Jeff Hardy, also known as “Daredevil” or “Charismatic Enigma”, is one of the best WWE superstars of all time. Those are at least his most famous name additions within the WWE. Whatever you call him now, there is one thing for sure. Jeff Hardy is one of the most charismatic Superstars in WWE history and a future Hall of Famer. He already reached legendary status as part of the “Hardy Boyz” along with his brother Matt.
While the two brothers had some memorable matches during their WWE career, in this article, we want to focus on Jeff Hardy single matches in the WWE. Ladies and gentlemen, stay tuned for the 10 best Jeff Hardy matches in the history of WWE.
Jeff Hardy vs Matt Hardy (Backlash 2009)
That match was a rematch from WrestleMania 25, which Matt Hardy managed to win. Their feud started at the Royal Rumble when Matt cost his brother Jeff the World Title by attacking him with a Steel Chair. The bitter feud was to come to an end in an I Quit Match. Of course, this match was characterized by the typical moves of the Hardy brothers. However, with time it gained more and more intensity.
There were actions outside the ring, including a “Twist of Fate” by Jeff against Matt. Now was the time when Jeff Hardy wanted to end this match. He laid his brother on a table and tied him to it with the help of ropes. Jeff then took out a ladder, placing it between the turnbuckle and the completely defenseless Matt.
Jeff started to legdrop over the ladder. After initial hesitation, Matt shouted, “I Quit, I Quit!” desperately into the microphone. However, this was not to be the end of the story. Despite his brother Matt’s quitting, Jeff, showed the legdrop over the ladder, naturally breaking the table on which he had previously tied up his brother.
Jeff Hardy vs John Morrison (SmackDown July 31, 2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ577oUg4GM
A couple of days earlier, Jeff Hardy had won the World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions from CM Punk. In the following SmackDown edition, he had to put his title on the line against John Morrison. Both have faced each other countless times, so the exceptionally good ring chemistry between the two athletes should come as no surprise.
Neither could gain a real advantage in this match. It went “back and forth”, so to speak. This was a great main event on this edition of SmackDown. Particularly since John Morrison was on the verge of taking his newly won title from Jeff Hardy. Finally, Jeff showed his Swanton Bomb and perfected his 1st title defense.
Jeff Hardy vs Umaga (RAW January 7, 2008)
On the Raw edition of January 7, 2008, Jeff Hardy and Umaga showed how well their two wrestling styles fit and meshed together. Their combination of speed and strength made the clashes between these two very special.
However, in this steel cage match, Jeff had difficulty defeating Umaga. He saw no chance to win within the ring and tried to escape from the steel cage. But he had calculated without Randy Orton, whom he was supposed to face for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.
Orton blocked every possible escape route. Hardy now had only one chance left… From the cage’s roof, he showed a truly completely tired life, “Whisper in the Wind” against Umaga. Jeff Hardy won the match and created here an unforgettable moment until today.
Jeff Hardy vs Randy Orton (Hell in a Cell 2018)
Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton’s Hell in a Cell match was the opener of Hell in a Cell 2018, which makes it the most recent match on this list. As the match began, Hardy launched his offense against Orton right off the bat. After a short period of dominance by Orton, Hardy regained control.
“The Charismatic Enigma” didn’t waste any time and elevated this match to a higher level right in the opening minutes by grabbing a ladder and a table. However, Randal beat him to the punch with a chair. From there, this match got more and more brutal. You could tell both of them wanted to give it their all here. Some of the spots were very violent. Hardy was thrown into the middle of a ladder or pinned by Orton.
The most violent spot of this match was clearly the thing with the screwdriver. Orton stuck the screwdriver in Hardy’s ear hole and kept twisting the earlobe. He did this several times during the feud, but that scene was really violent, and it was hard for me to keep watching. The ending spot with the failed splash from the cell roof was also of the more violent variety.
Orton was able to capitalize on this one and got the 3-count through. Orton was bleeding by the end of the match and was covered in scars. Jeff Hardy was no less scarred by the way this match went. Although, it wasn’t the ultra-fast match, intensity and brutality made up for it.
Jeff Hardy vs The Undertaker (SmackDown November 14, 2008)
This is a personal highlight of mine. My two favorite wrestlers met in this Extreme Rules match. “The Charismatic Enigma” attacked The Reaper in a previous edition of SmackDown and wanted to finish his attack in an Extreme Rules match in the November 14 edition. Also, Jeff Hardy’s intention with this match was to prove that he deserved another WWE title match.
On the match: I felt like this was about proving which of the two was the more extreme. Both beat each other with everything that was not nailed down. Hardy could then make the upset victory perfect with a ladder spot. He flew down the ladder from the top turnbuckle with a gigantic legdrop on Taker, thus securing another title opportunity.
Jeff Hardy vs CM Punk (SummerSlam 2009)
SummerSlam 2009 saw Jeff Hardy and CM Punk face off in a Tables, ladders and chairs match. These top two athletes got more and more extreme as the match went on. They were giving it their all. In this match, they had so many great spots.
The dizzying Swanton Bomb “from top of the ladder” was probably the best moment onto the commentary table. By doing such an action, Jeff Hardy proved how crazy and extreme he is once again. Despite this really incredible spot, Hardy couldn’t win the match. Therefore CM Punk remained champion.
At the following SmackDown edition, Jeff Hardy lost again against CM Punk in a Steel Cage Match and then left the WWE.
Jeff Hardy vs Triple H (No Mercy 2008)
In No Mercy, Jeff Hardy was to have a shot at the WWE title in a match against Triple H. At the beginning of the match, Triple H was the dominant player. Jeff Hardy gained more and more control in the second half. He was countering most of Hunter’s moves, but he was just impossible to keep down.
Then finally, Hardy did it: He showed the “Twist of Fate” followed by his “Swanton Bomb”. The audience thought that they would see a new champion now. But wrong thought. With a Roll-Up Triple H achieved a 3-Count against Hardy and kept his title.
Jeff Hardy vs Edge (Extreme Rules 2008)
Who doesn’t remember this match? Jeff Hardy and Edge really had great chemistry together. They fought a lot of matches together in the past. This ladder match should be the best of this series.
The match itself I don’t need to say much about. It simply couldn’t get worse when they were both in the ring. Most wrestling fans should be familiar with the ending as well. Jeff Hardy pulled Edge, standing on the ladder, between two ladder rungs so that Edge got stuck in them. There was nothing Edge could do now.
Jeff Hardy climbed up the ladder and became the new World Heavyweight Champion. However, this triumph was to be short-lived. After the great ladder match ended, CM Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank Shot, pinned Jeff Hardy and left Extreme Rules as World Champion.
Jeff Hardy vs Undertaker (Raw March 29 2002)
Now let’s move on to the match that many claim was the best match of Jeff Hardy’s WWE career. In the year 2002, Jeff Hardy got a “push” as a singles wrestler. They allowed him to prove himself. And it was against none other than the WWE Undisputed Champion at the time, The Undertaker.
Additionally, the match carried the stipulation Ladder Match. Jeff Hardy threw everything he had into this match. A spot that I will always remember was the “springboard spot”, I would call it. Hardy placed a ladder on the ring ropes so that he could use it as a springboard to the outside. Just like a man possessed, he wouldn’t give up.
But eventually, Taker threw him off the ladder with a chokeslam and remained champion. Perhaps even more significant than the match itself was what happened after the match. Already Taker was riding up on his bike when Jeff grabbed a microphone. Utterly devastated, he screamed, “You haven’t broken me; I’m still standing!”.
Taker stomped back into the ring. However, rather than attack Hardy again, Taker paid him respect by raising Hardy’s hand to the sky. If it was Jeff Hardy’s best match in the WWE is up to everyone to decide. However, what is certain is that it was the most important match in his WWE career. After all, this was the starting shot of his singles career.
Jeff Hardy vs Triple H vs Edge (Armageddon 2008)
Finally, we come to the only triple-threat match on this list. Jeff Hardy was involved in a lengthy feud with Triple H back in 2007 and 2008. Edge later became part of the feud as well and was also WWE Champion until Armageddon 2008.
That match was incredibly exciting from the start, with everyone in the arena wanting to see Jeff Hardy’s first WWE title win. The interference of Matt Hardy and the unbeatable Vladimir Koslov was perhaps a bit unnecessary. After all, they shouldn’t really be involved in the match’s outcome.
Anyway: Finally, the time had come. Following a “Pedigree” by Triple H against Edge, Jeff Hardy came flying out of nowhere with the “Swanton Bomb” and was thus able to pin Edge. After the 3-Count, the hall exploded just like I did at home in front of my screen. Until today I haven’t forgotten the sentence of Jim Ross after Hardy’s title win: “From Daredevil to Champion”. The greatest moment in Jeff Hardy’s WWE career, and, for many of us, it is the undisputed number 1.
