Matt Hardy says he has no end date in mind for his in-ring career, even as his brother Jeff Hardy begins to shift his focus toward music.
Speaking on the September 25 episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, recorded on his 52nd birthday, Hardy told co-host Jon Alba that returning to TNA Wrestling changed how he views the final stretch of his career. Matt returned to TNA in April 2024 after leaving AEW, and Jeff followed that June.
“I think part of the issue, Jeff and I had some frustrations in AEW. Right now, TNA is a much better fit for us, and coming back to TNA, I think, rejuvenated both of our love for pro wrestling and being able to contribute,” Hardy said. “I think at AEW there were issues, especially with Jeff, and Jeff had his problems and his mistakes, and just from that, I don’t know if we ever rebounded from that.”
Hardy did not go into further detail. Jeff Hardy was suspended by AEW following a DUI arrest in June 2022 and returned to the promotion in April 2023.
Hardy said the experience taught him not to rule anything out.
“Never say never. At the end of the day, that’s one thing I have truly learned in pro wrestling, and especially I think life as well. Never say never. You never know where you’re going to end up,” he said.
He added that he no longer has a timeline in mind.
“But yes, I do feel like I’m not putting any kind of bookend on my wrestling career now. I’m not putting any kind of timetable. I’m just going by how I feel,” Hardy said.
Jeff Hardy’s Music
Jeff Hardy was booked to perform at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky, on September 18. Matt said his brother is now working toward a different balance.
“He’s trying to back off of actual in-ring wrestling bookings now and do more music. And he still likes doing appearances and cons and everything else. He still wants to be very fully committed to TNA. But Jeff is working on that transition a little bit too,” Hardy said.
Matt said his own path will look different.
“And I think me, on the other hand, I will transition into a backstage role when it’s all said and done. Because I’m pretty sure Jeff, maybe not so much, but I’m a lifer when it comes to wrestling, just because I’m so passionate about pro wrestling and just the art form in so many ways,” Hardy said. “And I want to do it as long as I can in the ring, and then whenever I can’t do it in the ring, I’ll be outside the ring trying to coach others and be creative and whatever else, give guys input and ideas, and I feel like that’s where I’m at. But as of right now, I feel really good, and while I feel really good, I’m gonna just keep doing what I love, man. I’d be silly not to.”
Three Years From Now
Asked where he sees himself at 55, Hardy described a scaled-back role for both brothers.
“I feel like Jeff, if he can get his music going and he’s very committed to it and he’s very passionate, he might have a couple more years left at the most. He might try and segue out, and who knows? I might be just someone who is kind of a utility guy in some ways, where I could work if you need me to do something in some little special angle that is meaningful and worthwhile, and then I could be someone that is also working backstage that is helping put matches together and come up with creative, whatever it may be,” Hardy said.
When Alba asked if he would keep working without Jeff, Hardy said, “I think so. Yeah, I would.”
“I’m just gonna try and take care of myself. I’m just gonna try and stay as healthy as possible, and it is what it is. It’s challenging. The older you get, the harder it gets, the tougher it gets. But while I can do this, this was my dream. This was my passion, and I want to do it as long as I can,” he said.
Hardy described Jeff’s view of his own career this way: “If I can’t give them what I feel like is a prime Jeff Hardy, then maybe I shouldn’t be doing it.”
“And I get that, and I can respect that too. And if I’m going out there to work, I still want to be solid. I don’t want to go out there and be the guy that shouldn’t be out there at this time,” Matt said.
Asked how he would know when that point arrives, Hardy said, “You would feel it where, okay, well, I’m not turning in the performance that I should be turning in, and if I can’t do that, then maybe it’s time to think about transitioning out.”
Bound for Glory
The Hardys have been part of a TNA storyline built around a string of attacks on roster members. On the September 24 episode of TNA Impact, the masked attackers revealed themselves as Joseph Sawyer and Samuel Shaw after jumping the Hardys in the ring. TNA announced the signing of Sawyer and Shaw the same day, and the Hardys challenged the pair to a match on next week’s Impact.
The same episode listed Jeff Hardy as medically cleared and announced a Hardy Party in Tampa on October 10, the night before Bound for Glory at the Yuengling Center.
Hardy, who recorded the podcast the day before that Impact aired, pointed fans toward the show.
“I’m very excited. If you are watching this right now and you have watched TNA Impact the night before, I think you kind of have an idea of what is going to be Matt and Jeff Hardy, the Hardys, our future at Bound for Glory. So it’s going to be an exciting time. So make sure to get out to Bound for Glory if you’re anywhere near Tampa. I’ve been begging them to get us advertised for the show sooner than later. So we’re getting there though now,” he said.
