I got this DVD used at Gamestop but hadn’t watched any matches on it until after watching and reviewing WWE’s My Life, My Rules DVD. I was never a huge Jeff Hardy fan until his WWE World title wins and feud with CM Punk, but after watching his WWE DVD, but I have a new respect for his ability. Oh, and I’m sure meeting Jeff Hardy at TNA in Bloomington, Ill., helped renew my interest in him.
If Jeff Hardy got over in the WWF for being a tag team star, then TNA helped get him over as a singles star. Immediately thrust into the NWA World Title scene, the reactions Hardy got really put him on the forefront of top guys.
In the matches with Jeff Jarrett, I really liked how Mike Tenay put over past title reigns for both challengers, including WWE Intercontinental reigns for both, WWE Tag Team title reigns for Hardy, and WCW World titles for Jarrett. It just seemed to give the match a more “legitimate” feel to it.
“The Date with Fate” NWA World title match between Jarrett and Hardy wasn’t much of a match, but an awesome brawl. When they attacked each other before the match, I got the sense that the two really hated each other. They brawled all over the building with Jeff Jarrett narrowly escaping with the title.
I also liked how they made that match make the NWA title seem important when The Alpha Male Monty Brown, Abyss, and even Raven showed up to watch the bout.
The Date with Fate wasn’t necessarily the better match – it was exciting, but I honestly think the ladder match at Victory Road two months later was better…until the ending. Scott Hall and Kevin Nash join forces with Jeff Jarrett to become the Kings of Wrestling? The ending spoiled the whole match, in my opinion, and dropped Jeff Hardy mostly out of the title picture. Thankfully that gimmick didn’t last long.
There isn’t a bad match on the DVD. I wish the Impact matches would’ve been longer, but since they were on free TV, that’s understandable. The Styles/Hardy vs. The Naturals match was a lot of fun, as was Styles/Hardy vs. Abyss/Raven.
While watching this DVD, I had a few questions to ask myself…
Wouldn’t you love to see Jeff Hardy vs. Sabu?
Do you think Jeff Hardy’s opponents like getting paint all over them?
Monty Brown got pushed so hard at various points and really never won the NWA World Title?
Speaking of underused wrestlers, don’t you miss when TNA pushed Ron “The Truth” Killings as the NWA World Champion, or at least a top contender? It’s better than anything R-Truth has done in WWE so far, in my opinion.
Whatever happened to that guy that worked with Team Canada in that six-man? Not Eric Young, he’s playing with mannequins. Not Bobby Roode, he’s dominating TNA’s tag team division with James Storm. I’m talking about the one guy who I’ve never heard of.
How much of a transformation has the Impact Zone seen in the past five years?
Has Abyss ever had a terrible match? Everything I’ve seen him in has at least been watchable. I’m just a huge mark for the guy.
Aren’t you glad Jeff Jarrett isn’t the central character in TNA anymore?
This has not been one of my typical reviews, but I hope you enjoyed the variety. Please retweet or “like” this!
And now, for my favorite matches on this disc…
Top 5 Matches
Jeff Hardy vs. AJ Styles – TNA debut on PPV, 2004
Jeff Hardy vs. Jeff Jarrett – A Date with Fate on PPV, 2004
Jeff Hardy vs. Jeff Jarrett – Victory Road, 2004
Jeff Hardy vs. Abyss – Destination X, 2005
Jeff Hardy vs. Raven – Lockdown, 2005
