[2000-08-21-WWF-Raw] Matt & Jeff Hardy vs D-Von & Bubba Ray Dudley

[soup23]

We see some setup from Heat for the main event with Lita getting knocked off the apron and Stephanie attacking her on top of the table. The true tell tale sign that the promotion is firing on all cylinders in that those two feel like a neat feud that can co exist with the love triangle stuff. We also get clips of the breakdown from Thursday when these two teams tried to tag. Finally, E&C is coming out on commentary. E&C are funny on commentary and say tonight they are going to introduce the Swerve. The Dudleys are the masters of stinkitude. The action is strong for a three minute match with some high flying spots. Just as I type that, Bubba and Jeff have a pretty awkward sequence. The camera man gets knocked out and Edge spears Matt Hardy on the outside. Inside, Jeff misses the swantom and the Dudley’s hit the 3D. Edge then kills Bubba with a chairshot and Jeff is able to drape an arm over him to get the pin. *1/4

[AstroBoy]

Typical action between these two teams tucked into the context of the ongoing buildup to TLC. Edge and Christian are pretty funny on commentary talking about how they are going to run in as the match is going on. The tag champs go heavy on interference and Edge absolutely crushes Bubba with a chairshot to the head and Jeff gets the pin.

 

*3/4

[Migs]

E&C are unsurprisingly great on commentary. In addition to what's discussed above, I believe they officially name the Con-chair-to here. The Hardyz and Dudleyz can put together a solid five minutes in their sleep, and this is an enjoyable setup to E&C interfering and getting the upper hand on both teams heading into the PPV.

[GSR]

We get a recap from last night’s Heat where Stephanie jumped Lita after she got accidentally bumped in the Matt Hardy/Kurt Angle match, kicking her in the ribs and then throwing her into the ring steps and finally onto the announcer’s table.  Edge and Christian are out after the Dudleys to provide guest commentary and when ‘The King ‘ wonders if they’re going to be doing one of their trademarks ‘run-ins’, they say that they’re so far above a ‘run-in’ and tonight will introduce something called, ‘the swerve’.  Flying crossbody by Jeff only gets a one count.  Bubba misses a running splash in the corner, however he then catches Jeff as he leaps off the middle and dumps him with a back suplex.  Christian now decides that they will do a ‘run in’ after all and are going to forget about ‘the swerve’.  ‘Whisper in the Wind’ as Edge says how that will never work in the TLC match.  Matt walks into a big boot and ‘the Wassup’ diving headbutt as E&C complain about it being illegal and calling the Dudleys “the masters of sneakitude”.  The Dudley’s go to collect a table but Jeff takes them both out before they can get it with a running flip dive to the floor.  ‘Poetry in Motion’ for a near fall.  An ugly looking exchange between Bubba and Jeff as they mess up the sit-out full nelson bomb, getting it right at the second attempt.  Bubba backdrops Matt over the top rope to the outside and he then wipes out a camera man, bumping into him after a Bubba running forearm.  Bubba sidesteps an Edge spear that ends up connecting with Matt, before pulling D-Von out the way of a ‘Swanton bomb’.  ‘3D’, but Christian is up on the apron distracting the official and Edge with a stiff chair shot KO’ing Bubba.  Jeff drapes an arm over the unconscious Dudley and the Hardyz pick up the win.