After an abysmal feud with Kane in 2004, Matt Hardy suffered a knee injury and was put on the sidelines for several months. In the spring of 2005, hardcore Hardy fans noticed that the still-convalescing former World Tag Team Champion took down all the photos of his longtime girlfriend, Lita, from his website. Hardy told fans who questioned him that they should ask her why, but he soon stopped holding back, detailing on his site that Lita and his close friend, Edge, had had a real-life affair. Without warning, Hardy was fired in April of 2005. Many fans assumed that his dismissal was a result of his airing of dirty laundry, and soon chants of "You screwed Hardy!" began to dog Edge and Lita. Recognizing the money in a potential feud between the two, WWE rehired Hardy in July.