[2000-12-18-WWF-Raw] Chris Benoit vs Jeff Hardy

[GSR]

After getting a pinfall over the Intercontinental champion on Smackdown, Jeff has earned himself a title shot.  Matt gives his brother a pep talk in the dressing room, telling him to think about all the things the Radicalz have done to them, to Lita, and how by beating Chris Benoit he will not only take his IC title, but will also take his pride.

Commissioner Foley has ordered that no members of the Radicalz or the Hardy Boyz are to be at ringside for this match up.  Benoit doesn’t wait for the bell and gets the jump on his opponent.  After whipping Jeff into the ropes, he slides out under them to the floor.  ‘The Crippler’ follows him out, however Jeff quickly ducks back inside and nails him with a pescado.  It’s not long before Benoit is back in control though, taking advantage as Hardy plays to the crowd.  He destroys his chest with some hard knife edge chops and a trio of rolling German suplexes followed by a diving headbutt.  Jeff manages to get a shoulder up on the cover and the crowd are with him even though he’s not really getting much of the match.  Benoit with another belly to back, only this time Jeff fires away on him and lands on top.  ‘Whisper in the Wind’ for a near fall.  A great block of the neckbreaker by Benoit who then flips Jeff over, single arm take down into the crossface and Jeff is forced to tap.

Not sure how much this really benefited Jeff after getting that pinfall on Smackdown.  A shame it wasn’t given longer because he clearly had the crowd behind him, both as the sympathetic babyface when Benoit was on top and also on his own near fall attempts.  The finish was really cool but this felt more like a ‘filler’ match for the TV show.