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?