[2008-02-11-WWE-Raw] Shawn Michaels vs Jeff Hardy

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy vs Shawn Michaels - RAW 2/11/08

 

Physicality. When you think of these two you don't think of physicality, but they delivered a very physical match on a random RAW main event, non-title before No Way Out 2008. Shawn set the tone early with a fist bump then a knife-edge chop into a cover. He was not here to play nice with fellow babyface, Hardy, he was here to win. Michaels slaps Hardy on the outside and Hardy gives as good as he gets. Now both competitors that both mean business. The spot of the match is when Michaels does the Flair Flip and Hardy comes charging from behind to give him a hard shove that almost slams Michaels into the top of the post. It was raw and dangerous, but exciting. Michaels followed up with a THUNDEROUS Lariat that cut Hardy's lip. These two were going for broke. Michaels really became a great control wrestler in the latter stages of his career. I really like how he play on that conventional spot where you eat a boot from the middle rope. He stops short, grabs the leg and turns it into a single leg crab. Hardy made a good comeback based off a missed Top Rope Elbow Drop. Again watch how Hardy spears Michaels into the corner. It is not conventional. It is rough and tumble. I dig it. Hardy runs through his set up moves. Michaels interrupts before Twist of Fate to get in his sequence. Michaels wants to tune up the band Hardy blocks, but Michaels gets that cool inverted Figure-4 he used late in his career. It actually got a lot of heat. People bought into it. Hardy made the ropes. Twist of Fate->Swanton->1-2-3! Michaels does a clean job to Hardy. I mean they gotta make a bigger deal out of that shit. Great physical contest, solid compact finish run. One of those great random RAW main events that everybody has now forgotten. ***1/2