The Rise and Fall of the Hardy Boyz

Jeff as WWE Champion and Matt as ECW Champion

In 2000 and 2001 the hottest tag team in pro wrestling was Matt and Jeff, the Hardy Boyz also known as Team Extreme. They were multi-time tag team champions and each held numerous singles titles. In 2003, Jeff Hardy was released from WWE for his drug problems leaving Matt as the only Hardy there which made him stand out. Matt had his singles career going strong until he was released in April 2005.

In July 2005, Matt came back as part of a real life storyline with Edge and Lita because of the affair Lita had with Edge when Matt was home with an injury. The feud helped both of their careers out and both went on to be more successful because of it.  Meanwhile, Jeff Hardy had already spent two years in TNA Wrestling but was itching for a WWE return which we would find out would be sooner then later.

In August of 2006 Jeff Hardy returned to the WWE and was pushed for the Intercontinental Title right away. Matt and Jeff reunited in late 2006 to team up periodically but it was in 2007 when they won the tag team titles and held them for two months. In 2008, Matt and Jeff reach their highest points in their singles careers. Jeff had finally won the WWE Title and Matt was ECW Champion. They were doing great as singles competitiors but then came 2009.

In 2009, Jeff and Matt feuded for three months until Jeff ended up feuding with Edge again to win the World Heavyweight Championship. His win started his last WWE feud which was with CM Punk. The Smackdown after Summerslam was Jeff’s last WWE match and after that began the troubles with the Hardy’s

Jeff was arrested for drug trafficking and possession just a few days after he left WWE and the hearing drug on for two years until recently the judge sentenced him to 10 days in jail and three years probation. Jeff’s lowest moment was at TNA Victory Road this year when he only performed a two minute match with Sting for the TNA Heavyweight Title which was the Main Event. On September 8th, Jeff reappeared on TNA to ask for forgiveness.

Matt’s problems began when Jeff left WWE. He was being underused and losing on TV almost every week on TV.  He began to speak out against the WWE and in October 2010 he was granted his release from WWE. He made his TNA debut in January 2011 but after 8 months in he was released due to not showing up on time and not being ready for his matches. He now has had two DWI’s in the last month and even posted a fake suicide note on YouTube.

Right now Matt is where Jeff has been and it’s not pretty. Jeff asked for his forgiveness and seems genuinely sorry for what he has done but it will remain to be seen if we ever see them together again.  I know a lot of Hardy fans may not like this writing but I use to be a Hardy Boys fan and I am very disappointed with both of them. Both of them had the opportunity to have great careers together and separately but both of them right now will be remembered as two complete failures who ran their mouths on the internet along with Shane Helms who happens to be a nobody now. Both of them were successful early on and even in their last stints in WWE. Unfortunately when drugs, alcohol and ego’s take over it’s hard to recover from that.

Only one question remains: Will the Hardys continue to fall, or will they rise up and be the stars they once were again? Only time will tell.