On this past Monday Night Raw fans got to see the emergence of the first ever "Symphony of Destruction Match." The match featured two WWE Superstars going head to head with yep you guessed it destructive measures…! Elias went toe to toe with Jeff Hardy. Hardy being no stranger to steel cages, TLC's, and death defying heights. This match was no different on either count. The symphony of destruction match was the result of a not so great storyline currently unfolding about Elias accusing Jeff Hardy of being the culprit who hit him with a car.
This storyline seemingly unfolded following Jeff Hardy's feud with Shamus. The feud had fans lashing out against the WWE for certain content with the aim of furthering that feud. In the eyes of fans watching the program, and some Superstars as well, the content was a little too adjacent to Hardy's private life struggles. The act of using real life influences and situations isn't a new take on writing for a wrestling program. It's in fact been used by pretty much every televised wrestling company. However, fans felt this one crossed the line.
Fast forward, and the symphony of destruction match pitting Elias against Jeff Hardy exploded on Raw. I can only assume that a match of this nature and narrative was a means to boost Monday Night Raw ratings. Raw was in fact trending comfortably in the number 2 spot for sports trailing behind the trending Seahawks Vs. Eagles NFL game. Traction certainly increased for Monday Night Raw, but perhaps not for the right reasons…
All over social media, footage from Raw made its proverbial rounds. Jeff Hardy went for his signature Swanton Bomb and catastrophe catapulted him to what seemed like a deathly blow. At the very least - career ending. As a Pro Wrestler, I've honestly only seen something similar once. One time. In 13+ years, just one time.
That person's neck was broken in 3 places. Their career over. Their quality of life? Questionable due to partial paralysis. Luckily, this story ends different. Dismay and tragedy avoided.
So back to the symphony of destruction match. Elias was set up on a table outside the ring. The steel ring steps were not moved. Oversight? I'm not sure… Instead they were almost completely side by side with Elias laying atop the table. A high fives distance away from Elias on the table were the ring steps. Jeff Hardy climbs up the ring post and prepares his signature Swanton Bomb. He jumps does the front flip of the Swanton, and as he lands, his head misses the table entirely. Instead ricocheting off equal parts the floor and steel ring steps. The landing seemingly snapping Jeff's neck on live T.V.
The WWE reports that Jeff is okay. WWE on Fox aired a video of Jeff Hardy telling fans he's okay and that it looked far worse than it felt. I can't help but think he is perhaps one of the luckiest people alive in that moment. A moment that could have been a death knell instead of a symphony. I'm happy to see that Jeff Hardy was able to see another day for himself, his fans, the WWE, and his loving family. Furthermore, Jeff Hardy hopes that although he loves firsts, he hopes that this symphony of destruction match will be his last. An irrevocable reminder of the risks Pro Wrestlers take every day when they go to work. All in the name of childhood dreams, superstardom, and entertainment…
For more Taeler Hendrix content check out the links below
YouTube: http://youtube.com/TaelerHendrix
Website: http://taelerhendrix.net
Children's EBook "It's Not Easy Being A Sloth"
Barnes and Noble:
http://bit.ly/37N9QOc
Amazon:
http://amzn.to/370QZIK
Children's EBook: "A Fish With A Wish Is Trish"
Talks w/ Taeler Hendrix Podcast:
https://bit.ly/2YvNKwP
Cameo Videos: http://cameo.com/taelerhendrix
T-Shirts: http://prowrestlingtees.com/taelerhendrix
