Help out the blog by bookmarking this link to Amazon.
Ahhh, Summer 2001. The wrestling universe had become Planet McMahon and we weren't too sure what to make of it. He'd bought out his competition and was using the company names to define his own legacy. There was a WCW & ECW invasion we were a few months in to and we just knew the big names and dream matches were coming soon. That expectation may never have truly been realised but a midcard dream match we got to see wasn't anything to be sniffed at either. Rob Van Dam was by far the most popular Alliance superstar that hadn't jumped ship from WWF. Coming from ECW he was almost chained to the Hardcore Division, although he would flirt with the main event at No Mercy for the WWF Champion as scapegoat between Kurt Angle and Steve Austin. Anyway Jeff Hardy had proven in his young WWF career he was a bit of a daredevil and he could go toe to toe with Van Dam in his environment. RVD won the title from Hardy at the Invasion pay per view last month, but 6 days ago on Raw Hardy interfered in RVD's defence against Kurt Angle, pinning RVD and regaining the championship.
Ahhh, Summer 2001. The wrestling universe had become Planet McMahon and we weren't too sure what to make of it. He'd bought out his competition and was using the company names to define his own legacy. There was a WCW & ECW invasion we were a few months in to and we just knew the big names and dream matches were coming soon. That expectation may never have truly been realised but a midcard dream match we got to see wasn't anything to be sniffed at either. Rob Van Dam was by far the most popular Alliance superstar that hadn't jumped ship from WWF. Coming from ECW he was almost chained to the Hardcore Division, although he would flirt with the main event at No Mercy for the WWF Champion as scapegoat between Kurt Angle and Steve Austin. Anyway Jeff Hardy had proven in his young WWF career he was a bit of a daredevil and he could go toe to toe with Van Dam in his environment. RVD won the title from Hardy at the Invasion pay per view last month, but 6 days ago on Raw Hardy interfered in RVD's defence against Kurt Angle, pinning RVD and regaining the championship.
JEFF HARDY © VS. ROB VAN DAM
(LADDER MATCH FOR THE WWF HARDCORE CHAMPIONSHIP)
WWF Summerslam (19th August 2001)
My favourite commentary team of Jim Ross and Paul Heyman are at the table for this match, JR goes over Summerslam's history with ladder matches including the TLC last year including Jeff Hardy. RVD enters first and both of these men are very popular with the crowd. The bell rings and RVD gets the advantage from a collar-elbow tie up, getting a hammerlock on Jeff. Jeff reverses it but RVD takes him down grabbing a front facelock. RVD ducks a clothesline as they get to their feet but can't get anything from the waistlock, Hardy reverses it, so RVD takes him down by the arm. Hardy grabs a headscissors on the mat and RVD has to kick his way out leading to a standoff.
The fans show their appreciation for these two men's efforts as Heyman puts over RVD as Mr Pay-Per-View. RVD gets the best of a collar-elbow tie up and opens Jeff up for kicks to the chest. RVD misses a spin kick but reverses an irish whip. Hardy holds on to the rope and RVD hits air with a drop kick. Jeff Hardy hits the leg drop up the torso, no matter where it lands it's legal. Which leads to JR and Heyman reminding us all the ways this match can't be won. RVD tries to walk off the damage to his groin and stretches it out. RVD kicks Hardy and hits a right hand. Jeff goes up and over on a scoop slam, and RVD grabs the ropes, sending Jeff back across the ring. RVD sends Jeff over the top rope and I have no idea how they don't check if they landed on the apron now. It always catches guys out! Jeff hip tosses Jeff over the top to the floor but he over-rotates. Jeff hits a springboard somersault senton to the floor!
Jeff Hardy gets back to his feet sending RVD into the barricade and the ring post. Jeff Hardy climbs to the top rope but a splash just hits barricade! RVD sets Hardy over the barricade and hits a leg drop across the back of his neck. RVD retrieves a ladder from the entrance and limps back towards the ring. Jeff Hardy flies off the barricade into RVD! Hardy puts the ladder half way in the ring and then gets in, he tries to drag the ladder in but RVD is back on his feet and he kicks the ladder into Jeff's face! RVD gets back in the ring and JR calls him "high on his abilities" haha! RVD tries dragging in the ladder, but Jeff's picking up speed across the ring. Jeff clears Van Dam and the top rope, splashing the ladder and see-sawing it into RVD! Jeff sets RVD up on the ladder and hits a crazy springboard moonsault onto RVD. RVD reverses an irish whip when they get back to their feet, but Hardy notices him drop down and leg drops his ankles stretching his groin. RVD is sent corner to corner but meets Hardy with a back elbow. Rob Van Dam sets up Jeff Hardy in the Tree of Woe hitting his shoulder blocks before setting the ladder up across a corner. RVD places Hardy on the ladder and climbs on the opposite corner. RVD hits a Rolling Thunder across the ring!
The fans are firmly behind Van Dam here and JR says RVD's the only popular member of the Alliance in regards to the WWF fans, Heyman includes himself but JR isn't sure. RVD finds a vertical base and brings Jeff up too. Jeff Hardy ducks a right hand, but RVD counters the waistlock. Hardy elbows out but gets caught with a spinning heel kick. JR compares an RVD kick to a Mike Tyson punch, and RVD kicks Jeff Hardy in the jaw so he lands on the ladder. RVD hits a slingshot legdrop which tweaks his knee. Paul Heyman puts over Sabu and The Sheik without naming them as RVD grabs the ladder from the outside. Jeff Hardy's back on his feet and he dropkicks the ladder into RVD! Hardy drags the ladder into the ring fully for the first time as RVD uses the barricade to get to his feet at ringside. Hardy sets the ladder up RVD's on the apron as Jeff starts climbing, and he gets to the top rope. Van Dam kicks Hardy off the ladder. RVD has to set the ladder back up but decides instead to go after Hardy. He slams Hardy to the mat and places the ladder on top of him. RVD hits a moonsault onto the ladder! RVD sets the ladder back up as Jeff is on the apron. Jeff climbs to the top and wipes out himself, Van Dam and the ladder with a dropkick!
Jeff Hardy avoids a sweep and hits a DDT, climbing to the top rope. Jeff leaps for the Swanton with the fans behind him but he hits the mat! RVD has an opening and he gets to his feet. Van Dam is still somehow able to get to the top rope in one fluid motion, but he misses the Five Star Frog Splash! Jeff Hardy is back to his feet first as least-damaged goods and he sets up the ladder. Hardy starts climbing. Rob Van Dam is stirring on the mat and climbs up the ladder with his upper-body. RVD is able to meet Jeff at the top and cut him off with right hands. RVD superplexes Jeff off the ladder! RVD gets to his feet and slowly climbs, but Jeff isn't far behind. Jeff keeps RVD from the title with right hands and slams his head off the top of the ladder. Jeff Hardy brings RVD back down to the mat with a sunset flip powerbomb! Jeff somehow makes it up the ladder. Jeff makes it to the top with his belt but RVD removes the ladder from under him! RVD can't break Hardy from his belt, completely missing on a suicidal spinning kick from the corner. Jeff falls to the mat and shows his frustration. He grabs the ladder and slowly starts again. He gets to the top of the ladder but the belt is still swinging above him. RVD shoves the ladder over, knocking Hardy's knee on the top rope and climbs the ladder to win the championship.
The fans show their appreciation for these two men's efforts as Heyman puts over RVD as Mr Pay-Per-View. RVD gets the best of a collar-elbow tie up and opens Jeff up for kicks to the chest. RVD misses a spin kick but reverses an irish whip. Hardy holds on to the rope and RVD hits air with a drop kick. Jeff Hardy hits the leg drop up the torso, no matter where it lands it's legal. Which leads to JR and Heyman reminding us all the ways this match can't be won. RVD tries to walk off the damage to his groin and stretches it out. RVD kicks Hardy and hits a right hand. Jeff goes up and over on a scoop slam, and RVD grabs the ropes, sending Jeff back across the ring. RVD sends Jeff over the top rope and I have no idea how they don't check if they landed on the apron now. It always catches guys out! Jeff hip tosses Jeff over the top to the floor but he over-rotates. Jeff hits a springboard somersault senton to the floor!
Jeff Hardy gets back to his feet sending RVD into the barricade and the ring post. Jeff Hardy climbs to the top rope but a splash just hits barricade! RVD sets Hardy over the barricade and hits a leg drop across the back of his neck. RVD retrieves a ladder from the entrance and limps back towards the ring. Jeff Hardy flies off the barricade into RVD! Hardy puts the ladder half way in the ring and then gets in, he tries to drag the ladder in but RVD is back on his feet and he kicks the ladder into Jeff's face! RVD gets back in the ring and JR calls him "high on his abilities" haha! RVD tries dragging in the ladder, but Jeff's picking up speed across the ring. Jeff clears Van Dam and the top rope, splashing the ladder and see-sawing it into RVD! Jeff sets RVD up on the ladder and hits a crazy springboard moonsault onto RVD. RVD reverses an irish whip when they get back to their feet, but Hardy notices him drop down and leg drops his ankles stretching his groin. RVD is sent corner to corner but meets Hardy with a back elbow. Rob Van Dam sets up Jeff Hardy in the Tree of Woe hitting his shoulder blocks before setting the ladder up across a corner. RVD places Hardy on the ladder and climbs on the opposite corner. RVD hits a Rolling Thunder across the ring!
The fans are firmly behind Van Dam here and JR says RVD's the only popular member of the Alliance in regards to the WWF fans, Heyman includes himself but JR isn't sure. RVD finds a vertical base and brings Jeff up too. Jeff Hardy ducks a right hand, but RVD counters the waistlock. Hardy elbows out but gets caught with a spinning heel kick. JR compares an RVD kick to a Mike Tyson punch, and RVD kicks Jeff Hardy in the jaw so he lands on the ladder. RVD hits a slingshot legdrop which tweaks his knee. Paul Heyman puts over Sabu and The Sheik without naming them as RVD grabs the ladder from the outside. Jeff Hardy's back on his feet and he dropkicks the ladder into RVD! Hardy drags the ladder into the ring fully for the first time as RVD uses the barricade to get to his feet at ringside. Hardy sets the ladder up RVD's on the apron as Jeff starts climbing, and he gets to the top rope. Van Dam kicks Hardy off the ladder. RVD has to set the ladder back up but decides instead to go after Hardy. He slams Hardy to the mat and places the ladder on top of him. RVD hits a moonsault onto the ladder! RVD sets the ladder back up as Jeff is on the apron. Jeff climbs to the top and wipes out himself, Van Dam and the ladder with a dropkick!
Jeff Hardy avoids a sweep and hits a DDT, climbing to the top rope. Jeff leaps for the Swanton with the fans behind him but he hits the mat! RVD has an opening and he gets to his feet. Van Dam is still somehow able to get to the top rope in one fluid motion, but he misses the Five Star Frog Splash! Jeff Hardy is back to his feet first as least-damaged goods and he sets up the ladder. Hardy starts climbing. Rob Van Dam is stirring on the mat and climbs up the ladder with his upper-body. RVD is able to meet Jeff at the top and cut him off with right hands. RVD superplexes Jeff off the ladder! RVD gets to his feet and slowly climbs, but Jeff isn't far behind. Jeff keeps RVD from the title with right hands and slams his head off the top of the ladder. Jeff Hardy brings RVD back down to the mat with a sunset flip powerbomb! Jeff somehow makes it up the ladder. Jeff makes it to the top with his belt but RVD removes the ladder from under him! RVD can't break Hardy from his belt, completely missing on a suicidal spinning kick from the corner. Jeff falls to the mat and shows his frustration. He grabs the ladder and slowly starts again. He gets to the top of the ladder but the belt is still swinging above him. RVD shoves the ladder over, knocking Hardy's knee on the top rope and climbs the ladder to win the championship.
WINNER: ROB VAN DAM (NEW WWF HARDCORE CHAMPION)
I really enjoyed this match. They started slow and it was a nice change having a hardcore match start with mat wrestling, not something either of these guys are particularly known for. After that they picked up the speed and kept the weapons work to just the ladder, using their ariel abilities to make the ladder more effective. I liked that neither man could hit their top rope finisher, as it isn't needed in the match and the effect on the person doing the move can slow matches with a stipulation like this down. These guys worked really well together and I'm disappointed in myself I couldn't get their InVasion match reviewed last month. – WORKRATE: 2.5/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 4.5/5 OVERALL 7/10
By Summerslam 2002 Jeff Hardy's drug problems had ended his employment in WWF (by then E) and the Hardcore championship was no more. Summerslam 2002 also had no ladder match so that leaves Rob Van Dam as my link. He faced Chris Benoit for the WWE
No comments:
Post a Comment