10 WWE Backlash 2020 Impulse Reactions

7. Jeff Hardy Vs. Sheamus

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WWE.com

Jeff Hardy sort of suckered Sheamus in to a trap towards the end of a match that, at 16:50, still wasn't as long as it actually felt.

'The Charismatic Enigma' hit a Swanton Bomb after selling the long beating he'd absorbed as though he was completely finished. 'The Celtic Warrior' got a foot on the ropes, but rather than building on the shrewd scheme he'd concocted late on, Hardy instead pressed the thick-as-f*ck button and tried a rail-runner on a barricade with plexiglass attached.

Forgetting himself and attempting the spot might have been the idea (and the hoof to the chops he took on the floor looked better in the replay than when it played out live), but his warped smart/stupid filter was as jarring as the messy match that led to it.

There'd been the odd flubs in between some fairly hefty bombs lobbed, but at least it felt the actual fight it needed to. Herein lay the biggest problem - a feud based around framed hit-and-runs and p*ss tests getting thrown in faces was destined for Extreme Rules, even if Jeff's post-match self-reflection may have suggested otherwise.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett