Smackdown taping spoiler - New champion crowned

Mr.Nice Guy

Vince135792003 wrote:

I see what your saying and I kinda agree particularly in terms of persuading people to buy the ppv.

At the same time though Hardy is bullet proof in the way Holly isn't. They pretty much buried him when he returned and no matter what they did the people still bought him.

I agree with you that he has maintained strong support but enough to be bought as a genuine challenge for the World title? I'm not so sure.

Dickmcsavage wrote:

With the right build up, WWE could easily make out Hardy to be a serious contender for the title. They could show footage of Hardy beating Edge in the cage match they had at Unforgiven '05. Infact WWE could make a fantastic video package out of these two to bulid up their match given the history they have together.

Up until quite recently though they were treating Hardy very poorly. Considering no one bought Matt as a genuine contender for the MITB contract at WM23, even by playing up he and Edge's history it would be a mighty task to present him as a genuine contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Hell, the guy hasn't even held the US title yet. I think that's the best he can hope for this year plus I reckon he and MVP could put on some great matches.

Cactus Col

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Up until quite recently though they were treating Hardy very poorly. Considering no one bought Matt as a genuine contender for the MITB contract at WM23, even by playing up he and Edge's history it would be a mighty task to present him as a genuine contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Hell, the guy hasn't even held the US title yet. I think that's the best he can hope for this year plus I reckon he and MVP could put on some great matches.

I don't know about that, I think all Hardy needs is to win one or two matches to build up enough momentum to be considered a decent challenger. He already beat Kennedy cleanly last week, give him a win over Finlay and have JBL put him over properly, and hey presto, you've a main eventer.

I'd go as far to say that it would be easier to make Matt Hardy a challenger than it would be Chris Benoit at the moment. Since Benoit's return he's seemed quite stale, and it's only this feud with MVP that has made him interesting again.

Mr.Nice Guy

Cactus Col wrote:

I'd go as far to say that it would be easier to make Matt Hardy a challenger than it would be Chris Benoit at the moment. Since Benoit's return he's seemed quite stale, and it's only this feud with MVP that has made him interesting again.

I wouldn't agree with that at all. The challenge for WWE would be to convince most of its audience that Matt had the potential of taking the belt off of Edge. Considering they have treated the guy like dirt for ages that would be hard. Benoit has been top of the mountain before however so you can accept the possibility of him winning the belt if put into a program with Edge.

When's the last time a guy has gone from lower mid-card to the main event in just a few months and been seen as a credible title contender? The only one I can think of is Brock Lesnar and he got a massive push which included a King of the Ring victory. Matt would require something akin to that but I don't see it happening.

Minto

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Considering they have treated the guy like dirt for ages that would be hard.

I don't agree entirely with you there Mr. Nice Guy, while he hasn't been pushed in a long time (I think his last push was when he was Cruiserweight champ back around WM XIX), JBL has been putting him over more than usual as late. In fact, on SmackDown! last week, JBL said that he is finally living up to his main event potential. I don't wanna see Matt Hardy challenge yet, maybe have him win KOTR this year and then make him challenge Edge.

Fozzy

I think Matt could be made a credible challenger. The reason is that he's already way over with the audience. Every week he gets one of the biggest pops on SD. The fans want to see him do well, so while they mightn't actually believe he'd beat Edge for the title, they'd still be behind him and it'd work because it's someone they love against someone they hate

kentonbomb

are you guys serious matt hardy main event material, matt hardy is a good wrestler and all but vince mcmahon will never let someone like matt hardy be in the main event, Jeff yeah, matt no.

Fozzy

I would say the other way around kentonbomb! Matt's a more solid wrestler, Jeff relies on big spots in a match too much I think. I thought Jeff let down that tag match at Backlash a bit, he's not great at selling injuries, he just sort of shakes his head around and slouches

SilverFox261

If Matt is to become a No.1 contender, the best way i see of giving him credibility is to have a No.1 contenders tournament. If he was to win that, he would have to go through several credible challengers, which would give him the status he needs. In 3/ 4 weeks he'd be ready. Then his background with Edge could be the reason he got so far.

WWE could easily get Matt to the top. Him beating Kennedy last week was a huge start.

Furious-Red

well think about Booker T was a mid carder about this time last year. Had a few matches won the KOTR and became World Champion. Maybe thats all Matt needs. If matt became no:1 contender Edge could cost him and jeff the tag titles and then you add their previous history and you have one hell of a fued. Although i cant see McMahon doing this do.It will prob be Edge vs Batista till Summerslam (boring!!!)

Dickmcsavage

Actually theres one point iv'e yet to mention about Matt Hardy becoming a challenger for Edge's title. You see everybody knows that Matt has beaten Edge several times throughout his career. The creative team could play off that fact. Matt Hardy could be to Edge as Mankind was to Taker. In other words, Matt is the one man who Edge has extreme difficulty winning against.

Brow

I like the idea of Hardy in the main event and the idea of having win a tournament is a good one. Is KOTR a scheduled PPV this year? It'd be good if there wasnt much build to it so he won it out of the blue.

There is one stumbling block though and its that tag title around his waist. After tossing the idea around a while McMahon has decided to reunite the Hardys and I dont see him dropping it so quick. They already have the crowd behind them without having to build Matt and maybe see it fail.

Dickmcsavage

Brow wrote:

Is KOTR a scheduled PPV this year?

As far as I know it's not scheduled this year. Actually it was this time last year when they were having the tournament. Booker T won the touney by pinning Lashley at Judgment Day '06. Twas a pretty crappy tournament and it seems they only did it to kick start the 'King Booker' gimmick. If they were to have it this year, I would at least like to see RAW and ECW included.

Double C

Matt Hardy has basically everything you need to be a top guy in WWE, apart from promo skills and charisma. He has a good look, he is over big time with the crowd, he has a storied history and a huge rivalry with Edge in the past and wrestling ability to burn. Can he step up to the main event standard of 20 min plus matches? Easily. Check out his match with Roderick Strong (moreso than the others) in ROH in 2005.

I know he's got the tag titles, but surely Cade and Murdoch are due a reign, and Jeff is due to fall off the rails again, so that should not be much of a problem.

As has been mentioned, a King of the Ring success and he's there, simple as. When is that btw? It's not like he's going to win the title or anything, but he is the kind of huge babyface the crowd would love to see kill Edge. Finally they could make something good of that feud that they spoiled in 2005.

Vince135792003

Double C wrote:

Matt Hardy has basically everything you need to be a top guy in WWE, apart from promo skills and charisma.

He had a fountain of charisma as Matt Hardy version 1! They missed the both on him with that one.

Double C

Yeah I was going to mention the V1 gimmick but he really has to be a face if hes getting a push and that was a heel gimmick.
At least he still has his rockin Monster Magnet theme tune from the V1 days.

Furious-Red

from wwe.com

PITTSBURGH — The Steel City witnessed an earth-shattering event as Edge blasted into the Mellon Arena, cashed in his Money in the Bank opportunity, pinned a broken and beaten Undertaker and became the new World Heavyweight Champion. The events of the night shocked our fans and left the Superstars of SmackDown reeling. WWE.com caught up with many of the SmackDown Superstars just after the events unfolded.

Matt Hardy was surprisingly quite pleased with Edge’s actions, for personal reasons. “Even though he is probably the person I hate the most out of anyone on this planet,” said Hardy, “I’m excited because if he is around here I can get revenge. Nothing would make me happier then stepping into the ring and beating him for the World Heavyweight Championship.”

Vince135792003

Double C wrote:

Yeah I was going to mention the V1 gimmick but he really has to be a face if hes getting a push and that was a heel gimmick.

They could have easily turned him face with that gimmick. He was so entertaining with it.

Double C

^There we have it. Hardy! Hardy!

Yeah but then he'd probably recruit Shannon Moore again and that would be awful.
Unless Matt gets him to slash Edges tires again....

I would like to see that gimmick return though, but I don't think it would work against Edge.

Fozzy

I loved that gimmick. I didn't like Matt at all before that but I've been a big fan since then. I never understood why they didn't bring it back during the last 2 years, cos Matt wasn't really doing anything, and that gimmick instantly makes the show more entertaining

Double C

Hopefully it will come back when Hardy is established as an upper mid card guy.

Vince135792003

Double C wrote:

Hopefully it will come back when Hardy is established as an upper mid card guy.

According to the torch Steph never got the whole gimmick and thats why it was scaled back.

Bubs101

Brow wrote:

There is one stumbling block though and its that tag title around his waist. After tossing the idea around a while McMahon has decided to reunite the Hardys and I dont see him dropping it so quick. They already have the crowd behind them without having to build Matt and maybe see it fail.

There is a precedent for this. When Farooq retired it took one week for Acolyte Bradshaw to sober up, get rich, cut his hair and become JBL. Not only did that happen but he got his number 1 contendership rights that day after winning a great American award for hunting down mexicans at the border. And he then went on to win it and hold it for 9 months in a great heal run that got more heat than most.

When you compare them, the APA were about as popular as the hardys, Like Matt, JBL had no history of being a contender, and he has being putting him over more than ever on Smackdown! recently. Also, Jeff has been looking out of sorts recently and it isn't too hard to see Cade and Murdoch taking the titles. I'm not saying it will happen, but something very similar has before

Furious-Red

check this out http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/sdspecial/sdwhohasedge/

Tricity Bendix

Double C wrote:

I know he's got the tag titles, but surely Cade and Murdoch are due a reign, and Jeff is due to fall off the rails again, so that should not be much of a problem.

lol

I agree with kentonbomb. I just can't see Matt getting a title push before Jeff. Don't get me wrong, I love Matt Hardy. His stuff has always entertained me more than Jeff's. Its just that Hardy has been so buried since coming back I figured the 'politics' of the 'E had already decided his fate. I mean, he has lost to the Miz. Twice.

Fozzy

Benoit's lost to the Miz. Matt beat Kennedy last week, and Kennedy was actually due to win the title this week from what I've read. I can understand why you'd think he's been buried, since he hasn't exactly been in any proper feuds in ages. But it's not as if he's been jobbed left, right and centre

Tricity Bendix

Fozzy wrote:

Benoit's lost to the Miz. Matt beat Kennedy last week, and Kennedy was actually due to win the title this week from what I've read. I can understand why you'd think he's been buried, since he hasn't exactly been in any proper feuds in ages. But it's not as if he's been jobbed left, right and centre

Benoit lost as part of a story line. Hardy lost to put the Miz over. I kind of see where you're coming from. Hardy actually has a few pin falls over Kennedy. So I suppose its not as if Hardy has been completely buried, its more like he's been going up and down like a yo-yo with no direction since he returned to SD!

And he has had feuds. He put on solid matches with Mercury and Helms. But everyone knew they were just being used as filler.

Fozzy

Oh yeah, I forgot about that Mercury feud, I was big into that. The Helms feud wasn't as good as it should have been. I really think that a feud with Edge will be done, even if it's only for one ppv. Much like the way Khali is being used to face Cena at the next ppv, it's only for one month, seeing as it looks like the titles are being defended on every ppv. From that list of guys they have on WWE.com, Henry, Finlay and Kane are a bit unlikely to feud with him, and Taker's out for a good while yet

Tricity Bendix

Plus, Kennedy and Rey are still out. Its between Hardy and Batista. Batista has a stronger case (he has drawn twice with Taker) so I think they may run with that. Hopefully they build Hardy at the same time so they can make him a more credible contender.

Helms/Hardy was nowhere near as good as it should have been, but like I said the two of them and the crowd knew it was just filler. There was no "story" behind it and I don't think they did any promos. The wrestling was predestrian, but I would expect that from a mid-card feud.

demanufactured

they should have given it to someone else , im sick to death of edge , he looks so awkward and unbelievable in the ring sometimes , and hes realy annoying to listen to .

Bubs101

b.ie polar wrote:

I agree with kentonbomb. I just can't see Matt getting a title push before Jeff.

Jeff already got a title push of sorts with thw IC title and Matt is higher in the pecking order on Smackdown then Jeff would be on Raw

Furious-Red

With a career surrounded by controversy and struggle, Matt Hardy has risen to become one of the most charismatic, resilient and popular competitors on the SmackDown roster. In his brand-new biweekly feature, this fan-favorite lets WWE.com readers get one step closer to his experience as a WWE Superstar.

Matt Hardy will not die... and he will not disappoint in this WWE.com exclusive column.

Hello, gals and guys! That's right, Matt Hardy is back on WWE.com, and will be right here on a regular basis in the future. I want to welcome each and every one of you to the first ever installment of my "Will Not Die-aries."

There have been so many great and exciting things going on in my professional life recently. So, I thought it would be an appropriate topic to start with by giving my personal overview of my current career status.

In May 2007, I find myself in the best position I've ever been in professionally. I am one-half of the World Tag Team Champions, along with my brother, Jeff, on the Raw brand. On the SmackDown brand, I've been on a successful singles run, as I've defeated top stars such as Mr. Kennedy and King Booker in the last few weeks. I feel like I'm the closest that I've ever been to achieving my ultimate career goal and dream — becoming the World Heavyweight Champion.

My entire career people have told me I couldn't accomplish my dream of becoming the "man" in WWE. I live to defy the odds. I live to give the dreamers hope. I live to prove my critics wrong. I live to inspire others by example — that anyone can accomplish anything they want if they work hard enough and believe in themselves. Exist to Inspire is much more than the title of my autobiography; it's my way of life. Let me refresh everyone's memory with a quick trip down my history lane.

I remember in high school, there was a group of people who laughed at my dreams of being a professional wrestler for WWE. They not only laughed, they said it was impossible. I proved them wrong. When I performed on WWE television as an extra talent, local wrestlers and promoters told me I'd never make it because I would be labeled a "loser." I proved them wrong.

When Jeff and I split, the majority of diehard wrestling fans thought Jeff would succeed and I would fail — but "Mattitude" was born. I proved them wrong. When I lost my job after the whole "situation" with Edge and Lita in 2005, some of those same people thought I would never succeed in WWE again. I proved them wrong, too.

The majority of people never thought I'd thrive and flourish in the upper echelon of WWE after "rocking the boat." I'm proving them wrong now. A lot of those same people don't ever think I can win the big one either. To prove them wrong drives me. But nowhere near as much as the people who believe in me — they drive me harder than anything else does. You'll never quite be able to understand how much your support means to me. I always feel like a victory for me is a victory for "us." For every so-called pro wrestling "journalist" or "specialist" who creates opinions based on past or present actions, there are thousands of "us" that believe future actions will lead to dreams materializing and believe that anything is possible.

My "I Will Not Die" motto is not a phony catch phrase for a character or a gimmick — it's my life's theory. If you're a fan of mine, I think I'm an inspiring human being that you can look to for a source of strength and drive, for a reason to keep fighting the good fight. And if you're not a fan of mine, I'm like a cockroach that no matter how many times you smash it, stomp it or squash it, you can't kill it. Regardless of how you view me, one thing I can promise you is this: Matt Hardy will never change.

That brings me to the present day in the WWE, and where I see my future going. Last Friday on SmackDown, Edge strategically cashed in Money in the Bank and became the World Heavyweight Champion. If you know the history between Edge and I, you'd probably think I'm disgusted by him becoming the World Champion. I'm not. I'm actually ecstatic.

Why, you ask? Have I had a change of heart when it comes to Edge? Absolutely not. I despise him more than I ever have. After all the grief and pain he's put me through, I'm actually happy he's a member of the SmackDown brand and the champion. The ultimate gratification for me would be to hurt Edge by defeating him for the World Heavyweight Championship. This time around, I'm ready.

When I first returned to battle Edge in 2005, I was in a dark, confused place in my life. I was fueled by revenge and hatred in a way that wasn't career-healthy. I wasn't fully focused on defeating Edge to better my career; I was obsessed with destroying him for personal reasons. I let my emotions get the best of me.

Fast-forward to the year 2007 on SmackDown. I'm smarter, focused, healthier and at the top of my game with no distractions. I dropped the biggest legdrop in the history of WWE and pinned Edge in our Unforgiven Steel Cage Match in 2005. There's nothing that could stop me from pinning Edge again, and winning the World Heavyweight Championship in the process.

I've stated many times that I feel like 2007 is my year. Nothing would prove that better than me defeating my mortal enemy to win the biggest prize in this business.

this could be a sign.

Minto

I hope it is. I haven't thought of Matt Hardy as main event material in the past, but the last few weeks have caused me to change my mind a bit. I think he is ready and able to carry the title. But I think he should only have it a short while and lose it back to Edge, so he can feud with Kennedy for the title when he returns.