Matt Hardy has everyone fooled.

[Charismatic Enigma]

I didn't really feel like this fit in the "big fat crybaby" discussion, because I am of the belief that Matt Hardy may in fact be, wait for it...a genius!

Not unlike the second Bryan Danielson got "fired" I called BS, well I'm gonna go on record and do it again here. Not only is Matt Hardy NOT going to leave WWE, I'm gonna be as ballsy as to say he becomes champ within 1 years time, for the reasons stated below:

The facts:
1. Matt Hardy is OVER. I'm not gonna make any exaggerated claims that that in any way indicates his drawing power, or ability to sell PPVs, or that he'd make a great World Champion, or anything else but the facts are facts. Never was this more obvious to me than watching NXT season 1, where you may be able to argue he was at his fattest (since that seems to bother everyone so much). When all the pros would make their entrance together Matt's pop was 10x anyone else's.

I know the arguments...he's the lesser Hardy riding Jeff's coattails, uses his old connections to advance himself. Well, think about this: Jeff is GONE. He has been gone for a year, and Matt is still getting huge pops weekly. Meanwhile, Jeff is on TV getting considerably lesser ratings, and is in a venue where you could go watch him wrestle for free. In no way is that a knock on Jeff, but obviously if people want Jeff, he's still around in TNA, so there's no logic to Matt leaching off Jeff at the moment.

2. This is a big one, I see a lot of people complain about Matt's twitter, youtube, etc. Think about this...you're all talking about it. Think about how many other guys in the industry have websites, twitter accounts, etc. that are never talked about. The only time they do get talked about is when they bash WWE, recent examples...Carlito, Charlie Hass, and Paul London and that's just off the top of my head.

In many ways, whether people want to admit it or not Matt Hardy is largely responsible for himself, Jeff, Shannon Moore, Joey Abs, and Hurricane all having pro careers. He has a mind for the business and has constantly proven to be an excellent magnet for attention whether intentional or not (Lita/Edge situation anyone?) and as best I can recall never had an incident in his whole career. No wellness failures, no arrests, nothing. If anything he's been the model employee, do you really think he's just gonna lose his mind all of a sudden?

There have been many people over the years with long tenure (10+ years) that never make it to the top of WWE, Billy Gunn, X-Pac, Scott Hall, Bob Holly, Val Venis, etc. the list goes on and on. On the flip side though, there have been guys who through some kind of reinvention DO manage to turn around like JBL and Kane currently who hadn't had a World title in 11 years!

Matt is doing something with these videos and twitter posts that no other WWE star is doing. He is giving a close up insight to his life, do you really think he would be able to do that without WWE permission? Again, like Danielson wrestling on the indys only weeks after his "firing" if Matt was seriously saying things about how he can't wait to ditch WWE for TNA they would've fired his ass on the spot.

3. Matt is the master of the worked shoot. This guy loves F-ing with the fans! This is nothing new, remember even when he was being carted off stage brawling with Edge years ago, yelling about how he was going to Ring of Honor? All the cryptic twitter posts last year?

He self-admittedly has said that he likes to blur the lines and give fans something to be excited about since the internet spoils everything. What concrete evidence does anyone have that this isn't the same exact scenario? We know he's getting in better shape physically, and wasn't it just a couple of months ago that people were buying in to hype Matt or Christian was gonna win Money in the Bank?

If by some chance Matt ends up fired, I'll be happy to eat crow but as it stands right now, I don't know about you guys, but I'm not buying it.

Smackdown is moving to SyFy and is hurting for main eventers. I think the timing is perfect for Matt to finally make the run for the big one, and all this talk is leading up to it. With that said, what are your thoughts, is this primed to be a surprising twist, or am I totally crazy? Lets hear it!

 

[LigerBomb]

With that said, what are your thoughts, is this primed to be a surprising twist, or am I totally crazy? Lets hear it!

I think I just don't care. I haven't cared about Matt for more than half a decade. Is this a work? Don't care. Is this a shoot? Don't care. He is a body that takes up space. A placeholder when people have no other ideas or options.

Is he "over"? It depends on your definition of the term. According to the proper money making version of it, not really. At least not like he was. Not like when he and his brother were pushing merch by the truckload. As company head would I ever trust him to get a good run with the belt (either one)? No. Just doesn't make sense to do it.

If, within the next 12 months as you say, Matt gets a run with the WWE or World belt I predict a collective *sigh* from many if not most. Yes he has rabid fans, but I don't believe they are the majority.

 

[TheAbsolute1]

I think I just don't care. I haven't cared about Matt for more than half a decade. Is this a work? Don't care. Is this a shoot? Don't care. He is a body that takes up space. A placeholder when people have no other ideas or options.

Is he "over"? It depends on your definition of the term. According to the proper money making version of it, not really. At least not like he was. Not like when he and his brother were pushing merch by the truckload. As company head would I ever trust him to get a good run with the belt (either one)? No. Just doesn't make sense to do it.

If, within the next 12 months as you say, Matt gets a run with the WWE or World belt I predict a collective *sigh* from many if not most. Yes he has rabid fans, but I don't believe they are the majority.

Funny how someone who "doesn't care" takes the time to post here.

ANYWAYS.. This whole Matt work thing has been my theory all along, i hope were right. My thoughts are that Matt will turn heel and "on camera" will complain about WWE officials and fans.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

Is he "over"? It depends on your definition of the term. According to the proper money making version of it, not really. At least not like he was. Not like when he and his brother were pushing merch by the truckload. As company head would I ever trust him to get a good run with the belt (either one)? No. Just doesn't make sense to do it.

Well, just to play devil's advocate here...how much Kane merch do you see people wearing? They don't sell his mask anymore, I don't know that I've ever seen someone with a shirt, maybe an action figure or something but that's it/ He's already had the belt for a couple of months now. The same can be said for JBL, Swagger, and to some degree even Sheamus. While I wouldn't necessarily call any of those monumental successes as champions from a business standpoint, at least they were fresh faces to get a hold of the belt. So if this plays out the way I think it's going to, Matt will join that list, the difference being his fan base might actually shell out for the merch.

 

[HBKevin]

A nice theory, but the main page says it looks like WWE may release him as early as this week. They haven't played it up on TV at all as a worked shoot, and I think they're just deciding on the timing of the release.

 

[LigerBomb]

Funny how someone who "doesn't care" takes the time to post here.

Really? That's what you find funny? Interesting. What I find funny is how I have to apparently clarify for those who may be a bit dense: I don't care about Matt. I don't care about his matches/career. I do however care about WZF boards and its posts, hence I read them and reply to them.
Nice try tho'.

 

[Branden]

A nice theory, but the main page says it looks like WWE may release him as early as this week. They haven't played it up on TV at all as a worked shoot, and I think they're just deciding on the timing of the release.

*Rep^

I totally agree with you. Smackdown is overall a weak show right now, they're building guys like Cody Rhodes, McIntyre, and DelRio while not having very many big names to build them around.

That being said, Samckdown is the reason Matt Hardy may appear more "over" than he actually is. Matt Hardy is a recognisable face in a roster of new people and up and comers, so obviously the people are going to give a bigger pop to a guy who they've been watching for years...

If Matt Hardy were on RAW, and Sunday Night Heat were still around, thats where he would be.

 

[LigerBomb]

Well, just to play devil's advocate here...how much Kane merch do you see people wearing? They don't sell his mask anymore, I don't know that I've ever seen someone with a shirt, maybe an action figure or something but that's it/ He's already had the belt for a couple of months now. The same can be said for JBL, Swagger, and to some degree even Sheamus. While I wouldn't necessarily call any of those monumental successes as champions from a business standpoint, at least they were fresh faces to get a hold of the belt. So if this plays out the way I think it's going to, Matt will join that list, the difference being his fan base might actually shell out for the merch.

You do realize that WWE thinks they can milk Kane/Taker for a bit and to do so they had to build Kane back up. The quickest and easiest way was to give him a title run and have him go over for a while.The Hardy merch thing was just an example, not a "catch all" for the only reason WWE anoints title runs.

JBL was a good heel and made some money working against the over baby-faces. His run was about the face(s) not about JBL. The other guys mentioned? Yea, they're new. They were given their runs to see if anything stuck; to see who could potentially bring in the bucks/ratings and work against the real guys who definitely do bring in the money. Matt's not a young guy or new to the scene. WWE already knows his value (or lack there of) they've currently no reason to gamble a title run on him.

 

[Tha Wolfpac]

I don't know about everyone being fooled because i certainly am not. Matt Hardy is boring, i don't know how many times i have written about Matt Hardy this week, but i will keep saying this over and over again. Forget Matt Hardy hewill never surmount to anything, he is over with marks not casual fans. He doesn't sell, i haven't seen a V1 shirt in years. He will get released, we are not being worked, and if doesn't end up getting released he is destined for the midcard.

 

[Ytoojae]

No way that Matt is working us this time. If anything Matt Hardy is working just one person -- Matt Hardy.

As big a fan as I was of the Hardy Boyz (and still am of Jeff even through his current legal troubles) I quit caring about Matt a while ago. The last thing that I was interested in that featured Matt was the feud he had with his brother in the first half of 2009.Even then that was more to do with Jeff than it was to do with Matt.

Matt's career has been in free fall ever since Jeff left the WWE. I believe Matt rode Jeff's coat tails too much, has never truly been one hundred percent there psychologically and I think he was just happy to be there rather than to put his potential to full use.

I think what I posted on another wrestling forum is close to accurate as well -- that Matt idolizes his brother to the point where he wants to be him and anything less is something that he has trouble with. Clearly he realizes that he can't be Jeff Hardy and that he's had trouble dealing with that.

His career path mirrors Jeff's fairly consistently. When they were together originally Matt was hugely over and doing well then when they split Jeff left not too long after. Matt floated around until he got the V1 gimmick but even that stagnated. Then Jeff came back. Jeff's career skyrocketed and Matt's was climbing too to the point where Matt won the ECW Title and Jeff subsequently became World Champ.

It makes me wonder.... How much of their 2009 feud was steeped at least partially in Matt's version of reality?

 

[billm75]

I think it would have been somehow worked into the television show if this were a work. The last Smackdown I saw he was just Matt Hardy, fan favorite, wrestling around for a bit. No interview, no mic time, no promos, nothing.

I have to say I like Matt Hardy, actually I guess I respect him. He's been at this for a long time, without much to show for it as a singles competitor, yet he shows up and does his job. All the hate on Hardy is unwarranted in my opinion. You don't have to like the guy, that's your prerogative obviously. But to hate the guy? Really? Has he done something so awful to you personally that you just simply can't stand the man?

There's a lot of wrestlers that don't interest me, but that's like anything else. There are athletes, competitors, performers in just about everything that I don't like, but I don't hold that against the entire group. Hardy has his place with fans, kids especially. Give him a break.

 

[hatehabsforever]

There is no way in the world that the current scenario surrounding Matt Hardy is a worked shoot of any kind. There is no doubt in my mind that he is on his way out the door of the WWE and on his way to TNA to join his brother and fellow cohorts in Orlando. I expect he'll definitely be gone by the end of the calendar year, and likely much sooner than that.

Simply put, there's no upside to pulling off a worked shoot of this nature with Matt Hardy. He doesn't bring enough to the table anymore to justify trying to mastermind deception of this nature on the WWE fans. With all due respect to Hardy, he's out of shape (albeit not fully his fault). His ring work has declined tremendously, largely for the same reason. Sure he gets some good crowd response, but so do a lot of other guys, this alone won't be enough to salvage his WWE career.

A guy like DBD can be used to fool the fans (with his supposed "firing" which may have been a work all along, or may have been WWE combining reality and kayfabe to progress a storyline). There's tremendous upside to such trickery, as we are seeing now. Same goes for Jericho for example. Is he retiring? Is he taking a break? Is he flushing his WWE legacy by crossing the line into oblivion? Who knows, but it's Chris Jericho, and there's again a big upside to toying with the IWC with a guy of his magnitude. I just don't see this upside to Matt Hardy at this stage of his career, especially without his brother at his side.

When Hardy was fired before, and was brought back in the whole Lita/Edge/Hardy triangle work, this had the potential to be really big and interesting, that effective combination of storyline and truth. But it was never big or interesting. It went nowhere fast. And any work involving Matt Hardy at this stage of the game will have the same end result, a blend of failure and apathy.

Matt Hardy is no genius. I think he may be attempting to use what he perceives as leverage (the potential for him to jump ship) to protect his standing in the WWE. If not this, to try to jump start his eventual arrival on Spike TV. Problem is I doubt WWE really cares. They will have no problem letting him go, and find his way into oblivion like so many other guys before him.

 

[Version4]

I do respect what Matt Hardy has done for this business. However, I'm not a fan of his out of the ring antics (and before I see the posts, the "Version4" I use as my user is an old football reference). I truly believe what he is doing is trying to be controversial, and trying to bring all the attention to himself that he possibly can at the end of his dwindling career in WWE. I believe he knows there's a spot for him in TNA already being warmed up and ready.

Here are some scenarios:

1)So, they are going to take Jeff out of the main event and team him with Matt? In their current condition, TNA can't possibly think that taking the belts off of the best thing going in that company (MCMG) and putting them on the Hardy's will be a good thing... do they?

2) Maybe we'll see Helms join Matt to reunite with Jeff and Shannon in TNA to create a stable. Maybe that stable can feud with Fortune. Not a BAD feud, but not overly interesting. I wouldn't mind seeing it though.

3) Maybe Matt is "They".... I mean, he's been speaking in such a delusional manner, and i could see how Abyss would have confused Matt for two people before he lost weight... makes perfect sense!!!

I don't think this twitter thing is a work, though... if so he may have worked himself out of the E.

 

[Branden]

I don't remember where or when but I actually read somewhere suggesting the idea of The Hardy's/Helms/ and Moore beginning a faction called "The Core." Now I don't know of Helms' current situation with the wrestling business, but I do know that he encouraged Jeff to go to TNA with Shannon when he was fired from WWE. So I don't know why he wouldn't go himself? So thats another idea.... but proabbly will never happen.

 

[WWEIsLife2]

I do respect what Matt Hardy has done for this business. However, I'm not a fan of his out of the ring antics (and before I see the posts, the "Version4" I use as my user is an old football reference). I truly believe what he is doing is trying to be controversial, and trying to bring all the attention to himself that he possibly can at the end of his dwindling career in WWE. I believe he knows there's a spot for him in TNA already being warmed up and ready.

Here are some scenarios:

1)So, they are going to take Jeff out of the main event and team him with Matt? In their current condition, TNA can't possibly think that taking the belts off of the best thing going in that company (MCMG) and putting them on the Hardy's will be a good thing... do they?

2) Maybe we'll see Helms join Matt to reunite with Jeff and Shannon in TNA to create a stable. Maybe that stable can feud with Fortune. Not a BAD feud, but not overly interesting. I wouldn't mind seeing it though.

3) Maybe Matt is "They".... I mean, he's been speaking in such a delusional manner, and i could see how Abyss would have confused Matt for two people before he lost weight... makes perfect sense!!!

I don't think this twitter thing is a work, though... if so he may have worked himself out of the E.

Wait TNA taking a Title off someone and putting it on a Former WWE Superstar,thats not happend before has it? You know honestly I hope Matt does get Released because all he has done lately is bitch and moan. I have liked him over the years and respect what he has done for WWE but its already gotten old. Id hate to see him leave since has been a Company guy but let him go to TNA and flounder there so he will come crawling back to Vince.

Anyone wanna bet if he does go to TNA they will reunite him and Jeff as The Hardyz and put the Belts on them?

 

[cryostage]

I hate to say it but i feel Mat is not out the door just as of yet he is trying everything to get fired from what i can see and we both know Vince does not want jeff and matt teaming again,
so Vince wont fire him they bench him send him home to sit on his ass, hey this is my thoughts if i was Vince I would not fire him suspend him for 30 days with out pay till he gets his act together and if that does not work then fire him slap 90 day no compete claw

 

[Remy LaCroix]

I really hope he isnt released. And i really hope this is a work. it could be his shot at the ME even if for a short while.

Really? I mean, how would this be possible?

Anyway, if he does have us fooled, my hat is off to him for silencing all the nay-sayers (there are PLENTY of nay-sayers). If it's not a work, then I hope nothing but the best for his future endeavors. I don't know how I'd react to him in TNA, since I'm pretty numb when it comes to Matt. He was one of my faves when I first started watching, so I'm a bit biased.

I've seen his latest picture on Twitter and he is getting back in shape. He's still big, but he's certainly working out now. Here he is now:

Spoiler

 

[Klown_Karnage]

I'll admit that this is an interesting theory. If I was in WWE creative, I might listen to it and say "Yes! Let's do it!" but I'm not and I just don't see WWE creative going for this or anything like it. This is all based on past experience with the way things work. The same guys are going to continue to trade around the championships with the occasional new recruit coming every now and again to take the championship "by surprise". Matt's no longer new. He's been established over the recent years as a midcard jobber who has had rare occasions of being allowed to shine as he is truly capable in purely personal non-championship feuds. He's been allowed to stay on because he's a reliable worker willing to show up and do the job whatever it may be, plain and simple. It's a pity, because he's one of the absolute best emotional workers/storytellers that the WWE has and they are seriously wasting him. I had hopes following the McIntyre feud that we'd see him go somewhere. Not extremely optimistic hopes, but hopes nonetheless. I shouldn't have bothered.

I truly think he's gone to TNA, to be honest. His brother went before him, TNA has been wanting him for some time, and TNA is likely to give him the shot that the WWE has already decided they're not going to give him. I think Matt's crack about the fans being better off seeing a TNA show than a WWE show gave him away. Furthermore, I think he's leaving the WWE for TNA on his own volition rather than being forced to. I think he's sick and tired of being stuck at the bottom, feels he's capable of far better than he's being given, and that is finally overcoming his "loyalty to the company".

The reason I think this is all the bad press he's getting from the company itself. When the WWE begins to bad mouth its own wrestlers, that's usually a fair indication that they're on their way out, either by getting fired or by them leaving on their own (usually the latter.) As one example, remember all the bad press about Mickie James' weight and the disgustingly lame feud with LayCool she had to go out on? My point exactly. The WWE is notorious for using the final days of a departing wrestler's time to attempt to ruin their reputation as best they can.

I think Matt's crossed the line and I myself will be anticipating his TNA debut with interest.

 

[scotslad]

Peronally, I think it might be too late for Hardy, they should have really capitalised on his return from the Edge/Lita thing, because for a few weeks, he was the name on everyone's lips, he was the hottest thing going.

Now, I dunno, I don't even see a mid-card reign on the horizon for Matt.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

Called it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5iRD1oyaSo


It's becoming more and more obvious with the talk about Danielson and Kaval as "internet darlings" that the WWE is really starting to get in to the IWC. I think this is their first foray in to attempting to make a full fledged angle of it, and so far I think they're doing a hell of a job. Who doesn't want to see someone overcome their hardships to get back in shape, and win the world title after what feels like forever?

 

[LigerBomb]

To the guy who left me this red rep accompanied comment:

09-24-2010 07:56 PM waylonmercy If you don't care about the topic, don't discuss it!

I direct you to the following post (in the very same thread) which you probably missed:

"… I have to apparently clarify for those who may be a bit dense: I don't care about Matt. I don't care about his matches/career. I do however care about WZF boards and its posts, hence I read them and reply to them.
Nice try tho'.

I care about the topic I just don't care for the subject of the topic i.e. Matt Hardy. I care enough to discuss it and share my thoughts on it in a reasonable and clear manner. To explain why I don't care and lost interest in a once somewhat enjoyable entertainer etc. If you wanted to speak about it further I'd've been happy to do so. Regardless, even if I didn't care about someone, I may care—vain as it theoretically may be—that people know my position on such a subject. In any case I do hope that next time you read all the posts, contemplate their content for a moment, and then consider replying appropriately (or decide the best thing to do may be to NOT post something stupid at all).

Back on point: In a recent vid Fatty Matty says this whole thing may in fact be a "work" to "swerve" the IWC and build interest in his "character". Of course the stupidity of such a concept is that the IWC makes up such a small percentage of WWE's income/fan base that catering to that demo—and that demo exclusively—would be rather ineffective and ultimately pointless. Since WWE hasn't aired or acknowledged the "controversy" surrounding Hardy on their main broadcasts they are therefore losing out on all the potential "interest" it's supposed to be generating in it's larger fan base (and the imminent windfall of ratings/money it will be sure to generate). Personally that gives me pause when considering this "worked-shoot" experiment to be successful. Of course this again assumes the thing to indeed be a work. I mean if I were doing a worked-shoot the last thing I'd do is make a video that questions the whole legitimacy of it. Isn't the point of a worked-shoot for people to believe it's genuine? Hence the 'shoot' part of the term worked-shoot. Anyway, supposing this is a work, and it fails, I maintain it'll be because most people don't care. Not about it and not about him.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

Back on point: In a recent vid Fatty Matty says this whole thing may in fact be a "work" to "swerve" the IWC and build interest in his "character". Of course the stupidity of such a concept is that the IWC makes up such a small percentage of WWE's income/fan base that catering to that demo—and that demo exclusively—would be rather ineffective and ultimately pointless. Since WWE hasn't aired or acknowledged the "controversy" surrounding Hardy on their main broadcasts they are therefore losing out on all the potential "interest" it's supposed to be generating in it's larger fan base (and the imminent windfall of ratings/money it will be sure to generate). Personally that gives me pause when considering this "worked-shoot" experiment to be successful. Of course this again assumes the thing to indeed be a work. I mean if I were doing a worked-shoot the last thing I'd do is make a video that questions the whole legitimacy of it. Isn't the point of a worked-shoot for people to believe it's genuine? Hence the 'shoot' part of the term worked-shoot. Anyway, supposing this is a work, and it fails, I maintain it'll be because most people don't care. Not about it and not about him.

You make several valid points, especially about having Matt spell out that it's a work. However, the part about IWC marks not making up enough of their demographic I have to argue with just a tad. A great example of this is Wrestlemania XX Goldberg v Lesnar. That crowd of several thousand people clearly knew exactly what was up without WWE even mentioning it once prior to that match, and they gave the two of them hell for it. Or even on Smackdown yesterday when Paul Bearer made his return, I would venture a guess that a lot of the children WWE is currently marketing towards wouldn't have even been watching the last time Paul was on TV, but as you can see he still got a pretty huge pop.

Look how many views these videos Matt posts are getting. I think for any kids watching it will just be a shift in character on air, and nothing more. For the fans who monitor the internet and like to talk wrestling, there is no doubt they will be fully aware of everything thats been going on off the air, and one way or another will have some kind of reaction to Matt's new gimmick either positive or negative.

 

[excel_excel]

Wow his latest videos have been awfully bad. He's claiming that "Matt" and "Matthew" are two different personalities and other stupid crap. He burns some money trying to be 'Edgy'. Its laughably bad.

Its not a shoot. Its just Matt trying to speed up his inveitable WWE release and he'll continue posting these videos while he sits out his 90 day no compete clause in a desperate attempt to stay 'relevant' to some part of the IWC who give a crap.

 

[Rayne]

The WWE doesn't use the internet exclusively to work their angles. They read the board to gauge reactions, but the far larger part of their audience isn't stopping by the dirt sheets to read up on his adventures.

Right now he's doing the Ken Anderson bit; keeping himself relevant to the fans while he sits out his inactive time. He's a virtual lock to go to TNA after he's released; I don't see how TNA could resist the big, easy softball of a Hardyz reunion, even if Matt showed up around 300 lbs. and wearing a colostomy bag.

I can, however, see the WWE holding off on his release as long as possible, or simply keeping him off of TV for the remainder of his contract. If they're effectively sending TNA talent, why send it to them ASAP? It may prove more financially viable simply to pay Matt(hew) out for what he's owed on his contract.

 

[The Best At What I Do]

Wow... yet another thread on Matchew Hardy. Can't you people see that this is what he wants? Can't you people see that he's winning? Can't you people see that with that belly and the constant snacking on grapes that he is hedonism-bot come to life?

If this whole thing is really a worked shoot then it has been the most poorly done worked shoot in the history of professional wrestling. Not only is this "controversy" never even mentioned on tv, but Matt goes on to question its legitimacy by asking us if we think it's real or not. The payoff will be minimal since we are the minority in todays wrestling demographic and someone a decade past his prime like Matt is not even worth the trouble at this point.

So I implore you IWC please stop with the Matt threads. You're only giving more imaginary power in his quest to be relevant once agane.