10 Best David Vs. Goliath Wrestling Matches Of All Time

Those people who say Triple H is incapable of putting over younger talent need only look at his excellent match with a freshly "single" Jeff Hardy in 2001.

This was just the first of many times these two would meet in the ring, but it was really the only time Jeff felt like an underdog in the truest sense of the word.

As was the case when Jeff went toe-to-toe with The Undertaker for the Undisputed Championship a year later, this match was about proving that he could hang with the big dogs. It was also about Triple H proving that he couldn't, and grinding that point into Hardy's face with his knuckles.

For much of the contest, Triple H was whipping Jeff all over the ring like a rag doll, earning as much ire from the crowd as he ever had with his Cerebral Assassin gimmick.

Despite Hardy's identity as a risk-taker and high-flyer, this match came really down to strategy. It was a battle of paces, as Jeff tried to keep the offense flowing while Triple H worked to slow the whole thing down and keep his opponent grounded.

And that ebb and flow really worked. One other thing that worked: The quick surprise interference from the recently-injured Matt Hardy to help his brother hit the Swanton Bomb and score the win.

Normally, that feels cheap, but here it made sense.