10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Aug 24)
2. Jeff Hardy Thought He'd Broken His Spine In 2001
Again, Jeff Hardy continues to exhibit zero regard for his own body. The fact he's still walking after almost 20 years of high-risk stunts, bumps and falls is actually amazing, and it's mind-blowing that Hardy endures such a painful style in 2018. It's bound to catch up with him at some point.
It almost did in 2001.
On the 23 August '01 edition of SmackDown, Jeff worked a Hardcore Title match against Rob Van Dam. For the finish, Hardy decided to throw caution to the wind and perform his trademark Swanton Bomb from the top of a ladder through a table. He'd done the stunt before, but never when the wood was laying vertically.
As he lay in a crumpled heap on that arena floor in Denver, Jeff (speaking to The Kingston Whig Standard) said that his entire body was numb and he feared he'd shattered his spine. Referee Jim Korderas went to check on Hardy, only to find that he couldn't move, so it's just as well the match was supposed to end without a clear and obvious winner.