Jeff Hardy looked back fondly on one of the most gruesome moments of his career involving Randy Orton and a screwdriver. The two clashed inside the demonic structure at Hell in a Cell in September 2018, where Orton infamously twisted a screwdriver through Hardy’s ear gauge hole.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Hardy stated that he considers that specific sequence to be his defining moment in the match type, comparing it to legendary stunts by Mick Foley.
“It hurt a little bit. That’s my hell in a cell moment. For years after seeing Mick Foley and Undertaker, naturally, I was like, Man, I want to do something like that. When he went off that first time through the table, I totally get why he does stuff like that. But then the chokeslam, when that gave way and he hit that, and that was back in that when that ring was super hard. Actually being in a Hell in a Cell with Randy, and it was the first one time it had been painted red, and it was awkward and strange, but just seeing how big that structure is, and even the splash I missed when I was hanging, it’s just such a massive structure. So thank God for that screwdriver and Randy and the twist that he did, because I consider that my hell in the cell moment that it’s kind of hard to forget.”
Hardy also discussed the creative process behind the spot, suggesting that WWE Hall of Famer Michael Hayes might have been the one to pitch the idea.
“It was somebody else’s idea with the screwdriver. He [Orton] had used his fingers and pulled me around by it, and I think a chain or a rope. But somebody mentioned that screwdriver. It might have been Michael Hayes or somebody else. But anyway, it was somebody’s idea that was out there with us talking about the match, but twisting it like that, and just watching the way it looks, how it was turning purple, it was gruesome.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
