5. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho (Smackdown! May 24, 2001)
Wrestling fans have the choice to evoke the kayfabe clause in their own minds when it comes to grapplers that were amazing contributors to WWE world but detractors from the real world. In the kayfabe world, Chris Benoit had so many classic matches that WWE has, understandably, swept under the rug because of his actions in leaving the real world. In regards to TLC 3, being cast into the depths of WWE's storage closet is nothing new. It was already known for years as "the forgotten TLC." Edge once called it that in his book and later acted on it during a promo in 2006, claiming to have never lost a TLC match. Well, he had. TLC 3, in fact. To Benoit and Chris Jericho, the newly minted Tag Team Champions whose classic Raw match against Triple H and Steve Austin has also been filed away in the "Do Not Mention" folder. The real reason for TLC 3 being forgotten is that it took place without hype on Smackdown. It just happened. Matches like TLC should always be built up and this one was not. Nevertheless, it was an incredible match. Visually, the additions of two other men (especially the caliber of Benoit and Y2J) was just what the gimmick needed to freshen up after three separate takes on the death-defying stunt brawl. Benoit and Jericho, themselves, had torn the house down with a story-driven Ladder match at the 2001 Royal Rumble four months prior, so they contributed something different. The taped nature of the match certainly did not hurt, as any missteps could be edited (though botches were, shockingly, very uncommon among them - amazing given the degree of difficulty).
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
