10 Greatest WWE Underdogs Of The 21st Century
6. Jeff Hardy
Considering their recent auteur success, it’s difficult to dispute that both Matt and Jeff Hardy aren’t two of the biggest underdogs in modern day WWE. They overcame addiction, legal troubles, and personal problems, masterminded one of the most inventive gimmicks in professional wrestling, and capped off their ‘Expedition of Gold’ by capturing the RAW Tag Team Championships as WrestleMania 33.
While the brothers might have achieved underdog status through their determination to do things their way, on their terms, Jeff was also a perennial ‘little guy’ within the realms of kayfabe. Due to his relatively small size, elaborate tattoos, and colourful hair, Jeff never exactly fit the mould of a traditional ‘WWE guy’. He didn’t have huge pecs or a beach-ready tan, and he looked more like a Venice Beach graffiti artist than a Venice Beach bodybuilder.
In spite of this, and his track record with substance abuse, Hardy worked his way up the (pun definitely intended) ladder, rising from the rank of jobber to become a Hardcore, World Heavyweight, WWE, Intercontinental, and multi-time tag-team champion, and eventual Grand Slam Winner. Jeff was almost always portrayed as the weaker party during his various singles feuds, but this made him arguably one of the most consistently popular babyfaces in WWE throughout the 2000s.