AEW commentator Jim ‘JR’ Ross recently discussed new All Elite signing Matt Hardy on the most recent episode of the Grilling Jr podcast.

This week’s episode of the show focused on WrestleMania 9, Jim Ross’ first ever live broadcast for the company. One of the topics brought up during the show was that of ‘burying’ talent as they are leaving the company. This is something that has been a topic of contention in the past with fans, with JR believing that people who are featured on television aren’t being ‘buried’ as they are getting air time.

WWE Writing Matt Hardy off TV

The aforementioned Matt Hardy was a prominent part of the Randy Orton/Edge programme before he left WWE. Before this, Hardy was sparsely used on WWE television, and this high profile feud was the first we had really heard or seen from Hardy on Monday Night RAW.

“Why would you have someone on your payroll…and you’re paying them,” JR began. “And you’re traveling them, you’re putting them on television. If you want their character to die?”

“That’s like when WWE was going to do the last few things with Matt Hardy. That was their intent [WWE], to bury Matt Hardy, right? But for their own mismanagement and lack of attention to detail and lack of common sense, they got Matt Hardy over more on his way out than they did while he was there.”

JR would finish by lambasting WWE for the way that they dealt with Hardy on the way out. “He was doing promos, he was in hot angles. He’s with Randy Orton blah blah blah. So you’re not burying him, you’re getting him over, dumbass. And so now Matt Hardy’s in AEW which is going to be great for us, I think.”

Did WWE ‘Bury’ Hardy?

Traditionally, talents would ‘do the job’ on their way out of a ‘territory.’ Matt Hardy was attacked by Randy Orton brutally with a chair to build up the Edge feud, thus taking him off of television.

In 2020, a lot of fans are well aware of Hardy’s social media/YouTube work and he has been using this to build to his eventual move to AEW. So with WWE putting Hardy on television, it’s arguable that they really didn’t do any damage to his character at all.

Do you feel that WWE ‘buried’ Matt Hardy on his way out of the company? Let us know in the comments

Also Check Out:

• Chris Jericho & Matt Hardy Recall Pitching Ideas To Vince McMahon
• Matt Hardy May Have Stayed With WWE If Triple H Was “Solely In Power”
• Matt Hardy Wants To Work Wrestle Kingdom, Cody Match Set For Dynamite

During a recent episode of his podcast Talk is Jericho, Chris Jericho shared a story of pitching an idea to Vince McMahon. Regaling his guest Matt Hardy, he explained how it didn’t take long for Vince to change the initial idea.

Chris Jericho’s Original Highlight Reel Idea

“[…] the original Highlight Reel, I pitched it as ‘Jericho’s Junction’ because I was watching a bunch of Mean Gene Okerlund interviews and myself included,” Jericho said. “When I first started doing interviews, he was the Jedi. If you didn’t know what you were doing, Gene would lead you through the interview and make you look like a star, and I said, why don’t we do Jericho’s Junction where every week like a Piper’s Pit, we bring out underutilized stars whoever they were at the time. I’ll lead the interview. We’ll get the people over. We’ll get them to do interviews and connect with the crowd.”

According to Chris Jericho, Vince apparently loved the idea. He was then told that his first guest would be Goldberg.

“I’m like, well Goldberg is not really the guy. I’m thinking more like Bull Buchanan. Nope Goldberg. Next week Scott Steiner. The next week, it’s Rock,” Jericho recalled. “I’m like the whole concept of what I had is gone, and now it’s just another talk show which is fine. That’s great. But the original plan was much like you just like let’s give some of these underutilized guys guys a spotlight where somebody like me or you knows how to bring them along.”

Matt Hardy’s Broken Block Concept

Chris Jericho’s story came off the back of Matt Hardy’s ignored pitch for the Broken Block. Hardy detailed the idea, explaining that it would have been an opportunity to highlight underutilized Superstars. All he wanted was 10-15 minutes to do so.

“What I pitched [was] give me 10 to 15 minutes of the show, and I want to call it ‘The Broken Block’. My idea was give me underutilized guys like Chad Gable and Ali and Apollo, guys that aren’t being utilized at all. Let me put them on that show. Let them do badass things. Let me put some vignettes from the Hardy compound and House Hardy and just give me like 10 to 15 minutes, and I’ll call it ‘The Broken Block’ every show and just see how it does.”

Hardy continued, “These guys have matches in the arena. I’m almost like the commissioner or like I’m heading up this broken block, and we try to give Ali and Chad Gable a best-of-seven. Cut them loose. Let them have great matches. They’ll become stars on their own just because of the quality of their matches, and then will interject a little Vanguard 1 and we’ll have some of the you know House Hardy on it. ‘The Broken Block’. 10 to 15 minutes that’s all I was asking for. Never heard anything about it.”

Matt Hardy debuted for AEW last week on Dynamite, aligning himself with The Elite. This week, Chris Jericho and Matt Hardy are scheduled for a face-to-face meeting in the ring. 

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

One of All Elite Wrestling’s newest signings is former WWE Superstar Matt Hardy. Hardy made his debut for the promotion during last Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite on TNT. During an interview with Chris Jericho on Talk is Jericho, Hardy shared how his decision may have been different if Triple H had been solely in charge at WWE.

“I’ll just go my own way, and even days after I left, I talked to Triple H,” Hardy said. “It’s just like he was cool, and I feel like if Triple H would have been the guy that was solely in power, I would have probably had a much better opportunity of kind of getting to do what I wanted creatively, but it is what it is.”

Matt Hardy & The Elite

Matt Hardy ultimately left WWE due to his desire for more creative freedoms, something WWE wasn’t giving him. He aligned himself with Elite members Kenny Omega, Cody, Hangman Page and Matt Jackson. Matt Hardy will join them as their fifth man in an upcoming Blood & Guts matchup against Chris Jericho and his Inner Circle members. 

That match, originally to take place on the next episode of Dynamite, has been postponed due to coronavirus concerns, especially as it pertains to the number of people gathered together at any one time. 

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

Matt Hardy made an appearance on Talk is Jericho for a new interview after making his promotional debut on Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. 

His debut took place after the main event that saw The Inner Circle beat The Elite in a six-man tag team match. This is where we saw Vanguard 1 fly into the crowd and Hardy standing in the bleachers. 

Hardy talked about the original plans for Vanguard 1. Dynamite was supposed to be in Rochester, NY but had to be moved to Jacksonville, Florida due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. 

Vanguard wouldn’t have been able to be used inside of the arena due to FCC regulations if the event had been held in Rochester. 

“It’s definitely different. Once again, if you have a Vanguard 1 drone flying in, it’s an inanimate object,” Hardy said. “Originally, the drone was going to fly back to me, and we were gonna get a really cool beauty shot, but that didn’t happen. I went ahead because we’re doing live TV. It was kind of like an audible.”

Matt Hardy Shares AEW Backstage Vibe

Hardy also talked about how AEW is such a laid-back atmosphere. He brought up knowing some talent in AEW from previous promotions. He noted how it was different from WWE as he didn’t have to ask Vince then go through all those different levels of authority. 

Hardy said that it was easy to get things done in AEW and even did some promos and vignettes at the end of the night.

“It was very easy, and it was very not to have any kind of restraints on you and just go and be creative and do your thing and do you because nobody does themselves better than them.”

Hardy stated that when the talent knows their strengths and weaknesses and you gravitate towards your strengths then that’s where the magic is. 

“I think basically, the whole framework of AEW, from what I’ve seen so far, is there’s like an outline, this is where we want to go, this is what we want you to do to get there, how do you suggest we get there, and the talent fills in the blanks. That’s magic. That’s the beauty of this business.”

Hardy will join The Elite to take on The Inner Circle next week in the Blood & Guts Match.

Bully Ray Thinks AEW Will Allow Matt Hardy To “Push Himself To The Moon”

H/T to Wrestling Inc

WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray has shared his thoughts on Matt Hardy’s recent AEW debut. Hardy appeared during the closing moments of this Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite, aligning himself with The Elite. Bully Ray noted how debuting in an empty arena actually suited Matt Hardy’s broken character.

“I think Matt Hardy debuting last night in front of no people was just as impactful of debuting in front of a full house,” Bully Ray said. “It kind of fit Matt Hardy. Just seeing Vanguard fly in, and then just hearing the piano… the Broken character—it works with no people there.”

Bully Ray stated how it worked with no crowd noise and just the soft piano playing in the background.

“It actually fit his debut really, really well. And think about a pop that character will get the first time it’s in front of an audience… So I had no problem with Matt Hardy last night, it definitely worked.”

Bully Ray On AEW’s Trust In Its Performers

Bully Ray then complimented AEW’s ability to allow their wrestlers to connect with audiences. He stressed how their wrestlers get themselves over organically thanks to this trust. He added how “AEW is going to allow Matt Hardy to push himself to the moon.”

Matt Hardy joins Elite members Kenny Omega, Cody, Hangman Page and Matt Jackson for their Blood & Guts matchup against The Inner Circle. This matchup will take place on the next episode of Dynamite.

If you use any quotes from this article, please provide a H/T to SEScoops.

Former WWE Superstar Matt Hardy is now All Elite. Hardy debuted for the company during this Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite during the close of the show. Reflecting on his debut in front of zero fans in an empty arena due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hardy shared how he is proud to be a part of AEW.

“Considering the uncertainty of the current world we’re all living in, last night’s @AEWonTNT was the best audience-free pro wrestling TV broadcast yet.. And I’m ready to fight over it. Proud to be a part of @AEWrestling.”

Matt Hardy & The Elite

Matt Hardy was revealed to have sided with Elite members Kenny Omega, Cody, Hangman Page and Matt Jackson. Hardy will be the fifth man in their upcoming Blood and Guts matchup against the Inner Circle, comprised of the former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho, Santana and Ortiz, Jake Hager and Sammy Guevara.

This week on Dynamite, the Inner Circle were able to pick up a victory of members of The Elite. This win gives them an edge going into their Blood and Guts match. Blood and Guts is set to take place during the next episode of AEW Dynamite.

With the current climate, however, it is unclear at the time of writing whether that will take place next Wednesday on TNT when Dynamite usually airs.

It’s official, Matt Hardy is All Elite. 

Hardy made an appearance on their weekly television show, Dynamite, on Wednesday after the main event that saw The Inner Circle beat The Elite in a six-man tag team match.

This has been speculated for quite some time. Matt Jackson noted that someone owed him a favor, which led to Hardy being shown in the crowd. With Nick Jackson being at home to be with his family, Hardy will join The Elite to take on The Inner Circle next week in the Blood & Guts Match.

Matt Hardy already has two new t-shirts available at ShopAEW.com.

You can watch Matt Hardy’s AEW debut below:

Matt Hardy’s Road to AEW

On March 2nd, it was teased during the latest episode of Being The Elite that Hardy could be going to AEW. The episode featured Matt Jackson getting a call from a 910 area code. This is the code for North Carolina, which is where Hardy lives. 

Fast forward to the tenth episode of Free The Delete, The Young Bucks drove to Hardy’s house with Hardy stating that he knew they would come. They later helped bury Hardy. 

Hardy’s contract with WWE expired on March 1st, which is when he became a free agent. It was reported before he hit the market that the major hurdle between the two sides is how he would be used going forward, not money. Thus, the reason why he hadn’t signed a new deal.

WWE has been throwing out big money offers to re-sign its talent to longer deals than in previous years with most current deals seeing a star stay under contract for five years. 

Matt Hardy’s brother Jeff Hardy made his return to this week’s Friday Night SmackDown, where he changed his finisher’s name from the Twist of Fate to the Twist of Fury.

The next day Matt Hardy’s wife, Reby Hardy, tweeted the trademark logo, “TM”. Many fans took to mean that Matt had trademarked the Twist of Fate name and now that he is no longer a part of WWE, Jeff was not allowed to use it.

Matt Hardy then had to come out and clear the misconception regarding the move. Fans were jumping on Reby and Matt as they assumed he didn’t want his brother Jeff to be able to use the name. The clarification came after a fan on Twitter asked Matt why he had trademarked the name “Twist of Fate”.

Matt Hardy clarified by replying, “I DID NOT. The @WWE & Jeff are completely free to use “Twist of Fate.” The change 100% came on their end. I wouldn’t ever do anything to hinder my brother. I’m thrilled to see him back on #WWE TV, looking healthy & happy.”

It’s still unclear why Reby posted the trademark message on her Twitter account, which lead to this unnecessary internet drama. While Reby and Jeff have history between them, it has to be noted that her posting the logo doesn’t necessarily mean she was even hinting at Matt Hardy trademarking the move. Twitterati just assumed what they wanted to anyway.

Matt Hardy is gone from WWE, but he is still continuing his “Free the Delete” YouTube series where he is teasing a change in his character’s current persona. He has heavily hinted at joining All Elite Wrestling, since none other than the Young Bucks themselves appeared on the past two episodes.

Related: Jim Ross On If Matt Hardy And Jeff Hardy Might Join AEW In The Future

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announcer Jim Ross recently spoke about the possibility of Matt and Jeff Hardy joining AEW’s ranks. He addressed the idea during an episode of his podcast, Grillin’ JR. Ross wasn’t shy about wanting to see Matt in AEW and noted how Jeff can “help any company” he’s a part of, but only if he’s healthy.

“When Jeff Hardy is clean and sober and healthy, he can help any company in a big big way,” Jim Ross said. “Then Matt [Hardy], of course, now a free agent. You know there’s a lot of talk about where he’s going. I know where I’d like to see him go, you know obviously I’m selfish.”

Ross continued, “Matt Hardy is another guy that, from his intellect to his character, his integrity, and existing in-ring skills can help any wrestling company. Including the one that I worked for at AEW. I wish him the best.”

If Matt Comes, Will Jeff Follow?

Jim Ross speculated that if AEW is able to sign Matt Hardy to their roster, then “maybe” his brother wouldn’t be too far behind. Matt has been long suspected by fans to be the ‘Exalted One’ AEW’s Dark Order frequently refer to.

Matt Hardy has confirmed he is in talks with various promotions including AEW, NWA, ROH, and Impact Wrestling. No official announcement has been made over where he will go, but he has stated his decision will be within the month. 

Jeff, meanwhile, made his long-awaited return to SmackDown during last night’s episode. He defeated Baron Corbin in his return match to an empty WWE Performance Center.  

With speculation that Matt Hardy could be AEW bound running rampant, the free agent teased that we could find out more about his future soon..

Hardy and the Young Bucks have been building a story via YouTube as of late. With Dynamite set to air tonight, Hardy is teasing that “Today is the Day.”

He followed that Tweet up to state that a special episode of #FreetheDelete will be available later today:

Reby Hardy posted this outtake of young King Maxell flubbing a line during a recent filming as well:

Matt Hardy’s Free Agency

Hardy recently spoke to SI.com about his free agency. He mentioned that he has spoken with Impact, NWA, and NXT in addition to AEW.

“My goal is to legitimately surprise people and draw emotion from them. I always want to entertain the audience and keep them guessing. I’ll make a decision within the next 30 days, and it could be by next week. It all depends on how everything comes together,” Matt would say. “I am speaking with AEW, and I am very close with the Young Bucks. We’ve been great friends for a long time. They understand this business and know how to break the fourth wall and have fun with all of this. They really are special. I’ve also spoken with IMPACT and I spoke with the NWA. I had great conversations just this week with Triple H about NXT.”

Hardy’s time in Impact Wrestling came to a bit of tumultuous end but he has since offered much praise to the promotion. He seems to be into the angle with ICU:

Hardy also recently took the time to compliment the team of Jurassic Express, who wrestled last night on AEW Dark:

MJF was not impressed:

Former WWE Superstar and host of the Conversation With The Big Guy podcast Ryback recently discussed the situation regarding Matt Hardy.

Matt Hardy recently left WWE after his contract with the company finished. With the ‘Free The Delete‘ YouTube series Hardy has been teasing his next destination in the wrestling world.

The overwhelming belief is that Hardy will eventually end up in AEW; with The Young Bucks having appeared in a recent episode of Hardy’s online series.

Matt Hardy Going To AEW?

Ryback says he hopes Matt Hardy winds up in All Elite Wrestling, but expects him to enjoy a little ‘down time’ following his release from WWE.

“I had a little interaction with him, maybe four or five weeks ago” Ryback began. “He’s been in that system for so long. I think we all know how it works. And think it was just let the contract run out, and he’ll probably enjoy a little downtime. After you know, being there for the last few years. I would hope he goes to AEW personally, because I think a guy like that? You want their work; not just for himself, but to be working with the younger guys and instilling some of that psychology. Because he [Matt Hardy] does have good psychology.”

Potential Run on the Independent Scene

Ryback would elaborate further, describing how beneficial Matt Hardy could be to the AEW brand. “He’s very creative, and I think he’s gonna he’ll be very beneficial to that AEW roster…if he can get there eventually. I wouldn’t be shocked if he did a little run on the Indies again though, just because.”

He continued, “I mean you can clean up as far as financially [working the independent scene]. It’s very laid back and it’s very enjoyable there when you first leave WWE as far as what that money that is offered on the table. It’s great and he, he will be able to probably have a nice run with that if you want and then go to AEW or just jump right in one day a week anyways. He may just be ready to go, So, I hope he’s at AEW at end of the day.”

Subscribe top Matt Hardy’s YouTube channel to follow his Free The Delete series and other Hardy-branded digital content.

Former WWE Superstar Matt Hardy is now a free agent after allowing his contract to expire. Speaking with PWInsider, Hardy opened up about on whether WWE ever really truly understood his Broken/Woken Matt Hardy character. 

According to Hardy, he felt that the creative within WWE understood what he was trying to achieve with the gimmick. Overall, however, “I don’t think they got the character all the way.”

“People say, “Oh, creative should have done better,” but at the end of the day, it’s not up to them. I mean, you say it all the time. I mean, Vince is like the one. I mean, if he wants something done, it’s happening. If he doesn’t want something done, it isn’t happening.”

He continued, “The Halloween special, I and JB and Dan Pucciarello from WWE Network did that all together. So literally I had creative control in that. And those specials …what was sad in many ways. In January, I just got the word from them that they greenlit two more House Hardy specials because the first one did very well.”

Matt Hardy’s House Hardy Special

One of the more original concepts WWE eventually greenlit was the aforementioned House Hardy special. Despite its reception, WWE wasn’t quick to follow up with the idea. Hardy explained why the concept took so long to have more approved by WWE’s higher-ups, noting how it was difficult to get a “clear cut answer” from Vince McMahon.

“[…] there was just so much concern whenever I had left TV, whenever Bray and I had wrapped up [our storyline] and we were going to be off for a couple of months, they’ve been pitching to do specials, House Hardy, House Hardy, House Hardy. But then they said they couldn’t ever get a clear cut answer from Vince, or they couldn’t get a meeting with Vince. And then like they’re saying, “Well if you come back as a different character then it’s going to be our ass and we don’t want to do that.” So that’s why that never came to be. I was just like, I went in to [Vince McMahon] and he was okay with it, but then they can never get confirmation on their own. It is such a big company, so many moving parts and nobody wants to infuriate Vince.”

Matt Hardy has confirmed he is in talks with various promotions including AEW, NWA, ROH, and Impact Wrestling. He has yet to announce where he plans to join but has stated that it will be within the next 30 days. 

Former WWE Superstar Matt Hardy has discussed why he feels WWE wrote his tag team with Bray Wyatt off of television. Joining Busted Open Radio, Hardy praised WWE and shared his gratitude. Despite this thankfulness, he noted how from a creative standpoint, they were “on different pages.” 

“When I went there, they treated me great. I had great conversations with everyone there. But creatively, we were just on different pages,” Hardy explained. “Nothing against them, but it was time for me to go somewhere else and maximize and optimize my creativity. Especially, with what my role is going to be, if I want to be involved in a prominent role for the last 3-4 years that I have to do this That’s where we’re at.”

Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt

These attempts to optimize his creative extended to his time as a part of the Deleters of Worlds with Wyatt. According to Matt Hardy, the two Superstars would pitch several creative ideas about how they could be used. He believes that their thoughts, originality and insistence contributed to WWE writing them off RAW. 

“In all honesty, I think the reason why Bray and I were pulled off of TV at that time, was because they were tired of us suggesting ideas about how we should use the Hardy Compound, and we shouldn’t be wrestling all the time,” he said. “I think that the whole scenario between myself and Bray could have been so much more if we could have gotten people to listen to our ideas.”

Matt Hardy has confirmed he is in talks with various promotions including AEW, NWA, ROH, and Impact Wrestling. He has yet to announce where he plans to join but has stated that it will be within the next 30 days. 

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Matt Hardy recently discussed a wide range of topics including his decision to leave WWE as well as a potential return to the company with PWinsider.com. 

Hardy let his contract with the company expire back on March 1st. Since that time, while fans have speculated over his future, he has yet to sign a contract with any promotion. 

In this interview, he was asked about leaving, which he noted, “I mean I was determined if I didn’t get my dialogue and I didn’t get my creative concerns addressed, I was going to leave. I just determined that.”

Hardy noted that he worked to do that. He did mention how he was treated great by WWE management as they were professional and took great care of him. Everyone from Mark Carrano to Triple H.

“It’s like I didn’t want to leave, but I had to leave that creative process.”

Matt Hardy Discusses His Future

While Hardy has talked to other promotions, there is still a chance that Hardy could make a return to the company, which he addressed. However, he knows the stage of his career right now. 

“I mean there would be a possibility, but I would need assurances. This is really important to me, like how I do these next three or four years. I’m not 25 or 30 years old. I have some good matches left in me, but I don’t have a good match every day of the week, and I can’t do it four or five days a week like I used to. I just don’t bounce back like that.”

Hardy has confirmed being in talks with various promotions such as AEW, NWA, ROH, and Impact Wrestling. He has yet to announce where he plans to join but has stated that it will be within the next 30 days. 

AEW’s Latest Dark Order Message Teases Matt Hardy As The Exalted One

Matt Hardy opened up on his future in the pro wrestling business during an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated. 

Earlier this week, the longtime pro wrestler announced via YouTube that he would indeed not re-sign with WWE. Instead, he would hit the free-agent market. 

For months now, there has been speculation that he could be headed to AEW. However, Hardy is keeping his options open. 

“My goal is to legitimately surprise people and draw emotion from them. I always want to entertain the audience and keep them guessing. I’ll make a decision within the next 30 days, and it could be by next week.

It all depends on how everything comes together. I am speaking with AEW, and I am very close with the Young Bucks.”

Hardy noted that they’ve been great friends for a long time. He stated The Young Bucks understand this business and know how to break the fourth wall and have fun with all of this as he seems them as special. 

This was a reference from The Young Bucks appearing in a recent video on his YouTube channel. 

“I’ve also spoken with Impact and I spoke with the NWA. I had great conversations just this week with Triple H about NXT. I’m not sure where I’m going to go.”

Hardy said that from a character perspective, he wants to go to an Arcadia as that’s where he can take the second coming of ‘Broken Matt’ and build upon it. He thinks he needs a canvas where he can paint and collaborate.

The Young Bucks Appear In Latest Matt Hardy #FreeTheDelete Video

Matt Hardy has released a new #FreeTheDelete video on his official YouTube channel. In the video, Hardy is seen talking on the phone to two unknown people. Hardy tells the unknown them that Zenith is infected and dying. He needs the two of them to come to the Hardy Family Compound and remove Zenith from his body. Zenith is the name of Hardy’s broken “essence.”

“You were the only two that have been able to separate Zenith from my body,” Hardy says in the video. “There are great higher powers out there that believe in me and if I believe in them then I’ll have everlasting life, everlasting broken brilliance. Zenith is infected. Zenith is dying. I need you two to come to the Hardy Compound and remove Zenith from my body again and bury us both.”

“In the meantime, I’m going to get my affairs in order in case anything goes wrong. Thanks, see you soon.”

Hardy then sheds the neckbrace he had been wearing, plays with his kids, and creates a tombstone for him and Zenith.

The video ends when a car containing Matt and Nick Jackson pull up to the compound.

The full video can be seen in the player below:

“Bucks of Youth, I knew you’d come,” Matt Hardy says to close the video.

After months of speculation as to what Matt Hardy will do when his contract with WWE expires, he made his decision and now there’s a new AEW teaser.

Early Monday morning, the longtime pro wrestler announced via YouTube that he would indeed not re-sign with WWE. Instead, he would hit the free-agent market. 

While there have been rumblings that he could return to WWE should a new deal get reached, there’s also been speculation that he could be headed to All Elite Wrestling. 

Matt Hardy Teaser

This is something that was teased during the latest episode of Being The Elite. Near the end of the episode, Matt Jackson got a call from a 910 area code. This is the code for North Carolina, which is where Hardy lives. 

The person on the phone asked him to go somewhere and Matt agreed to do so before hanging up. Matt told his brother, Nick, it looks like they aren’t going home quite yet, they gotta make a quick stop.

WWE also issued a statement on Hardy’s departure from the company: 

Matt Hardy’s contract with WWE has expired.

A trailblazer throughout his 19-year WWE career, Matt and his brother Jeff pioneered the first tag team Ladder and TLC Matches in WWE, stealing the show at WrestleMania on several occasions. Matt, who competed in his first WWE match in 1994, captured nine tag team titles with Jeff, in addition to two other reigns with MVP and Bray Wyatt. 

He is also a former ECW, United States, European, Cruiserweight and Hardcore champion, and he won the Fifth Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 34. 

But Matt is perhaps most revered for the uncanny connection he has cultivated with the WWE Universe over the years, even as his character has transformed. From a gravity-defying daredevil willing to take any and all risks to becoming one of the most eccentric personas ever seen as “Woken” Matt Hardy, all incarnations had one thing in common — the adoration of WWE fans.

WWE thanks Matt Hardy for his contributions to sports-entertainment and the WWE Universe and wishes him the best in his future endeavors

Hardy took to his official Twitter account where he gave his response to their statement: 

Matt Hardy Officially Announces He’s A Free Agent

Matt Hardy is now a free agent and has allowed his WWE contract to expire. Hardy had been with the company since returning in 2017 with his brother Jeff. He announced his free agency on a live stream from his YouTube channel at midnight.

“Right now it’s just a little past midnight, we have just entered Monday and that is March 2nd, 2020 and my WWE contract was set to expire at midnight on March 1st,” Hardy confirmed regarding his WWE contract. “This is what’s happened. As of this current time, I have decided to let my contract with WWE expire. I am going to become a free agent and that’s not saying I’m not going to return to WWE.”

“I did not want to leave WWE, I love WWE, WWE is my home. WWE has treated me great as an employee for the last 3 years. They’ve been good to me, they’ve been good to my family, they’ve been great to my kids. I have nothing but great things to say about WWE and all the people that work there.”

Hardy continued to thank Vince McMahon for what he’s done for him. He also thanked Michael Hayes, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and more.

Hardy would then say that creatively he and WWE are not on the same page right now and that has played a large role in his decision to leave.

“I just think myself and WWE are on different pages,” Hardy explained.

“I want to enter a creative renaissance and I want to have non-stop input on my creative process and I think that’s where WWE and I are on different pages.”

Hardy would then say he does plan on being back in WWE at some point in some way.

“I definitely think there is a Hall of Fame ring waiting on myself and my brother,” he continued.

Hardy’s comments can be heard in the player below:

Matt Hardy is on the cusp of a major career decision. With his WWE contract reportedly expiring soon, several promotions are said to be interested in the WWE Superstar. WWE has allegedly made “overtures to him” in their efforts to keep him, one of which includes him becoming a part of the NXT system in some capacity. Taking to his Twitter account, Hardy teased the NXT rumors currently revolving around him.

“With a hand of days remaining, nothing is yet written in stone. Every major player is currently on the board, everyone’s at the table. I must rePROCURE. I must be RESURRECTED. I must seek out my ARCADIA.Then what’s NeXT? #FreeTheDELETE #FreeTheDELETE.com”

He also uploaded a YouTube video to his channel called “DEAR DR RKO” where he addressed the brutal attacks at the hands of Randy Orton. He spoke about how he should be livid at Orton but isn’t. Rather than the attacks being a curse, he instead considers them to a blessing, thanking Orton for his actions.

Exalted Matt Hardy?

There has been speculation that Hardy would be revealed as the Dark Order’s “Exalted One” in AEW. Raven appeared on a recent episode of AEW Dynamite in the background, hinting at his potential involvement. However, some have theorised he was just a distraction to Hardy’s arrival.

If Hardy elects to stay with WWE, that would obviously scupper any plans that may exist. With the Superstar eager to work somewhere the allows him greater creative control, the answer may come down to which promotion will grant him his request.

Losing Matt Hardy in the current environment would be a big loss for WWE and it appears that the officials of the company also realize this as they are offering all kinds of perks to the former Champion to stay, including a position in NXT.

Mike Johnson talked about Hardy’s status on the latest episode of PWInsider Elite Audio and reported that the company has made a lot of “overtures to him” in recent times.

The Wrestling Journalist then revealed a very interesting possibility. He said that there have been talks of the Broken One working in the NXT system somehow, noting that his gut feeling is that Hardy will stay:

“I know that WWE has made a lot of overtures to him in the last couple of weeks. There’s been some talk of him working in the NXT system somehow. My gut feeling is that Matt Hardy will probably stay.”

Matt Hardy’s current WWE contract is set to expire very soon and if he doesn’t re-sign with the company then he is expected to become a free agent this Sunday on March 1.

WWE offered him an increased pay to stay with the company but Matt is looking for creative control over his character which has been stopping him from signing a new contract with the prmotion so far.

RAW Commentator Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler recently commented on RAW Superstar Matt Hardy and his contract status with WWE. Matt Hardy has been actively enticing fans on Twitter regarding his WWE status; posting images like the one you can see below indicating that he may be looking to go to AEW:

Lawler indicated that he does not believe that Hardy is going to be resigning with WWE. Referring to a recent tweet that Matt Hardy posted with a cryptic nod to AEW, ‘The King’ had this to say; “It [the tweet] started out as ‘Against Every Warning, I showed up at RAW.’ And the first three words ‘against every warning, were all capitalised. So, if you really look, if you really looked at the tweet. The first three words started with AEW.”

Lawler then reiterated that he doesn’t believe that Hardy will re-sign with WWE. “I doubt if he’s gonna sign back with with WWE. And, you know, I think he’s trying to let everybody know that he may be going to AEW but I’m…I don’t know. I don’t know for sure. There’s probably still negotiations going on between those two [Hardy and WWE].” Whilst Lawler did not confirm if he knew how the contract negotiations were developing, he did seem to indicate that Matt Hardy is unlikely to re-sign with the company in the near future.

Lawler finished by saying that he does not want Matt Hardy to leave the company, stating “I can’t imagine that WWE would want to lose Matt Hardy to AEW at this point. But you know some of those guys [at WWE] are buddies with some of the guys that are that are over there [at AEW] and that’s just the way things work.”

Do you think that Matt Hardy will end up in AEW? Let us know in the comments

Matt Hardy has been attacked by Randy Orton two weeks straight on WWE RAW. With Hardy’s contract with WWE expected to expire shortly, one of these attacks is bound to be Hardy’s last segment in WWE, at least for quite some time.

Hardy took to Twitter to comment on the angle from Monday:

WWE has since offered a storyline injury update on Hardy.

“After tweeting from a medical facility in the wake of a vicious attack he suffered at the hands of Randy Orton on Monday Night Raw, Matt Hardy was discharged and returned home earlier today, WWE.com has learned,” WWE’s report on Hardy reads.

Hardy has also been releasing several “Broken” themed videos on his YouTube channel as of late:

Randy Orton Attacks Hardy On RAW

• Unaired Footage Of Matt Hardy After Randy Orton’s Attack On Raw

Following Orton’s initial attack on Hardy last week, Hardy tweeted out a message that only read “Goodbye.” This led many to assume the angle was a way to write Hardy off the show since he will be leaving when his contract expires.

• Matt Hardy Says Goodbye Following RAW

Hardy was then scheduled to face Orton in a No Holds Barred match on this week’s show. The match never took place, however, but Orton did attack Hardy again in the show’s opening segment.

Matt Hardy was expected to face Randy Orton in a No Holds Barred match on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw but the match never took place.

Last week’s episode of Raw saw Matt confronting Orton over his attack on Edge and the segment ended with the former Evolution member unleashing a vicious attack on The Attitude Era star with a chair.

Due to the attack, Matt Hardy was not cleared to compete on Raw this week but he still confronted the former World Champion, asking what was wrong with him.

While Randy did apologize for his actions at the beginning, he later started assaulting Hardy once again and the segment ended with the Viper delivering an even brutal assault on the Broken One than last week.

Randy Orton went backstage after this and the broadcast moved to the next segment after a commercial break, but WWE later posted the following unaired footage of Matt Hardy being taken backstage after the attack:

Matt Hardy’s current WWE contract is set to expire on March 1 and there is a lot of uncertainty regarding his status and future with the company. Reports suggest that he is not signing a new contract with WWE because he wants creative control.

So if the two parties can’t agree to terms and he decides to leave the company when his contract expires, then this segment could very well turn out to be Hardy’s last WWE appearance.

Ring of Honor World Champion PCO has praised Matt Hardy, offering the current RAW Superstar an ROH Championship match over Twitter. PCO’s words come following an interaction between Hardy and a fan online.

Hardy noted how he has great respect for PCO and his recent accomplishments. He highlighted the champion’s “creative, out of the box content” and current character. Hardy stressed that PCO deserves props for his resilience and longevity in the industry.

Seeing his kind words, PCO responded, writing:

“Thanks to @MATTHARDYBRAND who broke through the darkness of creativity and enlightenment creating so much positivity to our industry, Say the word ! PCO the @ringofhonor World Champion with his Creator D.Destro VS Matt Hardy The Match that will POP the entire WORLD”

Hardy replied to the championship opportunity, thanking PCO for the offer and noting how the “proposition sounds positively delightful!”

Matt Hardy In Limbo

With Matt Hardy’s WWE contract reportedly expiring at the end of March, there is substantial fan debate and speculation over where he will go next.

Although Hardy has previously wrestled in Ring of Honor, many believe he will be joining All Elite Wrestling. It is thought he will be revealed to be the Exalted One that is frequently referenced by the Dark Order.

Hardy has teased his farewell in WWE alongside cryptic messages on social media and videos on YouTube. Last week on RAW, Hardy was brutally assaulted by Randy Orton. They are slated to face off against each other this Monday night. They clash in a No Holds Barred match.

While many had assumed Monday’s appearance on RAW might be Matt Hardy’s last, it has recently been announced that Hardy will face Randy Orton next week. Stemming from Orton’s attack on Hardy on this week’s RAW, Hardy and Orton will go one-on-one in a No Holds Barred match on Monday.

Following Hardy’s appearance on RAW this week, he posted the following to Twitter:

Matt Hardy Expected To Leave WWE

Hardy’s contract with WWE is up next month and he is expected to leave the company.

• Matt Hardy Expected To Leave WWE In March

“Matt Hardy is expected to leave WWE in March,” wrote Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

“Hardy is the leading speculated name for the leader of the Dark Order since they just started teasing a leader and Hardy just started putting out the videos,” Meltzer continued.

Corey Graves spoke about Hardy on his podcast recently. Graves feels Hardy would make an excellent addition to the WWE creative team.

• Corey Graves Thinks Matt Hardy Would Be A “Great Addition” To WWE’s Creative Team

“We’ve seen what he is capable of on his own outside of WWE and within. I mean, the guy’s resume speaks for itself. It’s not like you’re hiring some guy off the street who went to theater school, this is Matt freakin’ Hardy.”