In front of a stunned crowd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Jeff Hardy made a shock return to AEW on April 12th.
Hardy had been out of action since being arrested back in June 2022. The former World Champion was arrested on numerous DUI-related offenses and suspended without pay by AEW. Hardy attended a rehabilitation facility in an effort to banish his well-documented demons before his DUI case was settled in February.
Hardy submitted a written plea of nolo contendere to all charges relating to his DUI arrest, and the case was closed. This is where a defendant agrees to accept punishment but does not accept or deny responsibility for the charges brought against them.
On Dynamite, Matt Hardy and Isiah Kassidy were being beaten down by The Firm before Hook ran in to save the day. However, despite briefly being on the back foot, The Firm was quickly back in control until Jeff Hardy entered to a loud ovation.
Jeff took out the group with a chair before hitting a crowd-pleasing Swanton Bomb on Lee Moriarty.
In a post on Instagram after the show, Jeff Hardy thanked fans for welcoming him back.
When Did Jeff Hardy Join AEW?
Jeff Hardy signed with AEW in March 2022, again running in to even the score as his brother Matt found himself on the receiving end of a beatdown. Hardy had been released by WWE three months earlier after he was said to be acting erratically at a live event.