Hardy Boyz vs. Briscoe Brothers: Tag Team Wrestling At Its Finest

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

If there was ever a list that ranked wrestling's greatest tag teams, you know for a fact that The Hardy Boyz would be leading the discussion. A tag team since birth, Jeff and Matt Hardy made names for themselves as backyard wrestlers before making their way to WWE in 1994. They worked as enhancement talent for several years, not coming into their own until 1998 as The Hardy Boyz. They made history by competing the first ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match and the rest, as they say, is history.

For well over a decade, The Hardy Boyz revolutionized tag team wrestling, winning a multitude of twin titles and high-profile matches. Despite their differences at times, Jeff and Matt have always reunited stronger than ever, ready to take out any opposition that has stood in their path. They have both branched off into singles competition and have garnered much success for themselves on their own, but right when you think The Hardy Boyz are no more, they just keep coming back for more.

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Like The Hardyz, Jay and Mark Briscoe are real-life brothers that have been the epitome of tag team wrestling for quite some time now. They've taken Ring of Honor by storm in recent years, but despite their success and various victories, they would never prove themselves to be among the best tandems of all-time until they squared off with The Hardyz. Matt has spent the last few years gracing ROH with his presence, so it was only a matter of time before the two forces finally clashed. Sure enough, the gauntlet was thrown down not too long ago and the match was made official.

Though it didn't occur on any of the main stages of WWE, TNA or ROH, it definitely deserved to. OMEGA (Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts) Wrestling played host to the match on April 26. It's been looked at as a dream match for years now, but it finally came to fruition. What happens when you take two of wrestling's greatest tag teams in the last decade and put them in the ring against one another? Utter chaos, that's what.

Before the matchup could even begin, Hurricane Helms, a good friend of The Hardyz, was jumped in the middle of the ring by The Briscoe Brothers. While Mark and Jay are beloved by the ROH fan base, they were despised on this night for taking out one of OMEGA's own. Before they could inflict a significant amount of damage on the masked marvel, Jeff and Matt hit the ring and the action was underway.

The Hardyz have been known for their high-flying, adrenaline junkie style, while The Briscoes have always been known for their down-and-dirty style and aggressive antics inside the squared circle. You couldn't find two teams that were any more different than The Hardyz and Briscoes, but as they say, opposites attract. The two teams of siblings went to war for the first portion of the match with the momentum shifting between them. Neither duo could pull out an edge over the other.

It seemed as if The Hardyz had the win in the can when they both brothers connected with the Twist of Fate on Mark, but the former ROH Tag Team champion kicked out at two and a half. Following a missed moonsault from Matt, Jeff was sent crashing to the concrete floor at ringside. Seeing blood in the water, The Briscoes capitalized on the opportunity by double teaming a wounded Matt while Jeff retreated to the back.

With the odds in their favor, The Briscoes continued to dissect the former United States and ECW champion, solely concreted on disfiguring and dismantling him. When all hope appeared to be lost for Matt, Willow the Wisp, an OMEGA original, emerged from the darkness and went to work on The Briscoes. This allowed Matt to take advantage and hit the Twist of Fate on Jay, but only for a close two count.

It wasn't long after that Willow disappeared only for Jeff to return to the ring, getting the tag from his brother and going straight after Mark and Jay. Using the old philosophy of "divide and conquer," Matt and Jeff singled out Mark and Jay, respectively. Once The Hardyz got Jay right where they wanted him, they took him out with the Twist of Fate followed by Jeff's Swanton Bomb for the three count and the win.

The Briscoes may not have been on the winning end of the match, but they undoubtedly proved their worth against The Hardyz on this night. They've also solidified their place in wrestling history as one of the best tag teams ever, earning the respect of not only The Hardyz but wrestling fans as well If a "That was awesome" chant closes out a match, you know you just witnessed something special. One can only imagine what fans of tag team wrestling will be in for when The Hardyz clash with The Young Bucks for the first time ever at Northeast Wrestling on August 2nd, in addition to reuniting in TNA this summer!