Last night, following a tag match with Bray Wyatt at a WWE Live Event in Corpus Christi, Texas, Matt Hardy released a video where he states it was his final appearance as “Woken” Matt Hardy in a WWE ring. It comes amidst a summer of speculation, from peers to fans alike, as to Hardy’s future, not only in the WWE but in professional wrestling, as Hardy mentioned a longstanding injury that was worsening and also showed himself working as a producer/agent backstage at WWE events.
“There’s been a lot of speculation for quite a while online, if I’m going to be wrestling any longer or not, and WWE fortunately let me fulfill all my advertised commitments. But tonight, in Corpus Christi, this was the last advertised commitment I had, and I never say never…or as ‘Woken’ Matt Hardy would say, NEVAH say NEVAH…but tonight here in Corpus Christi is most likely the last time you will ever see ‘Woken’ Matt Hardy in the WWE ring.”
When he’s asked what’s next, he replied, “Well, I have two young kids and wife. It’s time for me to go…it’s time for me to go home.”
Thanks for the massive love tonight, #WWECorpusChristi.. I fulfilled my final advertised live event commitment.
Please support my partner, @WWEBrayWyatt, going forward. He’s outrageously talented & we’ve become kindred souls during our time teaming together. Thank you, SAMAEL. https://t.co/YI70qHpGOJ
— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) September 16, 2018
The announcement, while seemingly a retirement announcement without saying as much, but that may not entirely be the case. Just a week ago, Matt Hardy – during a fan Q&A on his YouTube channel – mentioned that he wasn’t opposed to bringing “Broken” Matt Hardy back to IMPACT Wrestling or Ring of Honor “if something didn’t work with the scheduling” in WWE.
“In a perfect world, in a perfect scenario, I will finish the remainder of my career with WWE. When I came back to the WWE, I really wanted to and it was really important to me because I feel like I owed WWE a debt. I hated how I left in 2010/2011. I was just burned out on every level possible and I wanted to come back and leave on a high note. I felt like I owed them a debt in many ways.
“With that being said, I’m not naive enough to say ‘I will never leave WWE,’ anything is possible in this world, we don’t live in a perfect world, we don’t live in a perfect scenario. Sure, could I see myself going back to IMPACT Wrestling or Ring of Honor, if something didn’t work with the scheduling, or whatever the job was, if it conflicted with my family and I could do a shot here and there, kind of have my own schedule, almost like a Chris Jericho does? Sure, it’s a possibility.”
In early August, Hardy revealed that his lower spine and pelvic bones were starting to fuse together due to a long standing injury, which lead many to believe that his diminishing presence on television, alongside his transitioning to working as a producer, meant that his in-ring career would be ending sooner than later.
This maneuver was called EVENT OMEGA..
And is most likely the reason that I’ve recently learned that my lower back & pelvis have started fusing together. https://t.co/FzYebvIIc0
— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) August 4, 2018
But it’s worth noting that Matt Hardy mentions in his video from Saturday night that it’s the last time we see “Woken” Matt Hardy in a WWE ring. Perhaps Hardy’s earlier words may ring true and he may end up departing the WWE for another run on the indies, bringing his Broken Brilliance back to IMPACT and/or ROH, as well as other promotions for a final run before his injury removes him from the ring forever.
But retiring is never an easy in any profession, especially so in wrestling. Some show the toughness of such decisions in public, like the on-screen retirements of Edge or Daniel Bryan, while some prefer to ride off into the sunset like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Perhaps we’re reading too much into his wording and it’s simply a 26-year veteran of the ring having trouble putting into words that his in-ring career has truly come to a close.
Whatever the future holds for Matt Hardy, we wish him luck. We’re sure it will be BRILLIANT!
