[2006-09-17-WWE-Unforgiven] Johnny Nitro vs Jeff Hardy

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWE Intercontinental Champion Johnny Nitro vs Jeff Hardy - Unforgiven 2006

 

I get it, he does look like Jim Morrison, but John Morrison was such a lame name. The crowd loves chanting "Nitro sucks" they really should have stuck with that. I remember Nitro/Morrison as a person with a great look but just never materialized in the ring. Soft Kofi Kingston offense is what I remember along with no standout charisma. This match I thought the offense was a bit better than I remember but yeah no charisma to speak of. The entrance is brash, but where is that cocky attitude in the ring. He is just so mechanical. Jeff Hardy is so insanely charismatic. He had the crowd rocking just doing armdrags from different angles. I will say there was on nice spot where Nitro goes for an armdrag but Hardy hooks the ropes and Nitro still goes through with the rotation. Well done. Some really great impactful dropkicks by Jeff here. Crowd pops for them. Back when crowds popped for stiffness instead of acrobatics, how nice! Jeff takes a totally nutty bump off the top when Nitro trips him up. Nitro works over the leg. I think he does an admirable job. At one point, he steps on Jeff's foot, and kicks the knee hard with his other leg. Well done. He was not Arn Anderson picking apart a body part, but it was solid. Again where is that charisma! Morrision misses a corkscrew moonsault. As much as I love Jeff, he does blow off the knee selling and hits whisper in the wind. Then hits the Swanton Bomb then decides to sell. Not digging that. Also there were way too many shots of Melina. She is hot. I get it, I really do, she is very hot, but I am trying to watch a match. Melina gets knocked off the apron. She hits Jeff with the boot, Nitro covers and wins. Solid finish to a solid match. Too long at 17 minutes & change. ***

[DMJ]

Just saw this again for the first time since it aired. I enjoyed it more than the reviewer above, but wouldn't call it a "must see." What does stand out, though, is just how much effort Jeff Hardy is giving here. He had just come back to the company from an extended "hiatus" as JR calls it and I'm guessing there was some hesitancy in bringing him back considering his long history of "personal demons." Well, this match is why you hire Jeff Hardy back. The audience loves him, he takes ridiculous bumps that pop the crowd and make his opponent look way more impressive and deadly than they really are, and he still comes out like a star in a loss. 

At this time, Johnny Nitro and Melina were a rising act with potential. They never actually exceeded their initial burst of being interesting, though. After a few months, they were exposed as a one-dimensional couple because neither was particularly great beyond their cosmetic appeal and athleticism (which were undoubtedly off the charts but not enough to make them "The Next Edge & Lita," which was maybe an impossible and dumb role to fill anyway considering Edge and Lita still had plenty of gas in the tank). Nitro would get to show more of his personality when he got paired with The Miz and has since proven that there is some natural likability (I won't say charisma) in there. He's handsome, he's still a crazy good athlete, he can be funny, but his personality is easygoing and chill - not exactly something that, even when you raise it to 11, pops off the screen.

I'm re-watching this show because I saw it ranked very highly on a list of best PPVs of the 2000s. In terms of opening matches, I'd say this absolutely got the already-amped crowd even more excited. Maybe a bit long at 17 minutes but, then again, the action is good, there are some believable near falls, and both guys brought their A game. Would it have been better to shave off a couple minutes and give them to Spirit Squad and The Highlanders? I don't think so. 3.5 out of 5.