One of the most celebrated “extreme” wrestlers of the modern era, Jeff Hardy long ago cemented his legacy as a high-flying athlete with charisma for days. Unfortunately, the stress of the pro wrestling industry takes a toll on just about everyone who enters it, and Hardy has been no exception. And following a controversial house show appearance earlier this week, in which WWE officials reportedly sent him home mid-match, it appears the organization has now officially fired Hardy.
Wrestling journalist Sean Ross Sapp from Fightful.com first dropped the news on Twitter:
Fightful has learned WWE has released Jeff HardyDecember 9, 2021
Sapp then took to YouTube for a live-chat with fans, where he shared a few more details about the situation, along with the suggestion that the WWE tried to work with Jeff Hardy regarding the underlying cause behind his recent issues. In Sapp’s words:
I contacted WWE and they quickly confirmed the news. I also heard that Jeff Hardy was offered and rejected rehab. I specifically was told that he rejected help. I don't know what substance he was offered rehab for — I don't know if it was alcohol or drug-related, so I want to establish that.
It's obviously not clear what the 100% truth is behind Jeff Hardy's recent actions, both in the ring and behind the scenes. His brother and former tag partner Matt Hardy spoke up after the inciting incident, during which the younger sibling rolled out of the ring in the middle of his match and walked through the crowd while taking pictures with fans. Matt Hardy claimed that his brother was doing okay, but didn't speak any more on the matter, saying it was his brother's business to do so if he wished.
Many WWE fans are well aware of Jeff Hardy's history of sometimes destructive behavior behind the scenes, with substance abuse being one motivating factor behind his very first release from the company back in 2003. In 2009, around the time he once again left the WWE to let a variety of injuries heal, Hardy was arrested for possession and trafficking of prescription pills. His 2011 stint with TNA was marred by alleged fight-night intoxication, and he was arrested twice in 2019, once for public intoxication, and once for driving while intoxicated.
At this point, it seems like it's getting harder and harder for the WWE to maintain its upper tiers of Superstars, though Jeff Hardy's release is obviously unique among the many others who were released in the past year due to (alleged) financial reasons. From Bray Wyatt to Daniel Bryan to Keith Lee to Ruby Riott and then some, the WWE had axed a plethora of promising talents in 2021 alone, and largely without incident from the athletes who were let go. (And even went so far as to drag the fired wrestlers for kayfabe storylines.) It'll be interesting to see if Hardy can find a way back into the WWE's good graces assuming everything tips more positive in his personal life.
Here's hoping Jeff Hardy can get everything figured out so that he can continue wowing fans with his skills and sheer bravado, even if it means shifting over to AEW or another wrestling organization.
