The Hardy Boyz vs. Cesaro & Sheamus (Steel Cage Match for the RAW Tag Team Championships)
The veteran Hardy Boyz are known as one of the most extreme tag teams in the history of sports-entertainment, but when it comes to brutality, “The Bar” was raised at WWE Extreme Rules, where Cesaro & Sheamus escaped a steel cage with the Raw Tag Team Titles in their grasp.
Seeking to end the “nostalgia” surrounding Matt & Jeff’s triumphant return to WWE at WrestleMania 33, The Alabaster Gladiator and The Swiss Superman took the brothers to their limit at WWE Payback, going so far as to knock one of Jeff’s teeth out of his head (Sheamus was more than happy to take credit for that accidental dentistry). When The Hardys defended the Raw Tag Team Titles that night, the disappointed brawlers snapped, brutalizing the brothers after the bell.
Cesaro & Sheamus would later earn the No. 1 contendership in a Tag Team Turmoil Match last month, but when Matt defeated The Celtic Warrior two weeks later, he earned the right to name the stipulation for the title defense at WWE Extreme Rules. Matt chose a Steel Cage Match, in which the only way to win would be for both partners to escape the unforgiving steel.
Having competed in two of the three prior Tag Team Steel Cage Matches in WWE pay-per-view history, The Hardys went into this contest with a clear advantage. Unfortunately, brute force and the numbers game trumped experience in this case.
After Jeff escaped over the top of the cage, Matt was in a 2-on-1 situation against the barbaric challengers, who nearly drove the disadvantaged champion through the ring with a modified double Razor’s Edge, followed up shortly by a top-rope White Noise.
To help even the odds for his brother, Jeff climbed to the top of the cage and hurled himself onto Cesaro & Sheamus with an awe-inspiring Whisper in the Wind. The high-risk move briefly incapacitated Jeff and officially brought him back into the fray, and as Matt dragged his prone brother through the cage door, Cesaro & Sheamus climbed over the top of the steel structure and narrowly won the race against time.
Now that the title reign launched at WrestleMania has come to a disappointing end, will Matt & Jeff recapture Team Red’s tandem prizes, or will Cesaro & Sheamus continue to raise “The Bar” in Raw’s chaotic Tag Team division?
Credit: WWE.com
Dean Ambrose & The Hardy Boyz vs. The Miz, Cesaro & Sheamus
It is a truth universally acknowledged that nearly every episode of “Miz TV” ends with the host catching hands, but The A-Lister’s sit-down with Cesaro & Sheamus ended badly even by those standards when Dean Ambrose and The Hardy Boyz came a-callin’ and scrapped with their WWE Extreme Rules opponents in Raw’s opening moments.
Despite the beating dished out by the Intercontinental and Raw Tag Team Champions, the impromptu Six-Man matchup that ensued from the fracas provided a unique opportunity for Miz — who will challenge for Ambrose’s title on Sunday — and Cesaro & Sheamus — who’ll make a play for the Hardys’ — to gain some momentum heading into Sunday.
Alas, no dice: After being isolated from the Hardys for an significant portion of the match, The Lunatic Fringe summoned Jeff Hardy into the fray. The Charismatic Enigma quickly tagged in his brother Matt, who survived a wild brawl to hit Twist of Fate on The Miz, teeing up Jeff for the fateful Swanton Bomb.
Credit: WWE.com
When Dean Ambrose met Jeff Hardy for the first time, it was basically backstage at Monday Night RAW in Kansas City, and it’s documented right here on TIJ! Find out how and why this historic meet-up came together, and listen in as Y2J, Hardy, and Ambrose share some behind-the-scenes stories from their respective careers including the Broken Universe, The Final Deletion, Dean & Y2J’s potted plant angle, the destruction of the light-up jacket, and a seesaw spot that went completely wrong. They also get into UFOs, big foot, crop circles, and the paranormal! Plus, be among the first to hear the first single from Jeff Hardy’s band, PeroxWhy?Gen!
Click Here to listen to the podcast.
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Matt Hardy vs. Sheamus
Goldust may have abandoned his Tag Title pursuits for a return to eerie, directorial form, but reigning Raw Tag Team Champions The Hardy Boyz have swept their No. 1 contenders in singles action. Matt Hardy piggybacked off of his brother Jeff’s win over Sheamus to hand The Alabaster Gladiator his second loss in the last two weeks, and this one came with a hefty price tag, too: It gave the Hardys the right to choose the stipulation for their title defense against Cesaro & Sheamus at Extreme Rules.
The Celtic Warrior had been rolling against Hardy, until a timely interference by Jeff gave Matt enough room to brawl his way back into the match. Jeff once again made his presence known, taking out Cesaro at ringside before The King of Swing could get involved and diverting Sheamus’ attention long enough for Matt to seal the win with the Twist of Fate. And what stipulation did they select for their troubles? A Steel Cage Match.
Credit: WWE.com
