AEW’s Matt Hardy has discussed the offer put to Jeff Hardy to be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2022 and explains why Jeff gave WWE a “hard no.”
Jeff Hardy was released from his WWE contract in early December 2021 after an incident at a live show that caused the former WWE Champion to be sent home. Reports then emerged that WWE had opted to let Hardy go after he refused to go to rehab.
Dave Meltzer in his Wrestling Observer Newsletter has since reported that Jeff Hardy has been the subject of an approach from WWE Head Of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis to return to the company. The offer was said to have come “a few weeks ago” and reportedly included an induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame.
Now speaking on his Twitch stream Jeff’s brother Matt Hardy has confirmed that offer and also offered insight into why WWE may have made the surprise offer. According to Matt, all of Jeff’s drug tests have come back clean:
“It took them several weeks and they had to kind of jump through some hoops to get his drug test results back. Obviously negative. He has passed every drug test he’s had while he’s been there. The issues that he had in the past were with alcohol and he hasn’t had those in quite a while. So everything is on the up and up for Jeff.”
“They did realize they jumped the gun a little bit whenever they released him before they got these drug test results back. And it’s strange because they waited weeks, and they really had to go after these drug test results to get them back. Because I guess they knew it wasn’t going to paint them in the best light. But longest story short, they offered him to be inducted into the 2022 Hall of Fame.”
Matt Hardy then revealed that Jeff had enquired if the induction would be for The Hardy Boyz rather than a solo one for himself. When he was told WWE couldn’t get Matt due to his AEW contract, Jeff passed up the offer:
“Jeff asked ‘so you want to induct me into the Hall of Fame?’ and he said ‘well let me ask you, I know you guys have spoken with AEW. Is this going to be the Hardy Boyz? Is this myself and my brother Matt?’ And they go ‘oh, no no, no, no. We can’t get Matt. He’s under contract at AEW. You know, it would just be you.’ And Jeff said ‘well, that’s a hard no.’ He definitely stood up for the team of the Hardy Boyz.”