Kemo
11-16-2018, 03:12 PM
Matt Hardy has had a tremendous career in the professional wrestling industry. Having competed since 1992 when he started the Trampoline Wrestling Federation (TWF) with his brother Jeff, the pair quickly began working the indy scene. He signed a full-time contract with WWE in 1998. Over his years with the company Hardy has won the ECW, Cruiserweight, United States, European, and Hardcore Championships.
He is also a 10-time Tag Team Champion in WWE, eight of those coming alongside his brother. Following his most recent run with WWE, Hardy has decided to retire from in-ring competition for the time being. He has been working various roles backstage with WWE in preparation for the next chapter of his career in the business.
Recently, Hardy appeared on an episode of fellow Attitude Era star, Sean “X-Pac” Waltman’s podcast, “X-Pac 12360.” During their conversation, Hardy was asked when he finally began to feel accepted in WWE. Matt said that feeling didn’t come until he and Jeff were paired up with WWE Hall Of Famer Michael Hayes in 1999:
“I would probably say the very first time I felt that we were kind of accepted or like part of the machine was when we first got an opportunity to be with Michael Hayes and were repackaged and we won the tag titles.
“Even though obviously we weren’t the best representation of the best tag-team in the world, but it was like the titles would help us at that juncture. Around that point and then working Bradshaw and Farooq. After being with them for a month and them kicking the hell out of us night in and night out and then kind of half-ass earning their respect.
“I felt that was kind of the turning point. And then once we had the tag-team ladder match with Edge and Christian and it was like, ‘wow these guys did something special.’ We definitely felt like we belonged and were part of the family of the WWE locker room at that point.”
He is also a 10-time Tag Team Champion in WWE, eight of those coming alongside his brother. Following his most recent run with WWE, Hardy has decided to retire from in-ring competition for the time being. He has been working various roles backstage with WWE in preparation for the next chapter of his career in the business.
Recently, Hardy appeared on an episode of fellow Attitude Era star, Sean “X-Pac” Waltman’s podcast, “X-Pac 12360.” During their conversation, Hardy was asked when he finally began to feel accepted in WWE. Matt said that feeling didn’t come until he and Jeff were paired up with WWE Hall Of Famer Michael Hayes in 1999:
“I would probably say the very first time I felt that we were kind of accepted or like part of the machine was when we first got an opportunity to be with Michael Hayes and were repackaged and we won the tag titles.
“Even though obviously we weren’t the best representation of the best tag-team in the world, but it was like the titles would help us at that juncture. Around that point and then working Bradshaw and Farooq. After being with them for a month and them kicking the hell out of us night in and night out and then kind of half-ass earning their respect.
“I felt that was kind of the turning point. And then once we had the tag-team ladder match with Edge and Christian and it was like, ‘wow these guys did something special.’ We definitely felt like we belonged and were part of the family of the WWE locker room at that point.”