I've always thought that the best feuds were grounded in realism, and this was simply the best. Watching Edge's mic work here, I can't think of anyone better. This was 2005, so it was post Attitude Era, but I'd put this feud up against any from any era. It was THAT good IMO.
In the moment, I thought it was awesome because it opened up my eyes to wrestling behind the scenes for the first time. The buzz around Matt Hardy and how WWE screwed him over felt just as big as Punk post-pipebomb or the Yes Movement to me. It felt raw, it felt REAL, like nothing I'd seen in my 3 years as a fan up until that point.
However, in hindsight, the feud was basically a way for WWE to pacify the fans so they could stop ruining segments (sound familiar?) and use Matt as a glorified stepping stone for Edge before he got the WWE Title. I remember looking forward to the Summerslam match over Hogan/HBK, Cena/Jericho and Taker/Orton, only to get severely disappointed in how the finish made Matt look like a bum off the street trying to fight an actual pro wrestler in Edge.
I would say something positive about Lita's evolution as a character, but it probably led to her retiring a year later because of all the shit fans gave her.
Made Matt look like garbage, but that's his own fault for the stupid car crash promo.
Edge showing he's one of the best promo cutters ever:
Edge was really good around this time. I was around 9/10 when he started being the Rated R Superstar and he was the first heel I remember liking simply due to how cool he was. The Rated R shirt is one of the few wrestling t-shirts I wear.
It's a shame we never got an Edge/Seth Rollins feud tbh.
Feud was great for Edge, but not for Matt. Matt cut that terrible promo when he returned on Raw with Vince re-introducing him.
I was legit pissed off when Matt lost the "Loser Leaves Raw" match when Lita tied up him in the ropes. It made him look so fucking weak.
Matt claimed that he was promised something "huge" to return. Either he was working us or as usual WWE never followed thru on whatever they promised Matt. He should have come out of the feud as a huge star.
Lita saying to Matt "How does it feel to know you'll never, ever experience this again" and taking her off sweater to reveal her booby shirt :lol
I still don't get why Matt agreed to be used the way he was in that feud after what Edge and Lita did to him. I mean you'd think he'd get a good revenge story, winning the feud but all it did was ruin his career even more and advance Edge's.
Kane did the fake version of their storyline with Edge & Lita just a couple of months before Matt returned and he got revenge & won his feud against Edge/Lita at Vengeance.
Even though Edge has feuded with Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit and Kane and was clearly a good heel it was Edge/Hardy that pushed him over the top and made him an uber heel as there was a lot of realism in there and capitalising on that by pairing Edge and Lita was a master stroke.
Whilst the feud made Edge an uber heel that was on the cusp on permanent main event stature and drew major heat it did nothing for Matt Hardy other than he got his job with WWE back, yes it gave him a major feud upon his return but that was it and I'd argue that Hardy/MVP did more for Hardy as a performer than Edge/Hardy did.
There were so many great feuds in 2005 with Batista/Triple H, Michaels/Angle, Cena/Jericho, Michaels/Hogan, Undertaker/Orton and Edge/Hardy that Edge/Hardy probably doesn't stand out as much as it once did anymore.
"Matt looked weak" no shit, you don't make a superstar by 50/50 booking. It got Edge over as a heel and made him a main eventer, so it was a success. I like Matt Hardy but he is a mid card talent at best, had he won that feud he'd be in the same spot on the card a week later.
Hardy was super over during that time, he even won what I consider the Goat steel cage match vs Edge with a huge leg drop from the top of the cage.
And it was a fitting Ending to have Lita screw Hardy in their final 1 on 1 ladder match. Matt should have been used better On SD but was not Edge's fault. the feud was great for both men. It's a highlight on both guys' careers
I don't see what was great about it. Edge obliterated Matt on the mic. And then just buried the fuck out of Matt to put Edge over :lol
Although I guess you could say it was great because it was one of the first examples of how WWE manipulated the internet. They kept chanting for Matt and borderline "hijacking" on account of it. So what did WWE do? They said fine, we'll GIVE you Matt. And by give you Matt, they mean make Matt as lame as fucking possible that you now feel like morons for ever cheering for him. Just like they tried endlessly to do to Bryan.
As Nash said, the attitude isn't "Lets fuck him." it's "No. Lets sign him. THEN fuck him."
The least they could've done is have Matt take out Edge and Lita with Twists of Fate after the Ladder Match, then steal the MITB briefcase and immediately sign with Smackdown to spark the SD/RAW Survivor Series feud. Absolutely hated how he just got walked out by security like a bitch.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Wrestling Forum
23.4M posts
266.5K members
Since 2002
A forum community dedicated to all Wrestling enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about WWE, AEW, Ring of Honor, Impact and all forms of professional and amateur wrestling.