Matt Hardy feels AEW is more focused on five-star matches than impactful segments
Matt Hardy believes the Hardy Boyz will get a chance to cement their legacy in TNA Wrestling.
Hardy appeared on Busted Open Radio on Wednesday and discussed him and his brother reuniting at TNA Against All Odds on Friday. The Hardyz are both scheduled for TNA’s TV tapings in Philadelphia this weekend as well.
“I believe in TNA the Hardy Boyz can get the run that we deserve at this stage of our careers and that is the run to cement our legacy and that is very important to both of us,” Hardy said on the show.
Hardy was asked why he thinks they weren’t given the opportunity to have such a run in AEW.
“Look, we have incredible star power. If you were at Wrestlecon in Philadelphia, it was outrageous how much we signed, how many people that were there to see us. We have fans coming up crying to us like it’s 2000 all the time, but I feel like AEW is more focused on having a five-star match as opposed to having a segment that is hugely impactful and makes a moment,” Hardy responded.
Hardy continued to say that their time in AEW started well but took a turn after Jeff was arrested for DUI in June 2022.
“In the beginning, we started off very well. Jeff messed up and he made a mistake. Jeff tried to repent for that, he did everything, he went and got right and one thing that I can say about Jeff that I am very happy at the place he is in in his life. He’s practically perfect as a human being. He hasn’t been like this in well over 20 years.”
Hardy continued to say that AEW never gave them another opportunity to capitalize on their popularity after Jeff’s arrest.
“(Jeff) was in a good place, I just don’t know why we never got that other opportunity to show people what we can do and capitalize on the popularity that we have,” he continued.
“We would have loved to have had that run in AEW but low and behold, that didn’t happen. And I think we are both happy now that we are somewhere else where we feel like we’ll get utilized and optimized in our status as legends, as we are, legends who can still go.”
Hardy was complimentary of Tony Khan and AEW but said he and his brother were looking for something different.
“AEW is a great organization, the pro wrestling world needs it but it wasn’t the place for me and Jeff at this certain time because they are just in a different mindset. I think Tony Khan is in a different mindset. It is what is, it’s nothing to be hot about. Tony Khan, great dude. I was paid great while I was there. It was just, both us, myself and Jeff, we wanted something different. There was one point where I just said, we haven’t won a match in 11 months on TV and we are legitimately in the top five conversation of greatest tag teams of all time. Like, what is going on here?”
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.