Jeff Hardy has toned his style down at the live events in recent months and it has been speculated that he might need some time off. During an interview for The Whig, he talked about his health status.
“I’m 40 now and I’ve been pretty banged up lately,” he said. The full-time WWE schedule has taken a toll on his body and that is why he is not doing the Swanton Bomb off the top rope on most shows these days. “Four nights a week is a lot of matches — I mean they add up. And doing that Swanton [Bomb, his finisher] every night is just rough. I’ve actually cut that out of a lot of events and I’ve just been using the Twist of Fate as a finish and it’s helped my lower back out a lot. I pretty much now save the Swanton for television unless I’m feeling really good at a live event.”
Hardy said that he is feeling better than he was just a few weeks ago which might explain why he has been added to live events in September. “I’m a little beat up, but my back is a lot better than it was a few weeks ago.” However, other parts still hurt: “I’ve been having this issue with my elbow, like a nerve issue, and my hand was asleep for probably seven weeks and it’s finally woken. But overall, I mean, I’m 40 years old, I feel pretty good to be wrestling the way I am today in 2018.”
He noted that the most painful bump of his career was during a match with Rob Van Dam when he did a bump off a ladder through a table that knocked the wind out of him. He might be referring to his match with RVD at SummerSlam 2001.
Hardy said that he still has some things to accomplish in WWE including being a part of a Hell in a Cell match and a ‘Deletion’-style match.
At this stage of his life, he still wants to win a major title. “I would definitely, before I’m done, like to be the world champion,” Hardy said. “I think I’ve got what it takes. I’ve just got to stay healthy and avoid injury, that’s No. 1. And if I can do that, I think I’m good to go for a couple more title runs. Again, it’s like I said … belief and hope and faith.”
It’s good to hear that his back is doing better but it seems like his full-time in-ring days are winding down like his brother Matt. Matt Hardy is taking time off to rehab his lower back and there is no guarantee that he will return to in-ring action.
Jeff Hardy will challenge for the United States Championship at SummerSlam and he is advertised for next month’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.
