10 Great SmackDown Matches From WWE's Original Brand Split
2. CM Punk Vs. Jeff Hardy (28 August 2009)
The most acclaimed WWE feud of 2009 pitted Jeff Hardy against CM Punk. It began innocently enough: Punk, the reigning Money in the Bank briefcase holder, cashed in his contract on Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules just minutes after Hardy won the title from Edge. Punk was crowned the new champion, and in a rematch at The Bash, he retained the title in a bout with Hardy when he was disqualified for "accidentally" kicking the referee.
When Hardy doubted that the kick was inadvertent, he unleashed a monster. Punk began to exhibit a "holier than thou" attitude, touting his straight-edge lifestyle and belittling Hardy for his past substance issues. The feud intensified, with Hardy winning the title from Punk at Night of Champions, then losing it back at SummerSlam.
Clearly, WWE wasn't big enough for the both of them. On the 28 August episode of SmackDown, the two had a steel cage match where the loser would have to leave the company. Both men did their best to escape the cage, though Hardy scored a near fall off a Swanton Bomb. Finally, Hardy tried to escape, but Punk took him back inside with a superplex. Both men fought back up to the top, but Punk knocked Hardy down and escaped the cage, ending the popular star's WWE career.