New World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy

A Lifelong Dream Comes True

PHILADELPHIA – For weeks, World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk said Jeff Hardy didn’t stand a chance against him. There was no way a flawed man like Hardy could defeat a competitor who follows the straightedge way of life, Punk claimed.

But at Night of Champions, Jeff Hardy proved CM Punk wrong when he pinned him in the center of the ring and captured his second World Heavyweight Championship. (PHOTOS)

This victory over Punk was a long time coming for The Charismatic Enigma. Jeff thought his dream of becoming the World Heavyweight Champion had finally come true at Extreme Rules when he defeated Edge in a Ladder Match, but the moment was short-lived. Mere seconds after he grabbed the gold, Hardy had to face CM Punk, who was cashing in his Money in the Bank title opportunity. Battered and tired, Jeff was unable to put up a good fight and The Straightedge Superstar won the title.

At The Bash, Hardy’s frustrations continued. When it seemed as though The Charismatic Enigma had pinned Punk to win the gold, it was revealed that the champion’s foot was under the ropes. When the match was restarted, Punk kicked the referee in the back, resulting in a disqualification and no title change.

But when the two Superstars met again at Night of Champions, there was nothing CM Punk could do to stop Hardy’s drive to win. The World Heavyweight Champion utilized his aggressive and unique offense to slow the Cameron, N.C., native down, but he simply couldn’t break the colorful warrior’s spirit. Even Punk’s brutal finishing maneuver, the Go to Sleep, wasn’t enough to keep Hardy down.

Frustrated with Jeff’s resilience, The Straightedge Superstar grabbed his gold and tried to leave the ring, but the adrenaline junkie dragged him right back in and delivered the Twist of Fate. Then, with 17,774 fans in the Wachovia Center chanting his name, The Charismatic Enigma scaled the top rope and delivered a picture-perfect Swanton Bomb onto Punk, scoring the victory and the title.

After the match, Jeff Hardy passionately celebrated his championship win with the WWE Universe, but the party can’t last for long. If CM Punk’s track record is any indication, the former World Heavyweight Champion is already concocting a scheme to get the title back.

What will happen the next time these two Superstars meet?




winner : New World-Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy

CM Punk defeats Jeff Hardy(disqualification) at The Bash

Punk crushes Hardy’s dreams … again
By: Mitch Passero
June 26, 2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Just like he did at Extreme Rules, World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk crushed Jeff Hardy’s dreams of donning the Heavyweight Title. However on this night, it was a mere matter of inches that separated Hardy from gold. (PHOTOS)

Hardy thought he finally achieved what he had been scratching and clawing for when it appeared he had scored the pinfall over Punk. However, after closer inspection by the referee, it was determined Punk’s foot was under the bottom rope and was out of bounds.
Hardy was beyond frustrated.

After the action was restarted, Punk kicked the referee in the back, resulting in a disqualification. In one fell swoop Punk dropped the ref and crushed Hardy's hopes.
With Punk suffering from an apparent eye injury, did he mistakenly kick the ref thinking it was Jeff? Were Punk’s actions accidental or intentional?

After the match, as both Superstars exited the ring, Jeff Hardy went after Punk in complete and utter frustration. Hardy forced Punk into the ring, where he launched into a vicious assault. It took three referees to stop Hardy from his crazed attack. At one point, Hardy broke free and continued his attack on the champion. The melee ended when the crazed Hardy was finally corralled by the referees.

The night was the culmination of months of brooding frustration within Hardy.
The way in which Punk won at The Bash was just another example of the selfish behavior the champion has exhibited ever since Extreme Rules. (Extreme Rules recap)

At Extreme Rules, Jeff Hardy was triumphant over Edge in a career-threatening World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match. But then, in the blink of an eye, it was all over when Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Hardy. (Extreme Rules photos)

Then, on Raw’s special 3-For-All, Punk put his title up against both Hardy & Edge in a Triple Threat Match. Hardy looked to once again close-in on victory over The Rated-R Superstar. However, Punk blocked Hardy’s path to glory, hurling him away from the win to cover Edge himself and retain the title. (Raw photos)

Will Punk’s win at The Bash crush Hardy’s spirits for good? How much longer will he persist in his hunt for gold? Will he ever give up?

Winner : CM Punk by Disqualification

Rage in the Cage

Rage in the Cage guest referee CM Punk displays

his World Heavyweight Championship to Jeff Hardy.

Edge & Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho

defeated Hardy & Rey Mysterio in the brutal encounter.

This Sunday at The Bash, Punk will defend his title

against Jeff Hardy.

Rage before The Bash

Smackdown

By: Mitch Passero
June 26, 2009

MILWAUKEE – Just two nights before The Bash, things erupted in the land of SmackDown, culminating in an epic “Rage in the Cage” Match, featuring some of Friday night’s biggest Superstars.

Edge & Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho def. Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio (PHOTOS VIDEO)With World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk as guest referee, Edge & Chris Jericho went to war with Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio in a "Rage in the Cage" Match. In the end, it was “Team Ego” who prevailed when The Rated-R Superstar avoided a Twist of Fate from Hardy and stunned the high-flyer with a hard-hitting spear.

After the match was over, CM Punk, perhaps being sarcastic, offered up his praises for Hardy, saying he fought a good fight despite losing the match. On Sunday, the two will clash for Punk’s World Heavyweight Championship at The Bash. (Bash preview)

winner : Edge & Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho

Hardy Pins Ziggler on Raw

Triathlon Terror

By: Greg Adkins
June 22, 2009

Green Bay Wis.

Jeff Hardy,Rey Mysterio,The Great Khali def. Edge,Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho,Dolph Ziggler

As World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk looked on from the announce table, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio & The Great Khali teamed up to face down Edge, Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho & Dolph Ziggler.

Perhaps sending a message to Punk, his opponent at The Bash, The Charismatic Enigma pinned Ziggler himself to secure the win for his team.

As Hardy celebrated in the ring after the match, Punk climbed in and raised his Bash opponent’s hand in victory. Undoubtedly recalling how Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank contract against him at Extreme Rules after a grueling World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match against Edge, Hardy jerked his hand away, his mind looking forward to this.

Winner : Jeff Hardy,Rey Mysterio & The Great Khali

Jeff Hardy The Bash PPV Wallpaper

After Batista got injured, Jeff Hardy was chosen for the cover of the next WWE PPV "The Bash."

Jeff Hardy def. Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho (count-out

Jeff Hardy charges to the ring to dispute the

match's outcome

Rampage in Roanoke

WWE Smackdown

June 19, 2009

Report by: Michael Burdick

Prior to his match with Chris Jericho, The Charismatic No. 1 Contender was confronted by World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk about their World Championship Match at The Bash (Match preview). Punk voiced no regrets about cashing in his Money in the Bank opportunity at Extreme Rules, nor with his actions in Monday Night Raw’s Triple Threat Match. An intense Hardy expressed his determination to take his title back at the upcoming pay-per-view. (PHOTOS)

Hardy’s attention then turned to Jericho. In the culmination of their heated battle, as the nine-time Intercontinental Champion was throwing Hardy back into the ring, Rey Mysterio suddenly emerged from a seat in the crowd. He attacked Jericho, driving the stunned Superstar into the ring post before returning to his seat next to two other identically dressed fans. This surprise onslaught led directly to a Hardy victory when Jericho couldn’t answer the 10-count. After the bell, The Charismatic Enigma put the exclamation point on the win, hitting the disoriented Jericho with the Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb combination.

After CM Punk's Win over Rey Mysterio :

After the bell, an angry Jeff Hardy charged into the ring to dispute the decision. He was clearly still seething after being stripped of the World Heavyweight Championship at Extreme Rules. But the confrontation only ended in a staredown, with Punk still walking off with the victory over Mysterio. At The Bash, things will finally come to a head when Punk and Hardy collide in a rematch. (Match preview)

Jeff to face World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk at The Bash

Preview:World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy
June 28, 2009

At The Bash, the fateful roads of squared-circle passion and championship retribution will collide, as World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk puts his World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Jeff Hardy.

Extreme Rules saw Jeff Hardy prove triumphant over Edge in a career-threatening World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match that propelled both Superstars to heights of grueling insanity, the likes of which neither one had ever experienced before. It was time for celebration, as The Charismatic Enigma had finally overcome all that had stood in his way to stand alone in the glorious splendor of WWE supremacy.

But then, in the blink of an eye, it was all over. Suddenly and without warning, CM Punk brought Hardy hurling back to earth, cashing in his Money in the Bank opportunity on the war-torn Superstar to rip the gold from his waist as quickly as it had been placed there.

The Straightedge Superstar had also overcome unimaginable odds at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, beating out seven other Superstars to climb the rungs of the ladder and snatch his second Money in the Bank briefcase. This gave him the right to cash in that opportunity anytime he wished. Some claim that he simply exercised a move of strategic brilliance, picking the moment that the World Champion would be most vulnerable to attack and taking the title.

On Raw’s special three-hour edition 3-For-All, Punk put his title up against both Hardy & Edge in a Triple Threat Match. Hardy looked to once again close-in on victory over The Rated-R Superstar. However, Punk blocked Hardy’s path to glory once again, hurling him away from the win to cover Edge himself and retain the title. This further intensified the tension between the two Superstars and raised as many question as it answered.

At The Bash, a true moment of destiny will be revealed. There will be no ladders or no promises of glory hanging above the ring, only the white-hot intensity of reckless abandon. Two of the most tenacious Superstars in WWE will dish out every bit of their heart, strength and unbridled skill to determine who has the right to possess the gold. And in the end, only one of them will walk out the ultimate conqueror.

Don’t miss your chance to witness The Bash, only on pay-per-view, Sunday, June 28 at 8/7CT.

Road to Raw

World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk stands tall after attacking
both Edge and Jeff Hardy. Monday on Raw, the three will square
off in a Triple Threat Match for Punk’s World Title.

WWE Smackdown
June 12, 2009
Biloxi, MS
Report by: Mitch Passero

BILOXI, Miss. – With their battered bodies still feeling the effects of a brutal Extreme Rules, the SmackDown Superstars went to war again with their sights set on Monday’s WWE 3-For-All on Raw, where the World Heavyweight, WWE and ECW titles will all be contested. (VIDEO preview)
Edge def. Jeff Hardy (Disqualification) (PHOTOS VIDEO)With new World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk watching from the announce table, former champions Edge and Jeff Hardy battled it out in the night’s main event. At stake was a chance to face CM Punk for his title this Monday on Raw. The match was made at the start of the night by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long (PHOTOS VIDEO)

In a back-and-forth struggle, Hardy and Edge pushed themselves to the limits of endurance. As the action spilled to the arena floor, Edge tossed Hardy onto CM Punk, who was seated at the announce table. Mayhem then ensued, when Punk pursued Edge back in to the ring and assaulted him with a series of punches.

Realizing he lost the match due to Punk’s interference, an angry Jeff Hardy reigned down blows on Punk, then took out his frustration on Edge with a Twist of Fate. But it was the champion who had the final word when he destroyed Hardy with a Go to Sleep.
As Punk stood over the fallen former champions, GM Theodore Long made the blockbuster announcement from his office that it will be Edge vs. Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk in a Triple Threat Match on Raw for the World Heavyweight Championship. (Raw coverage)

Jeff Hardy wins World Heavyweight but Punk cashes in

NEW ORLEANS – In a wild turn of events surrounding the coveted World Heavyweight Championship, CM Punk emerged the new champion after cashing in his Money in the Bank contract against Jeff Hardy, who moments earlier, defeated former champion Edge in a brutal Ladder Match. (PHOTOS)

For months, Jeff Hardy had been scratching and clawing to regain gold that he lost earlier this year. He finally had his chance in match that was his forte. But, Hardy knew his opponent was just as at home in the bout. After all, Hardy and Edge have competed in more Ladder Matches than anyone in WWE.

But, Hardy and Edge had never gone one-one-one in a Ladder Match until tonight.

After a hard-fought war, Hardy seized his first World Heavyweight Title. Hardy’s emotions were soaring. And in the same instant, Edge's world came crashing down when he realized he lost his precious gold.

But it wasn’t only Edge who would be overwhelmed with the sickening feeling of losing championship gold.

Before Hardy could fully bask in the glory of being crowned the new World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk crushed Hardy’s dreams by cashing in the contract he has wielded since winning the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. With a double dose of Go to Sleep, Punk easily put away the exhausted Hardy.

The victory was Punk’s second of the night at Extreme Rules. Earlier, he defeated Umaga in a vicious Samoan Strap Match. (Results)

With Punk on a roll, what's next from Edge and Hardy?
How much more adversity can Hardy endure without simply giving up in his quest for gold?
And with Edge and his wife appearing to be heading for splitsville, can The Rated-R Superstar mount a focused attack to regain his gold?

Jeff Defeats Matt at Backlash

With every member of the WWE Universe on the edge of their seats at Backlash, Jeff Hardy emerged victorious from the smoke of unspeakable sibling rivalry, making his rage-filled brother, Matt, say the shocking words “I quit.” photos

The explosive match proved to be an absolutely epic battle from start to finish, fueled by a deeply personal animosity that could only be found inside the extreme dysfunction of blood brothers gone awry. After both Superstars attempted everything they could to make the other utter the dreaded words, Jeff pulled out the heavy artillery, securing Matt to a table before threatening to descend upon him from the top of the ladder. After pleading in fear, Matt finally had no choice but to say “I quit” for all of the capacity crowd to hear. Despite his brother’s surrender, Jeff chose to plunge down upon him anyway, finally earning his retribution.

The intense hatred that Matt Hardy had for his brother first came to light when he stunned the WWE Universe at the Royal Rumble, hitting Jeff with a steel chair to cost his own younger brother the WWE Championship. In the weeks to come, the elder Hardy began using an unspeakable combination of unending jealousy and ruthless wrath to attempt to erase Jeff from both his memory and that of the WWE Universe. Although Jeff resisted battling Matt at first, once it became clear that his brother may have been responsible for the recent tragedies that have consumed his life, he came back at Matt with absolute fury.

The two brothers faced off in two brutal confrontations, first a larger-than-life Extreme Rules battle at WrestleMania and then a crippling Stretcher Match of complete carnage on SmackDown. Both matches saw Matt emerge triumphant. The Hardys also traded guerrilla-like attacks across all brands and even brought their intensity into tag team action, all leading to their fateful Backlash showdown.

Jeff Hardy has found victory over Matt by utilizing one of the most personal tests of intestinal fortitude that the squared-circle can offer. But after three monumental clashes, the question remains whether it will be enough to quell the raging fires of animosity living inside both Hardys.

Winner : Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy Merchandise

JEFF HARDY MERCHANDISE OUT NOW.
visit http://www.wweshop.com/ for more informations.
while stock lasts*

Jeff Hardy will face Matt Hardy at Backlash("I Quit" Match)

Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy ("I Quit" Match)

Miles away from their backyard training grounds in Cameron, N.C., Jeff and Matt Hardy take up arms – brother against brother – one more time at Backlash. This time, however, victory is not the sole objective as the Hardy siblings will aim to force a humiliating two-word utterance from one another: “I quit.”

If unlocking one’s destiny means endangering your own brother’s life repeatedly, even setting ablaze his home with his dog locked inside, then the key symbol on Matt Hardy’s new ring attire is an accurate metaphor. And it makes Backlash’s “I Quit” Match cruelly appropriate.
As Matt described in WWE.com’s “Dueling Diaries” exclusive which trailed both Hardys on the final days of their Road to WrestleMania XXV, he feels he is “the superior Hardy.” Motivated by a lethal combination of jealousy and wrath, Matt will do everything within his power to prove it and erase Jeff from memory.

Thus far, neither an Extreme Rules nor Stretcher Match has been enough to quell the vengeful emotions that have befallen the brothers Hardy. Without regard for rules or referees, Matt and Jeff continue to trade guerrilla-like attacks across all brands, including WGN’s newly launched WWE Superstars program. Perhaps this was the impetus behind the WWE Executive Board inking this dangerous confrontation where there are no pinfalls, no count-outs and no disqualifications.

The “I Quit” Match is an encounter in which only the most extreme enemies duel, vowing to torture each other to the point of not just submission but verbal surrender. It is a humbling, embarrassing defeat for whoever speaks this phrase, losing the bout as well as dignity.

Known for settling scores and determining champions, this contest was truly made (in)famous by WWE Hall of Famers Bret “Hit Man” Hart and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13 – a moment where blood was porously drawn from Austin at the merciless hands of The Excellence of Execution.

But this instance is different. These are two brothers – born and raised by the same father – who only share one last commonality: The desire to vanquish the other.

Until now, Matt’s ill intentions have been endured by the persistent spirit of The Charismatic Enigma, who tried his best to resist walking this path with his sibling. Will the fortitude of the face-painted warrior be enough to earn Jeff a victory against his brother? Or will the elder Hardy, Matt, secure his third and perhaps most emphatic triumph over Jeff?

To what lengths will either Hardy go – or soar, knowing Jeff – to exact the ultimate fraternal conquest? Find out as Backlash comes to you from Providence, R.I., live on pay-per-view.

Dueling Diaries

Dueling Diaries: Jeff and Matt Hardy
By Craig Tello with photos by Rich Freeda and Eric Johnson
April 1, 2009

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

“With the two of us together, we felt there were no odds we couldn’t overcome.”

These are the words uttered just two years ago in an interview with WWE.com by a much different Matt Hardy. Since then, a certain set of odds have materialized - as orchestrated by Matt - that contradict his statement and, more importantly, compromise the blood-bound covenant between two brothers.

Normally, participation in WrestleMania - let alone the milestone 25th WrestleMania - is something that Superstars look forward to all year, finding pride in the opportunity to perform on the absolute Grandest Stage of Them All. But not for the Hardys - one filled with wrath, the other jealousy. For Jeff and Matt, this is the moment even they never thought would happen: A day where brother must take up arms against brother ... under Extreme Rules.

How did it come to this? That's the single question the WWE Universe - though admittedly excited about a dream match between Jeff and Matt Hardy - have been asking for months now. While moving onward to The Biggest Spectacle of Them All and WWE.com's week-long 'Mania trek beside Jeff and Matt Hardy in "Dueling Diaries," the WWE Universe glances back at the shards of the past now strewn about a cold arena floor

In the beginning ...











Before the ring, before the hot arena lights, before the successes and failures, Matt and Jeff Hardy were brothers, bound by blood. From sharing family vacations to sharing the seemingly far-fetched aspiration to one day perform in the middle of a wrestling ring, the Hardys lived side-by-side.

Making it











Developing their soon-to-be-renowned craft atop a trampoline in the tree-engulfed woods of Cameron, N.C., Jeff and Matt ultimately achieved a dream long dreamt when they joined WWE's tag team ranks in 1993. Together. Enthusiastic, they embarked upon a shared journey first tasted in their wildest imaginations.

Boys to men











Playing the part of the "new guys," the "young kids," the Hardys' desire to earn the admiration and respect of their in-ring peers and fans worldwide was immediately noticed. No matter the competition, the Hardys were unquestionably living their dream but aspired to climb higher and higher ...

Hardys' first 'Mania...











which they did, most literally, at WrestleMania 2000. Together, Matt and Jeff competed at their first WrestleMania, almost nine years ago exactly in a Triple Threat Ladder Match. The Hardy Boys proved themselves men in Anaheim, Calif., against WWE's top teams of the time: Edge & Christian and The Dudleys. Anyone who's ever seen Jeff Hardy's dauntless, bold Swanton Bomb from the ladder's peak has never forgotten it. Though Edge & Christian triumphed that night, Matt and Jeff found future success, capturing the World Tag Team Titles on several occasions.

Together again











In May 2003, Jeff Hardy was released from WWE, leaving Matt on a solitary quest to reach the top. Enduring fate's many twists for several years thereafter, Matt and Jeff found themselves ultimately competing in the same WWE ring once more when The Charismatic Enigma returned "home" in late summer 2006. Back together in WWE but competing on separate brands, the Hardys were reinspired and reignited.

Their destinies would again intertwine to form of a cohesive tag team unit seven years to the date of their "loss" at WrestleMania 2000. On Raw, the Hardys once again captured the World Tag Team Championship on April 2, 2007 - their first time sharing tag gold since 2001.

Shared achievement











As both brothers continued to grow and excel, they each found significant success in singles action. Jeff carried the Intercontinental Title on a handful of occasions and Matt held the United States Championship. The first Hardy to snare a World Title proved to be the older brother, Matt, who secured the ECW Championship in one of three Unforgiven Championship Scrambles in September 2008. Though it was one Hardy's finest career achievement, both shared the celebration of a long journey fulfilled.

Brothers and champions











Early Hardy holiday merriment kicked off the night of Armageddon when Jeff won the WWE Championship on Dec. 14, 2008 in Buffalo, N.Y. For years, Jeff struggled to crack the glass of the symbolic ceiling that lingered overhead. Yet, with one seismic Swanton Bomb, Jeff pinned Edge to silence naysaying critics and finally fortify his position at the top of Friday Night SmackDown and the squared circle.

With Matt as reigning ECW Champion and Jeff as the newly crowned WWE Title holder, the Hardys collectively held two-thirds of WWE's most coveted gold. Their father, watching at home in North Carolina, couldn't have been any prouder.

Unseating his brother











In the weeks that followed The Charismatic Enigma's biggest triumph, misfortune met Jeff at every pass. Behind the wheel and in the arena, Jeff was the victim of a series of accidents including a late night car crash and a bizarre pyrotechnic malfunction on SmackDown. Though seemingly circumstantial, the truth would later be learned ... but not before the greatest tragedy of all: The outright betrayal by his own brother at the Royal Rumble.

Consumed by jealousy and angst after losing the ECW Title, Matt Hardy wrapped a steel chair around Jeff's skull, costing him the WWE Championship. Less than one month after standing beside his sibling with a false smile for photo opportunities, Matt made sure he wasn't the only Hardy devoid of championship gold.

The elder Hardy later revealed that Jeff's many hazardous incidents were all manufactured by the same individual he'd spent a lifetime trusting and supporting. This dangerous, treachery-laden slope would ultimately become the Hardys' Road to WrestleMania, a rugged and rancorous path they now share much like so many other experiences in their careers.

But this time, there can be no hugs distributed or arms raised in solidarity, together. Under Extreme Rules, there will be only one Hardy left standing, for better or worse.

Jeff Hardy vs Matt Hardy in a Stretcher Match

Jeff & Matt Hardy follow up their unbelievable Extreme Rules

battleat the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania with an

absolutely brutal Stretcher Match on SmackDown.

Matt Hardy def. Jeff Hardy(Stretcher Match)Fresh off his Extreme Rules victory over his brother at WrestleMania ,Matt Hardy looked to “erase Jeff from WWE.” He demanded that Jeff come to the ring and apologize to him and the WWE Universe for being an “extreme disappointment,” or he would end up leaving the ring on a stretcher. After Jeff emerged to chase Matt from the squared-circle, the returning Teddy Long made Matt’s choice of words into a reality. For the first time ever on SmackDown, Jeff and Matt would face each other in a Stretcher Match.

In the culmination of the Hardys' excruciating Stretcher Match, Matt moved out of the way at the last second, causing Jeff to Swanton Bomb himself down onto an empty, unforgiving stretcher frame outside the ring. After Matt finished him off with a painful chair shot, he claimed victory by pushing his fallen brother up the ramp. Once his arms were raised in unsettling triumph, Matt sent Jeff hurling back down the ramp, causing the stretcher to smash into the ring below.

winner : Matt Hardy