After nearly a year out of the ring, Jeff Hardy made a shock return to AEW, this week on Dynamite.
During a segment with Ethan Page and Matt Hardy, a brawl broke out that also included Hook and The Firm.
With the help of Big Bill, the firm gained the upper hand and beat down Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy and Hook.
However, soon the familiar Hardy Boys music hit, and Jeff Hardy made his second debut in All Elite Wrestling.
This came almost a year after he last appeared in the company, when a public DUI landed him some jail time and put his Hall of Fame career on hold.
His second AEW debut got fans on their feet, and for some it matched his first AEW debut in excitement and shock.
Jeff Hardy’s AEW Debut
Jeff Hardy debuted in AEW on March 9th 2022, during a segment involving his brother Matt Hardy.
Matt Hardy was aligned with Andrade El Idolo, with Andrade taking over the Hardy Family Office faction from under his nose.
The team, including Private Party, then beat down Matt Hardy, turning heel on Hardy and making him a face in the process.
Sting and Darby Allin ran down to help, but the numbers game was too overwhelming. It looked like they had no hope, until that music hit and Jeff Hardy debuted in AEW.
This came just weeks after he had walked out of WWE during a house show, before being fired for refusing to go to rehab.
Jeff Hardy’s first match in AEW came the week after on AEW Dynamite, on the St Patricks Day Slam episode.
For the first time in years, they reformed The Hardy Boys as Jeff and Matt Hardy took on Private Party in a tag team match.
As expected, The Hardy Boys won the match, with Jeff Hardy hitting the Swanton Bomb, in a 12 minute match to announce their debuts in the WWE.
Fans were behind Jeff Hardy as much as they had ever been, and he immediately become a top star in the company.
However, Jeff Hardy would not last long in AEW.
The AEW star was arrested by police after driving without a license and blowing over 3 times the limit on a breathalyser. Three officers drew their guns on the former WWE Champion who has since been released on bail.
Jeff Hardy had been due to team with his brother Matt Hardy on AEW Dynamite this. The pair were to team up to take on The Young Bucks and Jurassic Express in a ladder match for the AEW Tag Team Championships.
Jeff Hardy Returned To AEW In 2023
Almost a year after debuted in AEW, Jeff Hardy made his second AEW debut, and in similar fashion to the first.
Once again, faction dispute was an issue for Matt Hardy, and despite the help of Isiah Kassidy and Hook, they succumbed to a beat down from The Firm.
Luckily for them, Jeff Hardy made his return at that point, holding a hand-painted steel chair, in true Charismatic Enigma style.
Hardy began to wail on the Firm with his chair, chasing them off and reuniting with his brother.
This is the first time he had been seen, or even mentioned, on AEW since his DUI last June. AEW had previously released a statement, stating that he would not return unless he could prove his sobriety.
“We were able to resume contact with Jeff Hardy this afternoon,” Khan’s statement read. “AEW does not condone Jeff’s alleged behavior.“
“We’ve made it clear to Jeff that we’ll assist him in getting treatment for substance abuse issues, which he has indicated that he’s open to receiving.”
“In the interim, he is suspended without pay, and he can only return to AEW upon successfully completing treatment and maintaining his sobriety. If you or a loved one needs help, please reach out to SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357).”
Given that it’s been nearly a year with no issees, it may be that Jeff Hardy is finally sober for the first time in decades.
Lets hope that, after his second AEW debut, his run is more successful and longer than the previous ones.
The Hardy Boys were set to win the AEW Tag Team Championship last year, so they could be positioned as the team to end the reign of FTR in 2023.