20 Must See Moments From The 100 New RAW Episodes Added To WWE Network
6. Jeff Earns The Respect Of The Deadman - 01/07/02
One of the more interesting RAW matches in 2002 would produce the most memorable TV match of the period, along with an iconic image and the establishing of a new star. Jeff Hardy was uber-popular at the time, with the Draft Lottery splitting up his successful tag team with brother Matt. Jeff was to go it alone, and the creative team were solidly behind him.
The Undertaker had turned heel not long before, and Big Evil was running his yard with more aggression than ever. Taker had once again picked up gold, defeating Hulk Hogan to become the Undisputed Champion. He was dominant, he was violent, and it was going to take something truly serious to stop him.
As such, Jeff Hardy seemed to be nothing more than an irritating fly that would provide some entertainment for the audience and nothing more. This is how it goes for the most part, with Hardy's attempts to wear down Taker amounting to nothing. Taker is dominant after all, and Hardy doesn't stand a chance.
Taker gets a little too cocky however, and Jeff somehow manages to reverse a Last Ride attempt and give himself daylight to climb the ladder. Jeff slowly climbs the ladder, as JR gives his goosebump-inducing 'make yourself famous kid!' call from the booth.
It's all too good to be true however, as Undertaker recovers to blast Jeff numerous times with a steel chair and pick up the victory. The champion survives with the title but Jeff was the ultimate winner here, getting the seal of approval from the Deadman in the centre of the ring.