10 Wrestling Matches Much Better Than Their Reputations
2. The Dudley Boyz Vs. The Hardy Boyz (Royal Rumble 2000)
Today's WWE roster is blessed with an abundance of awesome tag teams, but Vince McMahon's apparent hatred of the division means the scene will never be hotter than it was in the early-2000s. Protagonists Edge & Christian, The Hardy Boyz, and Dudley Boyz spearheaded a movement that peaked with all three tandems rivalling everyone but the company's biggest stars in terms of popularity. This was largely accomplished through a series of wild, all-action spotfests on major pay-per-views, many of which are every bit as exciting today as they were in the moment, despite the sport's 18-year evolution.
An unfortunate byproduct of these six man delivering so many brilliant stunt shows is that some inevitably get forgotten about, and this is one of them. Awarded a paltry ***1/4 by Dave Meltzer in January 2000, it was one of the first bouts in which these tremendous professional wrestlers starting building their names, sowing the seeds for TLC madness to come, and leaving the New York City crowd breathless with all manner of scary bumps.
Certified lunatic Jeff Hardy Swanton Bombing from the Madison Square Garden entrance remains the defining spot, but this oft overlooked belter deserves greater acclaim.