to WWE on the November 13 edition of ECW on Sci Fi to face Montel Vontavious Porter and Mr. Kennedy, a match that was originally scheduled for the November 16 edition of SmackDown!. The Hardys were unsuccessful in their return as Porter pinned Jeff for the win.[59]

[edit] In wrestling

Jeff Hardy performing his Swanton Bomb finisher
Jeff Hardy performing his Swanton Bomb finisher
  • Finishing and signature moves
  • "Loaded" by Zack Tempest[61]

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

  • NWA 2000 Tag Team Championship (1 time)[1]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am Hardy Boyz Profile. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-20.
  2. ^ a b c The Hardy Boyz' first World Tag Team Championship reign. WWE (1999-06-29). Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  3. ^ Cawthon, Graham. WWE Raw results. Angelfire. Retrieved on 2008-01-20.
  4. ^ a b RAW is WAR results, 1999. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  5. ^ Fully Loaded 1999 results. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  6. ^ New Brood Profile. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  7. ^ a b Jim Varsallone (December 2001). Matt and Jeff Hardy - Interview. Wrestling Digest. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
  8. ^ No Mercy 1999 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  9. ^ WrestleMania 2000 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  10. ^ Insurrextion 2000 results. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  11. ^ King of the Ring 2000 results. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  12. ^ SummerSlam 2000 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  13. ^ Unforgiven 2000 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  14. ^ a b Hardy Boyz' second World Tag Team Championship reign. WWE (2000-09-24). Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  15. ^ No Mercy 2000 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  16. ^ a b RAW is WAR results, 2000. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  17. ^ a b c Hardy Boyz' third World Tag Team Championship reign. WWE (2000-10-23). Retrieved on 2008-04-01.
  18. ^ Survivor Series 2000 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  19. ^ Rebellion 2000 results. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  20. ^ SmackDown! results, 2000. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  21. ^ Armageddon 2000 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  22. ^ a b Hardy Boyz' fourth World Tag Team Championship reign. WWE (2001-03-05). Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  23. ^ RAW results - March 5, 2001. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  24. ^ RAW results - March 19, 2001. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  25. ^ WrestleMania X-Seven official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  26. ^ RAW results - October 8, 2001. Online World of Wrestling (2001-10-08). Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  27. ^ a b W.C.W. World Tag Team Title. The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  28. ^ SmackDown! results - October 25, 2001. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  29. ^ a b Hardy Boyz' fifth World Tag Team Championship reign. WWE (2001-11-12). Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  30. ^ RAW results - November 12, 2001. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  31. ^ Survivor Series 2001 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  32. ^ No Way Out 2002 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  33. ^ WrestleMania X8 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  34. ^ Judgment Day 2002 official results. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  35. ^ WWE. Jeff Hardy's WWE Bio. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
  36. ^ Tello, Craig (August 4, 2006). His Own Fate Twisted. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
  37. ^ Robinson, Jon (March 27, 2007). Jeff Hardy Interview: WrestleMania, ladders, and The Swanton Bomb. Retrieved on 2007-03-28.
  38. ^ Schiff, Steven (2006-08-21). We Have Liftoff - Jeff Hardy returns to RAW. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  39. ^ Tello, Craig (2006-09-17). Nitro escapes Toronto with the gold. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  40. ^ Hoffman, Brett (2006-11-16). Return of The Hardys. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  41. ^ Hunt, Jen (2006-11-21). One Man. One Mission.. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  42. ^ Dee, Louie (2006-11-26). D-Xtreme dominance. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  43. ^ a b R-K-Anarchy. WWE (2006-11-27). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  44. ^ Countdown to dismemberment. WWE (2006-11-28). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  45. ^ McAvennie, Mike (2006-12-03). B-listed. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  46. ^ a b Tello, Craig (2006-12-17). Climbing the rungs of respect. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  47. ^ WWE (2006-12-18). Update on Joey Mercury. Retrieved on 2007-04-09.
  48. ^ Difino, Lennie (2007-01-28). The Hardys fly high. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  49. ^ Robinson, Bryan (2007-02-19). "The Rabid Wolverine" is the Hardys' MVP in Six-Man Tag Team Match. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  50. ^ Starr, Noah (2007-04-02). HBK dumps Cena. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  51. ^ a b The Hardys' sixth World Tag Team Championship reign. WWE (2007-04-02). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  52. ^ Starrdate=2007-04-16, Noah. Italian Intercontinental surprise. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  53. ^ Starr, Noah (2007-04-23). A sign of things to come?. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  54. ^ Rote, Andrew (2007-04-29). The Hardys survive. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  55. ^ Clayton, Corey (2007-05-20). 'By the book' couldn't beat the Hardys. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  56. ^ McAvennie, Mike (2007-06-03). The Hardys climb another ladder of success. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  57. ^ Dee, Louie (2007-06-04). High road to the gold?. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  58. ^ Dee, Louie (2007-06-24). Sportsmen of the year?. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  59. ^ Rote, Andrew (2007-11-13). Pushing Punk. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  60. ^ Twist of Fate: The Matt and Jeff Hardy Story [DVD]. World Wrestling Entertainment.
  61. ^ X-Series: XCD012 - Heavy Metal. Extreme Music. Retrieved on 2008-02-19.
  62. ^ a b Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners - Match of the Year. Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  63. ^ Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners - Tag Team of the Year. Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  64. ^ WWE Intercontinental Championship official title history. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  65. ^ Jeff Hardy's first Intercontinental Championship reign. WWE (2001-04-12). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  66. ^ WWF Light Heavyweight Championship official title history. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  67. ^ Jeff Hardy's first Light Heavyweight Championship reign. WWE (2001-06-07). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  68. ^ a b c d e WWE Hardcore Championship official title history. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  69. ^ WWE European Championship official title history. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  70. ^ Matt Hardy's first European Championship reign. WWE (2001-04-26). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  71. ^ Jeff Hardy's first European Championship reign. WWE (2002-07-08). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  72. ^ WWE Women's Championship official title history. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  73. ^ Lita's first Women's Championship reign. WWE (2000-08-21). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Professional wrestling
Portal