After Jeff Hardy dropped Samoa Joe with a wicked Twist of Fate last week in response to The Samoan Submission Machine’s week of hyperbole and mockery of his struggles with personal demons, the two faced off on the blue brand on Christmas night.
The Charismatic Enigma came at The Samoan Submission Machine with a furious intensity, but Joe’s size and strength advantage would soon factor into play, as he began to wear down Hardy with a smothering ground-and-pound attack. Jeff struck back with his signature dynamic offense, but he lost control of himself once he downed Joe outside the ring, and he repeatedly kneed his opponent into the face, disregarding the referee’s warnings and getting disqualified because of it. Jeff’s assault continued even after the bell when he sent Joe soaring over the announcer’s table. However, as Hardy began to plot his next devious move, Joe caught him in a singular lapse of concentration and locked the Coquina Clutch onto his rival until Jeff completely passed out.
Joe was content to leave Hardy laying for now, but it was clear that neither Superstar was content to let this situation rest for good.