Audio: Matt and Jeff Hardy talk Billy Corgan, potential sale of TNA, possible return to WWE, more
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Blog Talk Radio Episode
Matt and Jeff Hardy Interview Transcription
Ring Rust Radio: On Sunday, Oct. 2 at TNA’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view, the two of you square off against Decay in what’s being called the Great War. Most wrestling fans have seen the Final Deletion battle, but what should fans be expecting from each of you during the war against Decay?
Broken Matt Hardy: At The Great War, you are going to see the culmination of this whole situation that has been building up and manifesting with the demonic Decay. On that evening, we will have an opportunity to win the tag team titles of the world and that’s an opportunity and odyssey I sent Brother Nero out on. On October 2nd, this match will start in the Zone of Impact. It literally can go anywhere. It can go into the Universal Studies, it could go into Walt Disney, it could go into Tallahassee, it could go to Texas, it can go to Canada or it could go to South America. I might jump onto Skarsgard the Dilapidated Boat and sail all the way to Cuba. Who knows? This fight could go anywhere. When it’s all said and done you’re going to have a combination of a great wrestling match and an extreme wrestling match. Also something very Final Deletion, Delete or Decay way.
Ring Rust Radio: One of the best parts of each week’s episode of Impact Wrestling has been the creative freedom Broken Matt and Brother Nero have been given. How has that freedom allowed your creativity to flourish and do you think you would be given the same opportunities if you worked for another company?
Broken Matt Hardy: That is a very interesting question. One thing that is very nice about Impact Wrestling is that whenever I come in and my broken universe follows me into the building along with Brother Nero, Rebecca, King Maxell, Senior Benjamin, the Scribe or Vanguard 1, I pretty much get to call my shots. That is something that is very unique to Impact Wrestling. I don’t think that you would see the success that is genuinely created by letting someone who knows what they are and what they’re doing do their own thing, and I think it worked out perfectly.
Ring Rust Radio: Over the past several weeks the two of you have done a lot of things that had never been done before in wrestling previously and you guys have constantly kept the viewers guessing. Is there anything you haven’t gotten the chance to do yet on TNA programming that you want to? What can the fans expect to see out of you next?
Broken Matt Hardy: There are many things in my bag of tricks that I would like to do and there are also things that I know Brother Nero has in his bag of tricks. Obviously we don’t want to divulge that information at this time because then it wouldn’t be a surprise. Right now, both of our thought processes are not in the box. Vince Meekmahan is in the box, but Brother Nero and I are outside the box. We are doing new things that are first to the viewer and have never been seen before. Yes, I will continue to push the envelope as mortals say and I will push it as far as they will let me. I have many, many, many, many, many things to do that have never been seen before.
Ring Rust Radio: TNA has undergone a lot of changes in recent months and there’s been a huge influx of talent with guys like Mike Bennett, Moose, Aron Rex and Cody Rhodes joining the company. Why do you think TNA has become such a desirable destination for free-agent wrestlers?
Broken Matt Hardy: I think something that has been very attractive for Impact Wrestling and a reason to come here is you are allowed much more creative freedom—as we spoke earlier in this conversation—then you are anywhere else. On top of that, you can work on Impact Wrestling television schedule and still have the freedom to do other things that you wish to do. Whether you’re into acting, comedy, you just want to spend more time at home with the family, you want to go do autograph signings, conventions, wrestle for other promotions or whatever that may be, you can do that still. That is a very attractive feature. When you would work for the Vince Meekmahan show, obviously they own you lock, stock and barrel. Even in the honorable Ring, they are trying to do all they can to lock guys into exclusive contracts where you just work for them or New Japan Pro Wrestling or Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. The freedom allowed at Impact Wrestling is very special and very attractive to all these personalities. Right now, obviously, Impact is in the midst of a metamorphous and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Billy Corgan has a very positive vision for Impact Wrestling. I have faith in him and if we can get everything shifted to Billy Corgan, I think Impact Wrestling will be a force to be reckoned with going forward.
Ring Rust Radio: TNA has reached a pivotal point in its history with rumors of a possible sale circulating. From your perspective, how have the rumors impacted the locker room and the mentality of the wrestlers?
Broken Matt Hardy: I think to most of the wrestlers that maybe don’t have the broken brilliance or the insight that I do currently, it may be troubling or unsettling to some. I think a lot of people have faith in Billy Corgan. If Billy Corgan would have the company, I think people would be very positive about it. I feel like Dixie Carter and the regime that came before is part of the reason there was a stain on Impact Wrestling. So I feel like moving past that and to a new ownership or someone that has a new majority or have more of a say so would be looked upon from all angles a positive thing in many, many ways. Obviously looking at his background and history as a rock star with the Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan is someone who certainly has a vision. He is so consumed with wrestling and has such a love for wrestling at his core that his vision along with being a wrestling fan and along with listening to the right people he can make a huge Impact.
Brother Nero Jeff Hardy: I don’t give a damn about selling TNA. We’re talking about people like Bobby Lashley and nobody can mess with him. They couldn’t stand a chance of being with him and the only one that would is the charismatic one Jeff Hardy. Bobby Lashley is going to be in trouble and you might have a new world champion on your hands. As far as that goes, I don’t even think about that or waste one minute of my life worrying about who’s going to sell or buy TNA. I don’t care really. I just do what I do the best I can and that’s it.
Ring Rust Radio: Recently, rumors have circulated that WWE officials would be interested in Broken Matt and Brother Nero when your current contract expires. With so much creative freedom in TNA, is this something you would consider or are you fulfilled working with Impact Wrestling?
Broken Matt Hardy: I am absolutely fulfilled working with Impact Wrestling. I am absolutely fulfilled if I never wrestle another day in my life. Right now, I’m in a position where I can give back and I can fight the Great War and not just literally, but figuratively. There are many things in the wrestling industry that needs to change and that is one of the things I am aiming to do day in and day out currently. The Great War doesn’t just affect Impact Wrestling. It stretches to the Honorable Ring, the New Wrestling in Japan, the subterranean Lucha and the Vince Meekmahan show. We have to make sure this wonderful art form and wonderful magic known as pro wrestling continues to survive and thrive. It has to evolve in many, many ways because currently it isn’t. Once my broken condition manifested, it has been a wonderful thing. Since the Final Deletion and Delete or Decay, every single week there’s been more viewers coming back to Impact Wrestling and watching it for the first time and even the casual fans are tuning in. For the longest time, it was the diehard group of fans that would tune in each and every week. They were always there and usually negative in many ways as you guys know. You guys are on the Twitters and the Facebook and the social media platforms. Now the tide has turned some. That is something I’m looking to do, like incorporate things that can have the casual fans come back in and that is paramount for the business. We have to bring casual fans back to it. The casual fans have gone away ever since WCW was acquired by WWE, and that is something we must avoid at all costs. We won’t have the awe and the magic of professional wrestling to continue to thrive.
Brother Nero Jeff Hardy: I feel like we’ve been there and done that a long time ago, but it could be done again. For right now, I kind of feel like we are at the top of our game and we are almost too good for that. Although they rule the world as the dominant company, I love what we are doing right now in TNA and I want to continue this as long as we can.
