Brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy were still teenagers when they decided to create their own company, the Trampoline Wrestling Federation, where they imitated the moves they saw on television. Despite this self-taught and ill-advised beginning, the brothers rose through the ranks, signed to the then-called World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in April 1998 and became one of the best tag teams of all time. The Hardy Boyz.
Despite strong competition from teams like The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw), Edge & Christian, The Dudley Boyz ( Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley), Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) or T & A (Test and Albert), The Hardy Boyz naturally built the status of a top tag team at the promoter, having benefited from magnificent matches involving ladders between 1999 and 2001.
The team fell apart in mid-2002, but eventually returned to action four years later, after Jeff Hardy ‘s return to WWE, although the two brothers had maintained their individual ambitions in parallel.
After further disbanding and stints with TNA and independent promoters, The Hardy Boyz reunited in WWE in 2017 and 2019.
Over the course of these several stays in Vince McMahon’s company, Matt and Jeff won eight tag team titles together . It is therefore worth recalling the ten best matches of The Hardy Boyz in WWE, in chronological order.
No Mercy 1999
Ladder match for the managerial services of Terri Runnels and $100,000:
The New Brood (The Hardy Boyz) vs. Edge & Christian
Until July 1999, Edge and Christian were part of The Brood, a stable led by Gangrel, but the leader of the group attacked Edge and ended up losing Christian’s company, later allying himself with Canadian rivals, The Hardy Boyz, forming The New Brood.
In late September, Terri Runnels hosted the Terri Invitational Tournament, which consisted of a series of best-of-five matches between The New Brood and Edge & Christian. The winners, in addition to managing Terri Runnels, would earn $100,000.
At the start of this series, on SmackDown! on September 30, Edge and Christian won the first match of the tournament. Four days later, on Monday Night Raw , the Canadians again emerged victorious. However, the Hardy Boyz added two more victories and threw the decision to the fifth match, which was decided to be a ladder match , the first between two teams in WWE, at the PPV No Mercy.
Royal Rumble 2000
Tables Match: The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz
After Jeff Hardy ‘s victory over Bubba Ray Dudley on the January 17, 2000 Raw is War , the Dudley Boyz attacked the Hardy Boyz and had Jeff Hardy lying on a table, Bubba Ray taking advantage of the opportunity to Powerbomb Matt Hardy over him. Jeff and the table, which was undone. This incident led to the first table match in history, involving both teams. Three days later on SmackDown , Matt Hardy defeated D-Von by disqualification after the Dudley Boyz member whipped him.
WrestleMania 2000
Ladder match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz
At the Royal Rumble 2000, The Hardy Boyz beat the Dudley Boyz, having sealed the victory after an incredible Swanton Bomb from the top of a counter onto Bubba Ray , who was lying on a table.
Initially, the Dudley Boyz showed respect and sympathy for the Hardy Boyz, eventually attacking them during Matt and Jeff ‘s match against the New Age Outlaws for the WWF Tag Team Championship on Raw following the Royal Rumble on January 24.
Three days later, on SmackDown! , Edge and Christian supported the Hardy Boyz and fought the Dudley Boyz, but Bubba Ray and D-Von planted the Canadians on a table.
In the ensuing Raw is War , the Hardy Boyz planted the Dudley Boyz on tables, but D-Von and Bubba Ray returned the favor that same night, planting them on three overlapping tables.
On the February 14 episode of Raw is War , D-Von Dudley beat Edge and Jeff Hardy to earn a shot at the WWF Tag Team Championship from the New Age Outlaws at the No Way Out pay-per-view . And during that triple threat match, the Hardy Boyz had a confrontation with Edge and Christian, which led to a match between the two teams also at No Way Out, with the winning team becoming the main contender for the belts.
At No Way Out, the Dudley Boyz beat the New Age Outlaws to win the WWF Tag Team Championship , while Edge and Christian beat The Hardy Boyz, thanks to Terri Runnels betraying Matt and Jeff , to become the main contenders.
On the March 16 episode of SmackDown! , the Dudley Boyz retained the title after beating Edge and Christian, which led to a tournament being held on March 20 on Raw is War to determine the leading contenders for the belts at WrestleMania 2000. In the final of that tournament, a Battle Royal between the Hardy Boyz, Edge and Christian, Too Cool and Al Snow & Steve Blackman, both Too Cool and Al Snow & Steve Blackman were eliminated before the Dudley Boyz interfered and attacked the teams still in contention, the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian.
Three days later, on SmackDown! , Vince McMahon announced that the Dudley Boyz would defend the WWF Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 2000 against the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian in a Triangle Ladder match
SummerSlam 2000
TLC match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
Edge & Christian (c) vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz
The same teams that participated in the Triangle ladder match of Wrestlemania 2000, at the time with the victory smiling to Edge and Christian, who won the titles that belonged to the Dudley Boyz.
The three teams remained very involved, but the rivalry intensified over the summer when the Hardy Boyz attacked champions Edge and Christian as they defended their title against the Dudley Boyz on the episode of SmackDown! of August 10th. The Hardy Boyz attacked Edge with a ladder and the Dudley Boyz planted Christian on a table, but they didn’t go unanswered.
On the following edition of Raw is War , Edge and Christian attacked Matt Hardy with a chair, prompting commissioner Mick Foley to announce a table, ladder , and chair match for SummerSlam . And if initially the Dudley Boyz and Hardy Boyz seemed to be joining forces against the title holders , they soon also came into conflict, attacking each other in the weeks leading up to the fight.
Unforgiven 2000
Steel Cage match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
Edge & Christian (c) vs. The Hardy Boyz ( Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy)
At SummerSlam , Edge and Christian defeated the Hardy Boyz and Dudley Boyz in the first-ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship .
On the following night’s Raw is War , the champions mocked the previous night’s opponents, using four midgets to portray the Hardy Boyz and Dudley Boyz, which led to the Hardy Boyz appearing to attack the Canadians.
Two weeks later, the Hardy Boyz beat the Dudley Boyz in a match to determine the main contenders for the title. Subsequently, WWF Commissioner Mick Foley announced that Edge and Christian would defend their belts against the Hardy Boyz in a Steel Cage match at Unforgiven.
WrestleMania X-Seven
TLC match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz
In the year following the Triangle ladder match at WrestleMania 2000, all three teams dominated the tag team division . In addition to the reign they started at WrestleMania , Edge and Christian had five more. In the same period, The Hardy Boyz were champions three times and The Dudley Boyz twice, appearing at WrestleMania X-Seven in that capacity. In between, Too Cool (Grand Master Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty), Right to Censor (Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather) and The Rock and The Undertaker had the titles in their possession.
In early 2001, the belts changed hands several times. At the Royal Rumble , the Dudley Boyz won the title from Edge and Christian, having retained it at No Way Out in a tables match that involved the Canadian team and also The Brothers of Destruction ( The Undertaker and Kane).
On the March 5 episode of Raw is War , Edge and Christian helped the Hardy Boyz defeat the Dudley Boyz for the WWF Tag Team Championship . Two weeks later, the Canadians won the title to become champions for the sixth time, but that same night, they lost their belts to the Dudley Boyz.
SmackDown! (May 24, 2001)
TLC match for the WWF Tag Team Championship :
Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho (c) vs. Edge & Christian
vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz
At a time when Steve Austin and Triple H were the champions, a tag team turmoil match was scheduled for Judgment Day to determine the main contenders for the WWF Tag Team Championship , with the team of former rivals Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit taking the best. , eliminating Edge and Christian in last place.
Jericho and Benoit ended up receiving the opportunity to fight for the title on Raw the following night and took advantage of an involuntary sledgehammer from Triple H to Austin to win the belts.
Three days later, on SmackDown! , Vince McMahon announced that that same night the newly crowned champions would defend their titles in a match that would involve tables, ladders and tables against the Hardy Boyz, the Dudley Boyz and Edge & Christian.
Armageddon 2006
Ladder match for the WWE Tag Team Championship :
Paul London & Brian Kendrick (c) vs. William Regal & Dave Taylor vs. MNM (Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro) vs. The Hardy Boyz (Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy )
In the final months of 2006, William Regal and Dave Taylor achieved several victories over champions Paul London and Brian Kendrick, which led to a title match between the two teams for Armageddon.
However, during the event itself the General Manager of SmackDown! , Theodore Long, announced that two more teams would participate in the match, the MNM and the Hardys, and that it would be turned into a ladder match .
One Night Stand 2007
Ladder match for the World Tag Team Championship :
The Hardy Boyz (c) vs. The World’s Greatest Tag Team
After defeating Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch at Backlash and Judgment Day, The Hardy Boyz defeated Johnny Nitro and Kenny Dykstra on the May 21 episode of Raw , but at the end of the match were attacked by Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin.
A week later, The Hardy Boyz joined forces with Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch to defeat the World’s Greatest Tag Team, Johnny Nitro and Kenny Dykstra. However, as the winning settlement was made on Dykstra, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin challenged the champions to a World Tag Team Championship match at One Night Stand. Jeff and Matt accepted, but on the condition that it was a ladder match.
WrestleMania 33
Ladder match for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship :
Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (c) vs. Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. Cesaro & Sheamus vs. The Hardy Boyz
At the 2017 Royal Rumble , Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson beat Cesaro and Sheamus to win the Raw Tag Team Championship . Cesaro and Sheamus invoked a rematch, but were defeated after interference from Enzo Amore and Big Cass.
On the February 20 episode of Raw , Amore and Cass beat Cesaro and Sheamus to receive a title opportunity at Fastlane , but at the pay-per-view they suffered a loss at the hands of Gallows and Anderson . The following night, a rematch took place, but Cesaro and Sheamus interfered and cost Enzo Amore and Big Cass the defeat.
A week later, Cesaro and Sheamus faced Enzo Amore and Big Cass to determine the primary candidate team for the Raw Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 33 , but the champions interfered and attacked both tag teams, causing double disqualification. That said , Raw General Manager Mick Foley announced a match between the three teams for the pay-per-view.
In the following weeks, Gallows and Anderson attacked the other two teams with ladders, which led to the match becoming a ladder match . And already in the middle of WrestleMania , it was announced that another team was going to participate in the dispute: The Hardy Boyz.