On a recent edition of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, Matt Hardy and Bully Ray recalled the epic matches between The Dudley Boyz, The Hardys, and Edge & Christian in WWE.
Hardy stated that his favorite is the trio’s second TLC match at WrestleMania 17 in 2001.
He said, “I was pretty much of that mindset. I know we were all so nervous about how high we had raised the bar going into TLC 2 in Houston. I loved the psychology. To me, that’s my favorite match of all the TLC, of the trilogy.”
The match saw Edge and Christian win the tag team titles from The Dudley Boyz.
In a recent appearance on the “Casual Conversations” podcast, AEW wrestler Lance Archer discussed former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada possibly signing with AEW.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On Kazuchika Okada potentially joining AEW: “I mean, if he shows up in AEW, The Rainmaker knows what he gets into when he steps in the ring with me. I got the luxury of the honor of being around him when he first returned back to New Japan, when The Rainmaker was born, making his debut at Wrestle Kingdom and then watching him skyrocket as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, wrestling him time and time again in G1s and other scenarios, and then the pandemic hit, and couldn’t go back to Japan. But I’d signed on with AEW at the time, so for me, it was good timing professionally because nobody knew the pandemic was coming, but I signed with AEW in early 2020. Obviously, everything changed, the pandemic came, but New Japan, it was a very difficult place because of the travel restrictions that existed. So I didn’t get to go back to Japan for almost over two years, and then finally got to go back in summer of 2022. My final day of the G1, which was an odd G1 to begin with because the fans were still not allowed to cheer. We’d have full houses, they could clap, they could ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’, but there was no loud cheering and chanting of names or singing songs or anything like that. So it was a different and new experience. But I got to work with Okada, with an opportunity to move on in the tournament, but he bested me. But the match itself was one of my most memorable matches.”
On his matches with Will Ospreay and Okada in previous G1 Climax tournaments: “A lot of people were, from my understanding, were very happy with it, very excited about it. It was kind of another one of those, they know who Okada is. He’s The Rainmaker, he was the heavyweight champion many times over, biggest star in New Japan at the time, and one of the biggest in the history of New Japan, and I’ve had a couple of those moments in my career. Will Ospreay, who just showed up with us, having matches with him where people knew who Will Ospreay was and how amazing he is, and was at the time, but they just didn’t understand what I was able to do in the ring. When I stepped it up with him, it opened a lot of people’s eyes. Fast-forward with Okada, it was kind of the same scenario in the G1. If he does, I’m excited about knocking the teeth out of the Rainmaker yet again.”
Okada is rumored to be making his AEW debut as early as March 6 in Duluth, Georgia.
The Dudley Boyz, The Hardys, and Edge & Christian are three iconic tag teams in WWE history. Their matches, particularly the TLC matches, are still talked about to this day. Matt Hardy recently shared his favorite match from the trilogy, which is the second TLC match at WrestleMania 17 in 2001.
In an interview on the “Casual Conversations” podcast, AEW wrestler Lance Archer discussed the possibility of former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada signing with AEW. Archer expressed his excitement at the prospect of facing Okada in the ring, reminiscing about their past matches in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Archer mentioned that he had the opportunity to witness Okada’s rise in NJPW and even had the chance to wrestle him multiple times. He described their match in the G1 Climax tournament as one of his most memorable matches. Archer also highlighted his matches with Will Ospreay, another highly talented wrestler, and how they opened people’s eyes to his own abilities.
The anticipation for Okada’s potential AEW debut is growing, with rumors suggesting it could happen as early as March 6 in Duluth, Georgia. Wrestling fans are eagerly awaiting this crossover between NJPW and AEW, as it represents the opening of the “Forbidden Door” and the potential for exciting new matchups.
Overall, the interviews with Matt Hardy and Lance Archer provide insight into the impact and legacy of the TLC matches and the potential signing of Kazuchika Okada with AEW. Wrestling fans can look forward to seeing these talented athletes showcase their skills in the ring and create memorable moments in the future.