Jeff Hardy‘s AEW career began on 9th March 2022 when he saved his brother Matt Hardy from a vicious assault by the Andrade Family Office. He garnered a huge pop from the fans from a crowd which were filled with lifetime Jeff Hardy fans.
While Jeff Hardy in AEW has not been as spectacular so far as most fans would have hoped for. He has looked slow and plodding during his matches, which is no surprise given his age and how long he killed his own body for the love of the fans.
One thing that has not changed is his love for jumping off high stuff through various stuff. Jeff Hardy in AEW has, if you can believe it, got even more reckless and has endeavoured to hurt himself so much that one day he simply turns to dust.
He jumped off multiple ladders through tables in an array of multi-man matches teaming with his brother Matt, Darby Allin and Sting against any combination of the Andrade Family Office.
He also put his life on the line multiple times in a dream match against the equally death-defying, Jeff Hardy inspired Darby Allin in a round one match in the Owen Hart Tournament.
The fans have been in awe with AEW’s Jeff Hardy, despite the restrictions on his role and his ability to perform in the ring as he used. It looks as though he will be utilised in the tag team division alongside his brother Matt Hardy as the legendary Hardy Boyz, with the pair taking on The Young Bucks at AEW Double or Nothing 2022.
Jeff Hardy in AEW has been a revelation not just for the fans, but also for Jeff Hardy and the toll his mental health took during his last run in WWE
Jeff Hardy in AEW
Jeff Hardy is enjoying his AEW run in the past few months. He has wrestled some top wrestlers, helped build some future stars and given Darby Allin the dream match he always wanted a lot earlier than he thought he’d ever get it.
He’s also been allowed to jump off as many high things as he’s ever dreamed off and seemingly never told no by Tony Khan when he wants to try and kill himself with the most ridiculous stunts possible.
Fans who were used to seeing a more subdued and limited Jeff Hardy in WWE will not be surprised by recent comments made by the AEW star. Speaking about his return to WWE and move to AEW Jeff Hardy claimed that he “felt like a ghost” in WWE, and that since Jeff Hardy moved to AEW he’s “human again”.
During his interview with his brother Matt Hardy on the latter’s podcast “The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy”, AEW’s Jeff Hardy revealed that;
I felt like a ghost in WWE, like I was just…I’ve been this cool guy, 20 years off an on. But I’ve made all these influences and inspired people along the way. I just felt like a ghost. Now I feel like I’m human again.”
Jeff Hardy’s run in WWE did not inspire the fans with confidence. Many fans thought he should have won one more world title in WWE, wanting him to face Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship before he left WWE.
Jeff Hardy WWE return
Jeff Hardy joined AEW after a controversial exit from WWE. The former WWE Champion walked out of a match at a WWE house show in December 2021 after he had finished his part in the bout. He walked through the crowd and to the back, where he was confronted by WWE officials.
He was demanded to be taken to take a drug test, even when Hardy insisted he was clean. He took the drug test and was told to go to rehab or be fired. Insistent on his sobriety he refused and was fired on the spot, despite his drug test later coming back clean.
He was invited back to WWE weeks later. To stop Jeff Hardy going to AEW, WWE offered him a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame which he refused as he wanted to go in together with his brother.
Despite his acrimonious exit from the company, Jeff Hardy didn’t harbour any grudges. He revealed he would “love to go back” to WWE one day once his AEW run is done for a Hall of Fame induction alongside Matt Hardy.
Jeff Hardy’s AEW contract reportedly runs through until 2025 so he still has a good while left on his deal, should he not walk out like MJF is reported to have done before Double or Nothing 2022.