WATCH: Matt Hardy makes a shocking return to WWE’s rival promotion after AEW departure 

Matt Hardy returned to TNA with his 'broken' persona and attacked Moose on last night's Rebellion pay-per-view.

WATCH: Matt Hardy makes a shocking return to WWE’s rival promotion after AEW departure 

Matt Hardy (via AEW and TNA)

A few weeks ago, Matt Hardy‘s contract with AEW expired. The former ECW Champion talked about taking his time and choosing his next destination. As a result, fans speculated that Hardy was either extending his stay in Tony Khan‘s promotion or returning for one last hoorah with WWE. However, the 49-year-old shocked the wrestling community when he showed up at last night’s TNA Rebellion.

After Moose successfully defended his World Championship against Nic Nemeth in the main event, the titantron showed a cryptic video package. The lights went out, and Hardy appeared behind Moose in the ring. Not only that, he had returned in his “broken” Matt Hardy persona as well. The legend proceeded to lay out the champion with a Twist of Fate. Furthermore, he raised the title, sending a clear message that he was coming after it.

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Chants of “Delete!” echoed throughout the arena as the crowd was excited to see the veteran. Later, Hardy confirmed that he was still a free agent, despite his appearance on TNA programming. A few days ago, the North Carolina native posted a teaser on his social media account. The clip resembled the ongoing Uncle Howdy packages shown on WWE television. 

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Therefore, this led to fans believing that he would join forces with Bo Dallas. Previously, one half of The Hardy Boyz revealed that he was in talks with both WWE and AEW. In fact, the former US Champion attended a Monday Night Raw taping weeks ago, sparking the rumor mill online. Now, it seems he will be following the Matt Cardona path and focusing on utilizing his free agent status in a similar manner.

Matt Hardy opined on AEW airing the All In backstage footage

Without a doubt, AEW has managed to improve its on-screen product after a dull ending in 2023. However, the promotion has received a lot of criticism from the wrestling fraternity for one specific reason. After airing the infamous All In backstage brawl, there were some concerns raised about Tony Khan‘s inability to move on from CM Punk. Recently, Matt Hardy spoke candidly about the topic.

Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy (via WWE)

The 49-year-old opined on the situation during an edition of his “Extreme Life of Matt Hardy” podcast. Hardy claimed that, while he understood the reason behind airing the footage, it would be preferable if AEW moved on. Moreover, the former ECW legend revealed that the Jacksonville-based promotion should focus on the current product and roster.

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The common reported reason behind the airing of the brawl was to elevate the rivalry between The Young Bucks and FTR. However, there were some who thought that this was Khan’s way of getting revenge on The Second City Saint.

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