Last month at Survivor Series, The Dudley Boyz unified the WWF and WCW tag team championships in a steel cage match against The Hardy Boyz. Matt had already escaped but Jeff decided to try and hit a Swanton bomb off the top of the cage, essentially gifting the victory to their opponents. This caused a rift between the Hardys, with Lita being dragged into the mess as the team's valet and Matt's girlfriend, she was made the referee for the match. Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are on commentary for this match.
Before the match Matt Hardy saw Lita backstage, trying to get her on side. Lita says she's going to call the match down the middle because it's her job tonight. Lita enters first with attire that guarantees her “referee of the year” before Jeff Hardy enters. The music just plays through as Matt walks through the curtain
MATT HARDY VS. JEFF HARDY (Lita as Special Referee)
WWF Vengeance 2001 (9th December 2001)
They lock up and Matt gets a side headlock, Jeff counters with a top wristlock into a hammerlock. Matt tries to break it using the ropes but Jeff keeps him out of reach so Matt just trips him from behind. The referee in this match is getting the best reaction. They lock up again and Matt gets another side headlock, Jeff sends him off the ropes but is knocked down with a shoulder tackle. Jeff goes prone and tries a hip toss but can't get Matt over so an arm drag will have to do. Jeff keeps Matt grounded with an arm bar on the mat. Jeff brings Matt back to his feet, Matt tries to counter with his own arm drag but Jeff rolls through with Matt still in his grasp. Matt Hardy uses Jeff's hair to get to his feet and backs him into the ropes. Matt Hardy reverses an irish whip and stops Jeff in his tracks with a back elbow. Matt slams Jeff to the mat and gets a nearfall from a fist drop. Matt sends Jeff's head into the top turnbuckle and completely misses a chop in the corner, the overhand chop finds it's mark but Jeff switches positions and slaps Matt with his own overhand chop, Jeff Hardy's knife-edge chop actually connects so Matt pokes him in the eye. Matt Hardy drops Jeff over the top rope and hits a running variation of the Side Effect for a nearfall.
Matt brings Jeff to his feet but Jeff fights back, Jeff Hardy picks up speed off the ropes but runs into a sleeper hold. Jeff pushes Matt off into the ropes and catches him in a side headlock, Matt drops Jeff with a back suplex and heads to the middle turnbuckle, but takes too long as Jeff avoids the leg drop. Jeff Hardy hits a sitdown jawbreaker and a jumping forearm knocks Matt down. Matt Hardy reverses an irish whip sending Jeff into the corner but runs into a boot. Jeff Hardy hits the legdrop from the middle rope and gets a 2 count. Matt Hardy reverses another irish whip, Jeff climbs the turnbuckle looking for Whisper in the Wind but Matt trips him, Matt places Jeff in the tree of woe and kicks at his midsection. Lita backs Matt off, helping Jeff out of his predicament and Matt gives her a look like Jeff got her pregnant. Matt Hardy dumps Jeff over the top rope but he lands on the apron. Matt rams his shoulder into Jeff's gut and attempts a sunset flip powerbomb but Jeff holds on, countering it into a hurricanrana on the floor!
Jeff sends Matt Hardy back into the ring, he blocks a right hand, hitting one of his own and bringing himself back in rolling over Matt's back. Jeff Hardy starts favouring his left knee, it doesn't go unnoticed by Matt, who stomps at the fresh target. Jeff gets to his feet but a chop block brings him back down again. Matt hyperextends Jeff's knee and drops his knee across it before bringing Jeff back to his feet. Jeff Hardy blocks a powerbomb and hits a Russian leg sweep on Matt. Jeff pins Matt's shoulders down with the leg drop but Matt kicks out at 2 and goes back to the left leg with a half boston crab. Jeff Hardy makes it to the ropes but Matt holds on for as long as possible before releasing. Matt drags Jeff back to the middle of the ring. Matt Hardy looks for a Figure Four but Jeff kicks him through the ropes to the floor. Jeff Hardy hits a dropkick through the ropes to Matt's jaw but can't slingshot out of the ring due to his knee. Matt Hardy slides in the ring and grabs at Jeff's ankle but a reverse mule kick knocks him down. They both get to their feet at 4 and exchange right hands, Matt Hardy evades one and sets up a Twist of Fate but Jeff counters and hits a leg drop to the lower abdomen. Jeff Hardy hits a back suplex and hobbles to the top rope, but Matt is there to cut him off, crotching him on the ringpost. Matt sends Jeff back down to the mat and stalks him, waiting for a Twist of Fate. The second attempt is countered into one by Jeff, but Matt counters again into a backslide for a nearfall.
Matt Hardy counters a powerbomb attempt with a backdrop but Jeff holds on for a sunset flip. Matt sits down, covering Jeff. Matt Hardy tries to use the ropes for leverage but Lita catches him and stops the count. Matt Hardy decides now is the time for a domestic disagreement which gives Jeff a chance to roll him up for 2. Matt Hardy runs Jeff over with a clothesline. He boots Jeff out of the ring and he drops to the floor, but I'm not sure he was supposed to as he quickly appears back on the apron. Matt brings him to his feet but Jeff gets his foot up to avoid meeting the turnbuckle again from the apron. Matt Hardy's head goes into the turnbuckle and Jeff climbs to the top rope again. Matt Hardy cuts him off, climbing up to meet him for a Twist of Fate from the corner. Jeff Hardy slams him to the mat for a counter and hits the Swanton bomb. He covers Matt, who gets his foot on the bottom rope at 2, but Lita doesn't see it before Jeff hooks the leg for the three.
WINNER: JEFF HARDY
I hadn't heard good things about this match, but it exceeded the lowly expectations, which I guess is something. The leg work was good and it did hinder Jeff, with the controversial call bringing some drama. This was an average match which really is the worst kind. Nothing memorable of any kind here. – WORKRATE: 2/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 2/5 OVERALL 4/10
Matt tries to tell Lita his foot was on the rope, but the call has been made. Lita looks disappointed with the final moments of the match as Matt walks to the back.
This match is available on the “Jeff Hardy: My Life, My Rules” WWE DVD release.
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