TNA Wrestling’s Matt & Jeff Hardy on Enduring Popularity, Wild Fans & What’s Next

Matt and Jeff Hardy have been riding a wave of success to the extent that fans often wait in massive lines to meet them after TNA Wrestling events. And the brothers who caught fire in WWE during the 1990s into the 2000s don’t leave these venues until every person gets time. More often than not this means the decorated tag team stays until the wee hours of the morning. The Hardys remain among the hottest acts in the business and a featured part of TNA iMPACT on AMC.

They’ve recently been enjoying their onscreen rivalry with The Righteous’s Vincent and Dutch, whose personas give Charles Manson or Jim Jones vibes. Their violent “Wicked Garden” match saw the “Broken” Hardys fall to the sinister duo. Matt and Jeff look for retribution against the team while also looking to recapture the TNA Tag Team titles held by The System’s Brian Myers and Bear Bronson in a three-way ladder war June 28 at Slammiversary. 

Here the Hardys open up about their dedicated followers and pro wrestling future. 

Your autograph signings have become happening within themselves. What have these experiences been like? 

Jeff Hardy: The meet-and-greets are insane. Talk about extremes. We have set some records man, and we keep breaking them. I think the longest one we’ve done I think we’ve been at the venue until a little after 4 a.m. It’s amazing how hardcore the “Die-Hardy” fans are. They just keep showing up each and every time to support us and TNA. We owe it to them, so it’s always good to give back because without them there would be no us. It takes a lot of patience, but patience is a beautiful thing when you can use it well. 

Matt Hardy: I think the special thing over the years for those who have met us is we’ve tried to create goodwill between us and our fan base. We call them the “Die-Hardys.” They have been supporting us for three decades, almost 30 years which is wild. I think the word spreads. Like if you get to interact with the Hardys we want them to think, “They are so unique and so personable and want to give you a great experience.” I think people know that when they come to see us. I think that is one of the reasons we continue to have these long lines. We feel blessed and grateful to be in this position. We know without all those people supporting us over the multiple years we’ve been wrestling we wouldn’t be as successful as we are currently. 

You get all these things to sign. Is there one thing you were asked to autograph that may have surprised you? 

Matt: There was one we signed that the people at TNA weren’t sure they should let us do it or not. There was a female who asked if she could pull her pants down so we could sign her butt. She wanted her ass cheeks signed. She wanted autographs on her asscheeks to get them tattooed, which is pretty unique. That’s something we don’t usually do a lot. 

You may have to charge a premium for that. 

Matt: Yes, that’s definitely a premium autograph. 

Jeff: It was one on each cheek as well. 

We’re in this TNA on AMC era. What has it been like for you to see the company on a bigger platform?

Matt: It has been great. The fact we’re on AMC where not only do we have the advantage of being on a major network that is in so many homes and almost every hotel and everything else. There is also a huge streaming reach as well, so it’s a very sprawling company when it comes to that. Between that and the TNA+ app, which has been doing well itself, we’re really out there now. We’re in new households with a lot of new eyeballs, so that is great. I think since we’ve begun we’ve been building. We had the “Wicked Garden” match, and last week we got the numbers, and they are up. The rating system has sort of changed where at one point it was more in favor of the show and skewed back to more viewers and then less. Who knows? It’s a little inconsistent, but the main thing we are excited about is that our attendees are growing. There is still a lot of enthusiasm about TNA. And as a brand, TNA is getting bigger and bigger and better. 

Speaking of the “Wicked Garden” match. What has it been like to work with The Righteous. When they were signed, I thought TNA would be a great fit for them considering how the company gives talent the creative canvas to paint and experiment. That’s how your “Broken Universe” was born because of the company’s willingness to experiment. 

Jeff: It has been amazing working with The Righteous. We’ve been working with them for quite some time. We actually worked with them in another wrestling dimension, but never in any storyline like we are doing in TNA. This has been going on for months now. Everything has felt unique and cool. I think everyone is digging it and wondering what the end of our story will look like. Speaking of AMC, what I’m super excited about is our next installment in our feud as it may be a cinematic match at the Hardy Compound, which being on AMC now, I’m stoked to see how impressive this thing can be. I think it could possibly be the best cinematic match ever done. I’m looking forward to that coming soon on AMC. 

Matt: It has been a blast working with The Righteous. They are very unique. I love their characters. I love their persona because you watch these guys, and it’s very much like guys on an acid trip, and you’re on an acid trip watching them. They have this cult vibe to them with the way they speak and talk. They are great opponents for the “Broken” Hardys because all the characters feel above human in some ways. They almost feel like super heroes and super villains in a way. I really do believe whenever we wrap this thing up with this cinematic match where it’s “The Righteous Deletion” or “Delete or Dig,” whatever it is, it’s going to be fabulous. AMC digs it too. They are the movie channel, so they are very excited about this cinematic match happening as well. Our goal is to make this the greatest cinematic match of all-time. 

I have to see some Walking Dead zombies at the Hardy Compound. 

Jeff: We have to make that happen. 

Matt, it has been a decade since your “Broken” Matt Hardy character was born and exploded in popularity and influence. You’re still evolving the character and world today. How do you reflect on all that?  

Matt: It is amazing it has lasted for a decade. Doing “Broken” Matt Hardy and Jeff becoming “Brother Nero” and us becoming the “Broken Hardys.” It was a true alter ego and so different. It was such a difference from the OG Hardy Boys and the risk-takers and all that stuff. It was so over-the-top and entertaining. It truly rejuvenated our career. That ultimately led us back to WWE. The characters got over with so many memes and GIFs, it became a viral sensation. That all brought us back to WWE. It has been really cool that every company I’ve been in I’ve gotten the chance to do a cinematic match in some capacity. I love the characters of “Broken” Matt Hardy and “Brother Nero.” “Broken” Matt Hardy couldn’t have been successful if “Brother Nero” hadn’t been as dedicated to the character as he was. Jeff was amazing at it. It’s crazy to see it has been 10 years. It really shows how important reinvention and evolution is in the art of professional wrestling, especially by staying modern and current and always changing and giving people something new to follow. 

The “Wicked Garden” match was a bloody affair. You have another ladder match coming up. What does the family think at this stage of the game that you’re still doing these risk-taking matches? 

Matt: It was really interesting with the “Wicked Garden.” Jeff and I had never really been involved in some sort of barbed wire match. We’ve been in matches with some barbed wire, but this was a major barbed wire match. All four guys were bloody, so it was very different. We had never done a lot of blood. We typically have these demolition matches, falling off ladders and breaking tables and using chairs and using those inanimate objects. This was new as we were visitors stepping into The Righteous’ world  in The Righteous’ match. The kids are still excited about things. They do like to watch and tune in to see what is going on. They are so funny. They know when there are cinematic matches coming to our property they are all trying to get in the best spot in the match and politick because they want to do something in it. That is funny, but it is great. I do love the fact they enjoy it and into it to a degree, especially the bigger matches. 

You have the Slammiversary ladder match coming up. Do you still feel the pressure of trying to make each one unique? 

Jeff: It’s a little intimidating for me this year because last year at Slammiversary the finish of that match was incredible. I’ve had that in my mind since [WWE] TLC 2 when this rope cable ladder came down from the rafters, and I was able to climb up it and get the titles. So, to top that is going to be tough, but we have a few ideas. I’m sure it’s all going to come together beautifully and great. The ladder match is still our comfort zone. We plan to top what we did last year. 

Matt: I think more than anything else it’s our job as professionals to be creative and outside-the-box and think about new ways to do things. You can’t reinvent the wheel, but you can be very creative and outside-the-box and find new things to introduce into a match so it feels new and fresh. 

How would you compare working with Carlos Silva with other leaders you’ve worked under? 

Matt: Carlos Silva is someone who doesn’t have a background in wrestling, which I think if you read the internet and some of the feedback on him, that becomes pretty clear quickly. But his job is to come to a company and make it profitable. His job is to streamline the money and make sure to cut whatever feels like waste and unneeded expenses in order to make it profitable to seek out the best route this company can take to succeed. Obviously, this company has been hands-on with the whole AMC deal. So getting back to that platform was a huge deal. It is what it is. He has done things to make TNA be profitable and try to get us back on the positive side monetarily. He has done a good job at it. He is a businessman, and he is getting a rapid, fast education in pro wrestling while running this business known as TNA. 

You faced Team 3D (The Dudleyz) in their final match at Bound for Glory last year. Did it get you thinking about how you want your own end game?  

Matt: We were so proud of the match with the Dudleys. Brother D-Von had gone through a number of health issues the last few years. We wanted him to go out on his own terms in a big match, and he was able to . He was healthy enough to get cleared for this match. Our job was, more than anything else, to protect him, make sure he got through that match in one piece. We got through and had that match, which I think was incredible from a storytelling perspective. We had enough action, excitement, and chaos. There was hard work in that match to make it work in 2025 with amazing storytelling. Bubba looked up the aisle where D-Von was put through tables …It’s then where he thought, “We’re done. I’m calling it.” You get that, “I’m at the end of the road, and you guys are going forward. Keep carrying our legacy forward.” We knew at the end of the match that it was going to be D-Von’s last match. He just wanted this last match. We had no idea that both were going to take off their boots, and not just leave them in the ring, but hand them to us as trophies. That was a totally organic moment that happened right there. Everything you saw with our emotions was genuine. 

How do you see your retirement playing out? 

Matt: Jeff has said he thought about that match, and how it reminds us of our own mortality. We can’t do this forever, but there will be a day where that will be us. When does that day come? Who knows? It comes for everyone at some point. That is the reality of life. Right now we both feel pretty good. We’re both killing it. We’re both working really hard and proud of TNA and the growth it has had and the success and keep chipping away as much as we can. Whenever that time comes and we’re ready, we’ll figure it out then. We’re not even sure. We don’t have anything planned out as far as the finale of our career yet. 

Jeff: We’re living for the moment. It’s pretty much moment to moment and hour to hour, day to day, month to month, year to year. I think life starts flying by once you have children. The years just coast on by. My daughters are 15 and 10. It’s so incredible to be a father. I’m so grateful now for wrestling and TNA. It’s so cool to be a part of this evolution and reboot that has been going on with TNA and having this resurgence. At Slammiversary we’re going to do what we do best, and conquer the ladder match and become the world tag team champions once more. 

TNA Slammiversary, June 28, 3/2c, TNA+ and Pay-Per-View

TNA iMPACT, Thursdays, 9/8c, AMC (AMC+ and TNA+)