Would you consider Jeff Hardy to be a "Glorified Stuntman"?

[CM Steel]

Jeff Hardy has always been that wrestling star who has always done things his way. His wrestling style is very different from most. "The Daredevil" of the Hardy brothers. We really seen Jeff Hardy come into his own in 2002 during his first solo run. Many people forget Jeff's first IC title win over Triple H on Smackdown years ago.

But it was the daredevil style & persona that made Jeff Hardy a break out singles star in the WWE. Things like hitting his swanton bomb off of 24 feet ladders and diving into tables helped get him over with the crowd. But in that whole context, does those such things make Jeff Hardy just another glorified stuntman?

I am not by a longshot comparing him to Mick Foley.

Jeff Hardy never got thrown off Hell in a Cell. Never got slammed into a bed of thumb tax. And sure as hell never got set on fire during a match. Mick Foley is just Mick Foley. But Jeff Hardy will not be remembered for using leg-locks but rather chair shots on other wrestlers. We all remember how Jeff lost his EXTREME RULES match against his brother Matt at WM 25. When I saw Jeff Hardy hit a swanton bomb from 20 feet in the air on Randy Orton in early 2008, my mind was made up about his whole wrestling style. Which is why I typed this thread in the first place.

So, would you consider Jeff Hardy to be a glorified stuntman in wrestling?

 

[Whatsinaname696]

I would say yes he is, but in that respect, aren't all wrestlers? most wrestlers do at least SOME flying, and it's all choreographed, sometimes better than others, but still. Plus everyone takes bumps and much like a stunt man you have to know how to take them or your career is gonna be a LOT shorter (not to mention your life). So yeah, he is, but I'd say all wrestlers are.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

Hardy is more of a stunt man than Foley. How many times have you seen Hardy jump off of stuff only to land on something filled with padding and/or styrofoam? That's what stunt people do.

Mick Foley in his heyday was a sick, twisted individual who knew that he wasn't going to get over because of his looks or even his charisma (which was totally underrated). The reason he got notice and over was because he was willing to put himself through more shock and awe situations than anyone else.

Anyway...Hardy IS a stuntman. Not even glorified.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

Jeff Hardy is more of a stuntman than Mick Foley. Mick Foley played three different characters in his wrestling career and was very entertaining on the microphone and could also put on good non gimmick matches when the need arose. Just check out his matches with HBK at Mind Games 1996 and Austin at Unforgiven 1998. But that is not all. Mick Foley managed a connection with the fans not only on the basis of his will to sacrifice his body, he did so by cutting some brilliant promos and building up all three of his characters extremely well on the mic and in the ring.

There is only one reason for Jeff's popularity and why he initially connected with the fans. He wanted to jump headfirst on people lying on a table from the top of a ladder. Till he feuded with CM Punk, Jeff Hardy's career was merely a collection of stunts with an odd good match thrown in from time to time against a good opponent. He had never had any good feuds with anyone on the roster till he feuded with Punk.

Mick Foley isn't only about stunts. His feuds with Triple H, Undertaker, Rock and Austin are all great feuds that are memorable not only for insane stunts but also the storylines and the manner in which the individual characters performed in order to string the story together.

 

[Rayne]

Off of the top of my head, I can't think of a single program involving Jeff Hardy that was character based. The closest I can come would be to his feud with CM Punk, but if anything, that was CM Punk playing one character, while CM Punk told people what the other character is.

When it comes to acting- and I do not mean selling, although that is a form of acting- Jeff Hardy comes up short. That's not what his character is about. It's about the '90s cliche of 'extreme'. He "takes risks", he's "on the edge", and so many other marketing buzzwords.

I wouldn't go so far to say "glorified stuntman", simply because that has negative connotations. Jeff Hardy isn't any less of a performer for it; he's been a world champion in both of the Big Two. He's more famous than a lot of people who are good at character acting are for that. But it's plainly obvious that Jeff Hardy's career has revolved more around performing crazy stunts than it has been for people becoming invested in the Jeff Hardy character.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Out of all the "big name" professional wrestlers out there, Jeff Hardy is probably achieved more than any of them from being a stuntman. His entire career has been made because of his willingness to throw himself off high objects or ladders.

The Hardyz tagteam were something new and exciting and while Matt Hardy is a capable wrestler, Jeff gained the spotlight simply from ripping his shirt off and girls screaming, and his crazy dives from ladders. He became popular and a star simply from these stunts. He was appalling on the mic at that point, so was completely unable to further a storyline through his mic work. All he had was his stunts and his ability to take a beating and make people feel sorry for him. And he became a big star because of it.

I say fair play to the guy.

 

[CM Steel]

Aren't all professional wrestlers glorified stuntmen?

If that was the case, then Ric Flair wouldn't have came at Mick Foley the way that he did in his book. And this thread topic wouldn't be on here.

When was the last time that you saw Hulk Hogan or Stone Cold fly off a ladder or steel cage?

 

[Smooth Sexual Chocolate]

If that was the case, then Ric Flair wouldn't have came at Mick Foley the way that he did in his book. And this thread topic wouldn't be on here.

When was the last time that you saw Hulk Hogan or Stone Cold fly off a ladder or steel cage?

The work of a stunt man is so much more than just providing "high spots", all pro wrestlers pretty much are glorified stuntmen. Essentially every bump taken in the ring is a "stunt". Moves made made to look like they hurt, taken in a way that lessens the pain and impact.

So all Pro Wrestlers are glorified stunt men, not just the ones who jump off latters.

 

[missinwcwbad]

I would not consider jeff hardy to be a glorified stunt man. I would just consider him athletic and brave and would give him props for putting himself through so much danger.

 

[StylezClash3:16]

All sports entertainers are glorified stuntmen. If they weren't, there would be no point in watching the programming. I'd rather you jump off of a 30 foot ladder (without hurting yourself) than hold another dude for 10 minutes.

 

[itssoeasy123]

Not really a glorified stuntman per say, he actually had some wrestling talent and was a very over superstar.

But, the thing's he'll be remembered for were jumping off 20 foot ladder's onto tables. If that's what he'll be remembered by than I would say, yes.

If he was remembered for his 08-09 run than, no. He put on some great matches and was a very good draw and very over.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I would definitely considerer Jeff Hardy to be a glorified stuntman because he constantly put his body on the line in order to get more over. The only reason he ever had any support was due to the spots he did with his swantons and other crazy high flying spots that most other wrestlers wouldn't ever be seen doing. They are smart enough not to, and have other skills to get over through that Hardy didn't. He couldn't wrestle other than high flying spots, he was garbage on the mic, and had a very strange look. Granted the unique look is usually a pro rather than a con, but when you have little to no legit ability it works against you more. Thus, he is a glorified stuntman for all of the insane spots he put himself through just to get over. He had no other choice.

 

[Defekt]

Jeff Hardy is a talented wrestler.

He didn't do anything daredevilish or over the top in his match against Kurt Angle at No Surrender 2010, and that was one of the best of the year.

 

[Calderownz]

In truth, I agree with what a previous post stated, he's more of a stuntman than Mick Foley.

Foley, as a solo star, did have high spots and incredible risk involved. However, this was usually around an incredible storyline and a respectable match, with or without the huge stunt.

Jeff, on the other hand, will probably always be remembered by myself as a tag team guy that used high spots to get over. Without those high spots, I don't know if I can recall anything unique or special about the guy. If the ring didn't have turnbuckles and top ropes, he wouldn't be anything special in the ring. He wasn't a great talker. Didn't have a great feud in the big leagues (though his feud with CM Punk was entertaining), and was only charismatic during his ring entrance.

I'm not even a Jeff Hardy hater. But thus far, the guy has gotten by on high spots and then living off of them. He was slightly coming in TNA, but then his personal life went to shit for a minute.

 

[BritFan93]

Quite simply yes, as are most, if not all, wrestlers of his style. High risk, high reward basically amounts to jumping from high places and landing on your opponent in a spectacular way. Not to say he can't wrestle but this is around 90% of what he does so yes he is.

 

[Mustang Sally]

His entire career has been made because of his willingness to throw himself off high objects or ladders.

That's true. Every wrestler tries to establish an aura of distinction for himself, hopefully based on what he does best. For Jeff Hardy, those daring, flying leaps are his forte; he's got the body type, the aerial ability.....and the nerve.

As much animosity as I've had for him since he left WWE, I won't engage in revisionist thinking and deny what the guy has accomplished. He's not a stuntman; he's used psychology and his ability to tell a story in the ring to make himself a compelling character. I still remember his match against Undertaker (in his "American Badass" mode), in which Jeff played the inexperienced, gallant young warrior to 'Taker's "old pro." I was moved because the match made me care about two men coming from opposite directions to meet in the middle. Jeff was terrific.

I still think he's a moron for choosing his damn drugs over a successful career, but nothing can take away from what he's done in the past.