Black Widow
11-21-2008, 10:52 PM
Jeff Hardy has been through plenty of highs and lows over the past year. Last December, he defeated Triple H at Armageddon which was arguably the biggest win of his singles career and seemed to be on the road to winning the WWE Championship. That changed in March when he was suspended for 60 days after violating the WWE Wellness Policy for a second time which also cost him his spot at WrestleMania 24 here in Orlando. Things got even worse for him later that week when his home burned down and he lost everything he owned as well as his dog to the fire.
Now, Hardy is back and once again looks to be on track to possibly winning his first world title. This Sunday night at the WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view, he will face both Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov in a triple threat match for the WWE Championship. Yesterday, I spoke with the immensely popular Hardy about this past year, his future with the WWE and more.
Last week when we saw you on TV, you had a bit of an edge. Do you think this is a rebirth of yourself?
In a way, yeah, it kind of is. I think that bringing the paint back showed an edgier side of me. I did that years ago in the past and I think it brings a new demeanor to my character and at a very unpredictable stage of my career of not knowing what I’m going to do next which is pretty exciting.
At the same time, when you have that bit of an edge and you go with a match last that (Hardy had an extreme rules match against The Undertaker last week on Smackdown) which you probably won’t have all the time but with the extreme rules and trying to bring that back a bit, how much more painful can that be?
Yeah, that match is different from a regular match. There’s more risk involved and whatever but honestly, that’s been my comfort zone throughout my career and, in my opinion, I think I can go out there when I have utensils like ladders and chairs and have a much better match. At the same time, like you said, there’s more risk involved and it can be hard on your body. But I find myself in a comfort zone with that. I like that role.
How much more do you weigh those opportunities when it comes to the more dangerous things? Do you think twice about that more now as you’ve been in wrestling for a while or go out there and try not to think about it and throw caution to the wind?
Yeah, I try to throw caution to the wind. I think a lot of times when you do hesitate is when you do end up getting hurt in a lot of scenarios like that. You know, it is nerve racking to dive off scaffles or big ladders or anything because it’s pretty creepy. It’s not knowing when you’re going to get back up from what you’re about to do. But luckily, I’m 31 now and I’ve got a lot to be proud of and to be thankful for and I have been so fortunate and so lucky throughout my career that I’ve had no surgeries yet and I want to keep it that way. Yeah, I just try to take it show to show and hope for the best.
How is that even possible, considering everything you’ve done, that you’ve never had a surgery?
You know, your guess is as good as mine. My brother (Matt Hardy) has already had his knee done and his elbow scoped. A lot of guys at a younger age than what I’m at have had loads of surgeries. I’ve been lucky and fortunate and hopefully I keep it that way.
I’m assuming there is a bit of a competitive nature between yourself and your brother Matt. Has he teased you about becoming a singles world champion before you?
Not really verbally or anything terrible like ‘I’m better than you’ type of way but he knows. I think he totally deserves it because the biggest difference between Matt and myself is he’s a lot more…he’s wrestling straight up. He don’t have as many other interests. He’s not the type of guy that likes to go out there and buy a canvas and just start painting or go off and buy a motorcycle and ride it. He’s pretty much straightforward when it comes to wrestling where I have those other interests and that’s kind of distracted me in the past. Now, I’m at a point in my career where I kind of have to be committed to WWE and doing my job because I don’t have time to do those other things. And with this new character it’s not exactly a new character – with this new edge as you said, it’s fun. It’s fun for me to paint up again and do something different and show another side of Jeff Hardy that people may not think I’m capable of.
Because you do have so many other interests, not to say that you don’t take wrestling serious, but how much would it mean for you to win a world title?
It would mean the world, definitely, because from our childhood that’s always been a dream to become the world champion. I’ve had a lot of titles in the past and to complete the collection would be great before it’s all said and done, before I’m done in the ring. It would be great to say I have been WWE Champion. Hopefully – I’m on the verge of that. I’ve come close so many times and there is an interesting story in there. I think that’s why a lot of people are attached to it and they want to see me succeed in that light. But if I never do, I won’t downgrade myself or think low of myself because I have accomplished a lot and I have a lot to be proud of. I’m proud of who I am and what I’ve done.
What were your thoughts of WWE putting that in a story and talking about how you’ve come so close but can’t seem to get over the hump?
It’s fine with me. I think it’s just drive and push and motivation, especially with some of the stuff you saw between Triple H and myself exchange and he’s always gave me a hard time about that and always came out on top. Once again, it goes back to that never giving up scenario and still just believing in your dream and doing everything it will take to capture that. It’s just motivation and drive. When people say I can’t, the more I want it and the more I want to do it.
It’s been quite the year for you. You began the year getting the biggest singles push of your life and then you got suspended, you missed WrestleMania, there was the fire to your house where you lost your dog. Can you put into words what this year has been like for you?
The first of the year was very tough. I have labeled that…Matt and I, when I was 9 years old and Matt was 12, we lost our mom, by far the saddest day of my childhood life. Yeah, losing my home and everything – I didn’t live in a mansion but still, the fact that it was a mansion to me and losing my dog which was my world and that was such a hard time. I’ve definitely labeled that the saddest day of my adult life up to date. But, you know, tragedies – you get through them and you continue on and you move on and now everything is going well with the new home and everything is going good with work. I’m pretty beat up – my body is. Nevertheless, it could be a lot worse. I’m just thankful, very thankful for where I’m at.
Did you buy another trailer or did get you a regular home – a house?
You know, I was young and anxious to get out on my own. I didn’t know how long I would be wrestling and I wanted to get something I could pay for. That’s why I bought my double-wide trailer. We always planned to build a house although you never expect anything like that to happen to you. This house is awesome. It’s like 4500 square feet, all brick, basement, one story.
After all of that went down and you were able to come back, was it difficult for you to come back after going through all that or were you anxious to come back so it could take your mind off everything?
It was a little bit of both. A part of me kind of like was nervous about it but another part of me was anxious to get back and get back on the scene and get it over with like all the questions and all the ‘oh my God, how do you get through something like that’. Just to kind of prove people wrong – not prove people wrong but come back from getting knocked down and get back up kind of deal. I have to be thankful too for such a great fan following with so many people supporting me through the ups and downs, through the bad and good. I respect my fans more than anything because I still owe them my career. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today and I thank them for that.
What are some of the more interesting things you received from fans following all of that?
It’s pretty much mainly memorabilia, a lot of clothing and stuff. It’s a weird thing – you hear the stories but when it happens to you and it’s weird when the only clothes you have are the ones on your back. So naturally we got a lot of clothes and a lot of action figures and magazines and all of the memorabilia wrestling-wise. I got a lot of that stuff and a lot of that stuff is in the new house and it just builds up and builds up. We’ve got so much. In Matt’s basement there is so much to still go through that we received. Obviously, mainly clothing and wrestling memorabilia.
After the suspension, when you went back on the road did you ever feel like the office had lost confidence in you because that can happen after you go through something like that?
Yeah. Oh, for sure. I still think they probably question the dependency as far as if they can really depend on me. But, I mean, I’ve done a lot in the WWE and for the company and I think the least they can do is depend on me. So, there’s probably a few people out there going ‘yeah, he shouldn’t have another chance’. I’ve been more than kind to so many people across the world in my career and went out of my way to speak to you like I’m normal, just a human with a different job. So, yeah, I think I’m well deserving of it.
Do you think that people in the WWE, and even fans to some extent, watch you a little closer because of the issues in the past and do you think that is fair?
Of course it is. They all have their right to doubt me. That motivates me even more to stay on the straight and narrow. Yeah, of course you’re going to have those kind of people and I think that’s totally fine.
We’re going to watch Smackdown tonight and you have a match with Triple H. Last week you had a great match with The Undertaker. Why do you think you’ve had such good chemistry with both of them in particular over the years?
Mainly because I would say those two guys – they’re legendary veterans. Some people have called Matt and I veterans at this point in our career. We are older now a lot of new faces in the WWE saying these guys have been around when it comes to being professional and knowing what you’re doing and what’s best for the company and what’s best for yourself. These guys are masters of that. With me, I’m just a great listener when it comes to professional wrestling. Matt is more like a coach to where I’m more like a student. But I’m good at listening and I’m good at what I do and when it comes to a scenario of me having to listen to somebody to make something good or even throw ideas in there to make it even better, you know, I’m real good at that because I always think outside the box. But I just need somebody to put in the right state of mind and the right frame. Once that chemistry is there, it’s going to be good.
Let me wrap up with a little talk about WrestleMania. Tickets for WrestleMania 25 are now on sale with the show taking place on April 5 in Houston, Texas. The last time the show was in Houston was at WrestleMania 17 and you have a TLC (tables, ladder and chairs) match. What do you remember about that match?
Yes I do remember that. It seems that, I could be wrong, it seems that was the match where I got speared off the rings from Edge. I want to say that was the match because all of the TLC matches are such favorites of mine. Yeah, I remember a big crowd and it’s going to be cool to return there years later.
Where do you see yourself this time when WrestleMania comes around?
Well, with this new edge I have, I’m not sure man. I think the sky’s the limit and anything can possibly happen with my character. I definitely see myself in a good spot. If not in Money in the Bank something even bigger. It’s hard not to vision myself not in a ladder match if there’s going to be a ladder match. I don’t know man, we’ll see. Things change so much. Smackdown, in my opinion, has been so exciting. As of late, it’s been such a good show. Who knows what Jeff Hardy may do next.
orlandosentinel.com
Now, Hardy is back and once again looks to be on track to possibly winning his first world title. This Sunday night at the WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view, he will face both Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov in a triple threat match for the WWE Championship. Yesterday, I spoke with the immensely popular Hardy about this past year, his future with the WWE and more.
Last week when we saw you on TV, you had a bit of an edge. Do you think this is a rebirth of yourself?
In a way, yeah, it kind of is. I think that bringing the paint back showed an edgier side of me. I did that years ago in the past and I think it brings a new demeanor to my character and at a very unpredictable stage of my career of not knowing what I’m going to do next which is pretty exciting.
At the same time, when you have that bit of an edge and you go with a match last that (Hardy had an extreme rules match against The Undertaker last week on Smackdown) which you probably won’t have all the time but with the extreme rules and trying to bring that back a bit, how much more painful can that be?
Yeah, that match is different from a regular match. There’s more risk involved and whatever but honestly, that’s been my comfort zone throughout my career and, in my opinion, I think I can go out there when I have utensils like ladders and chairs and have a much better match. At the same time, like you said, there’s more risk involved and it can be hard on your body. But I find myself in a comfort zone with that. I like that role.
How much more do you weigh those opportunities when it comes to the more dangerous things? Do you think twice about that more now as you’ve been in wrestling for a while or go out there and try not to think about it and throw caution to the wind?
Yeah, I try to throw caution to the wind. I think a lot of times when you do hesitate is when you do end up getting hurt in a lot of scenarios like that. You know, it is nerve racking to dive off scaffles or big ladders or anything because it’s pretty creepy. It’s not knowing when you’re going to get back up from what you’re about to do. But luckily, I’m 31 now and I’ve got a lot to be proud of and to be thankful for and I have been so fortunate and so lucky throughout my career that I’ve had no surgeries yet and I want to keep it that way. Yeah, I just try to take it show to show and hope for the best.
How is that even possible, considering everything you’ve done, that you’ve never had a surgery?
You know, your guess is as good as mine. My brother (Matt Hardy) has already had his knee done and his elbow scoped. A lot of guys at a younger age than what I’m at have had loads of surgeries. I’ve been lucky and fortunate and hopefully I keep it that way.
I’m assuming there is a bit of a competitive nature between yourself and your brother Matt. Has he teased you about becoming a singles world champion before you?
Not really verbally or anything terrible like ‘I’m better than you’ type of way but he knows. I think he totally deserves it because the biggest difference between Matt and myself is he’s a lot more…he’s wrestling straight up. He don’t have as many other interests. He’s not the type of guy that likes to go out there and buy a canvas and just start painting or go off and buy a motorcycle and ride it. He’s pretty much straightforward when it comes to wrestling where I have those other interests and that’s kind of distracted me in the past. Now, I’m at a point in my career where I kind of have to be committed to WWE and doing my job because I don’t have time to do those other things. And with this new character it’s not exactly a new character – with this new edge as you said, it’s fun. It’s fun for me to paint up again and do something different and show another side of Jeff Hardy that people may not think I’m capable of.
Because you do have so many other interests, not to say that you don’t take wrestling serious, but how much would it mean for you to win a world title?
It would mean the world, definitely, because from our childhood that’s always been a dream to become the world champion. I’ve had a lot of titles in the past and to complete the collection would be great before it’s all said and done, before I’m done in the ring. It would be great to say I have been WWE Champion. Hopefully – I’m on the verge of that. I’ve come close so many times and there is an interesting story in there. I think that’s why a lot of people are attached to it and they want to see me succeed in that light. But if I never do, I won’t downgrade myself or think low of myself because I have accomplished a lot and I have a lot to be proud of. I’m proud of who I am and what I’ve done.
What were your thoughts of WWE putting that in a story and talking about how you’ve come so close but can’t seem to get over the hump?
It’s fine with me. I think it’s just drive and push and motivation, especially with some of the stuff you saw between Triple H and myself exchange and he’s always gave me a hard time about that and always came out on top. Once again, it goes back to that never giving up scenario and still just believing in your dream and doing everything it will take to capture that. It’s just motivation and drive. When people say I can’t, the more I want it and the more I want to do it.
It’s been quite the year for you. You began the year getting the biggest singles push of your life and then you got suspended, you missed WrestleMania, there was the fire to your house where you lost your dog. Can you put into words what this year has been like for you?
The first of the year was very tough. I have labeled that…Matt and I, when I was 9 years old and Matt was 12, we lost our mom, by far the saddest day of my childhood life. Yeah, losing my home and everything – I didn’t live in a mansion but still, the fact that it was a mansion to me and losing my dog which was my world and that was such a hard time. I’ve definitely labeled that the saddest day of my adult life up to date. But, you know, tragedies – you get through them and you continue on and you move on and now everything is going well with the new home and everything is going good with work. I’m pretty beat up – my body is. Nevertheless, it could be a lot worse. I’m just thankful, very thankful for where I’m at.
Did you buy another trailer or did get you a regular home – a house?
You know, I was young and anxious to get out on my own. I didn’t know how long I would be wrestling and I wanted to get something I could pay for. That’s why I bought my double-wide trailer. We always planned to build a house although you never expect anything like that to happen to you. This house is awesome. It’s like 4500 square feet, all brick, basement, one story.
After all of that went down and you were able to come back, was it difficult for you to come back after going through all that or were you anxious to come back so it could take your mind off everything?
It was a little bit of both. A part of me kind of like was nervous about it but another part of me was anxious to get back and get back on the scene and get it over with like all the questions and all the ‘oh my God, how do you get through something like that’. Just to kind of prove people wrong – not prove people wrong but come back from getting knocked down and get back up kind of deal. I have to be thankful too for such a great fan following with so many people supporting me through the ups and downs, through the bad and good. I respect my fans more than anything because I still owe them my career. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today and I thank them for that.
What are some of the more interesting things you received from fans following all of that?
It’s pretty much mainly memorabilia, a lot of clothing and stuff. It’s a weird thing – you hear the stories but when it happens to you and it’s weird when the only clothes you have are the ones on your back. So naturally we got a lot of clothes and a lot of action figures and magazines and all of the memorabilia wrestling-wise. I got a lot of that stuff and a lot of that stuff is in the new house and it just builds up and builds up. We’ve got so much. In Matt’s basement there is so much to still go through that we received. Obviously, mainly clothing and wrestling memorabilia.
After the suspension, when you went back on the road did you ever feel like the office had lost confidence in you because that can happen after you go through something like that?
Yeah. Oh, for sure. I still think they probably question the dependency as far as if they can really depend on me. But, I mean, I’ve done a lot in the WWE and for the company and I think the least they can do is depend on me. So, there’s probably a few people out there going ‘yeah, he shouldn’t have another chance’. I’ve been more than kind to so many people across the world in my career and went out of my way to speak to you like I’m normal, just a human with a different job. So, yeah, I think I’m well deserving of it.
Do you think that people in the WWE, and even fans to some extent, watch you a little closer because of the issues in the past and do you think that is fair?
Of course it is. They all have their right to doubt me. That motivates me even more to stay on the straight and narrow. Yeah, of course you’re going to have those kind of people and I think that’s totally fine.
We’re going to watch Smackdown tonight and you have a match with Triple H. Last week you had a great match with The Undertaker. Why do you think you’ve had such good chemistry with both of them in particular over the years?
Mainly because I would say those two guys – they’re legendary veterans. Some people have called Matt and I veterans at this point in our career. We are older now a lot of new faces in the WWE saying these guys have been around when it comes to being professional and knowing what you’re doing and what’s best for the company and what’s best for yourself. These guys are masters of that. With me, I’m just a great listener when it comes to professional wrestling. Matt is more like a coach to where I’m more like a student. But I’m good at listening and I’m good at what I do and when it comes to a scenario of me having to listen to somebody to make something good or even throw ideas in there to make it even better, you know, I’m real good at that because I always think outside the box. But I just need somebody to put in the right state of mind and the right frame. Once that chemistry is there, it’s going to be good.
Let me wrap up with a little talk about WrestleMania. Tickets for WrestleMania 25 are now on sale with the show taking place on April 5 in Houston, Texas. The last time the show was in Houston was at WrestleMania 17 and you have a TLC (tables, ladder and chairs) match. What do you remember about that match?
Yes I do remember that. It seems that, I could be wrong, it seems that was the match where I got speared off the rings from Edge. I want to say that was the match because all of the TLC matches are such favorites of mine. Yeah, I remember a big crowd and it’s going to be cool to return there years later.
Where do you see yourself this time when WrestleMania comes around?
Well, with this new edge I have, I’m not sure man. I think the sky’s the limit and anything can possibly happen with my character. I definitely see myself in a good spot. If not in Money in the Bank something even bigger. It’s hard not to vision myself not in a ladder match if there’s going to be a ladder match. I don’t know man, we’ll see. Things change so much. Smackdown, in my opinion, has been so exciting. As of late, it’s been such a good show. Who knows what Jeff Hardy may do next.
orlandosentinel.com