Jim Ross has praised The Undertaker for stepping outside his comfort zone to help establish Jeff Hardy as a singles star during their memorable Undisputed Championship Ladder Match on WWE Raw in 2002.
Speaking on Grilling JR while revisiting the bout, Jim Ross explained that The Undertaker disliked ladder matches but agreed to compete in one because he believed it was the best way to showcase Jeff Hardy’s high-risk style and elevate him as a singles competitor.
“WWE was interested in seeing if Jeff could become a star in the singles division, but had no idea how to get him there. So up stepped The Undertaker. I don’t know how many six foot ten, 300 pound men like to climb, wrestle on, or fall off a 16 foot ladder, but Undertaker was not one of those men. He hated doing this match so much that it was his only ladder match in a 35-year career, but he knew it was the optimal setting to highlight Jeff’s more flashy daredevil style.”
Ross also credited The Undertaker for helping structure the match, saying he recognised the veteran’s influence as soon as the contest began because of its deliberate pacing and storytelling.
“When the bell rang, I could tell immediately that Undertaker had a hand in laying out the match itself. I could tell he was involved mostly because of the story they were telling. It was deliberate building and pacing in a way that made the audience wait as long as possible without ever losing them before hitting the higher gears.”
Jim Ross Believes Jeff Hardy Was Elevated After His Match Against The Undertaker Despite Losing The Bout
According to Jim Ross, the match perfectly demonstrated wrestling’s ability to elevate a performer even in defeat.
“One takes the victory, and one takes victory in defeat. Or one goes over, one gets over. It’s hard as hell to pull off unless you’re an egoless veteran who can pull all the levers that are necessary in a skillful and timely manner.”
Ross recalled being completely drawn into the action as Jeff Hardy repeatedly refused to stay down before the iconic post-match moment, where The Undertaker chose to raise Hardy’s hand instead of attacking him, cementing the younger star as a future main event talent.
