10 Fascinating WWE SummerSlam 2009 Facts

3. Jeff Hardy's Contract Ran Out In July, Agreed To Stay Through SummerSlam

The Undertaker CM Punk
WWE.com

Jeff Hardy began to truly realize his potential as a singles star in 2007, and cashed in on his popularity by winning the WWE Championship for the first time at the close of 2008. He was among the most popular stars on the roster up through mid-2009, where he was rewarded with two reigns as World Heavyweight Champion.

Hardy, however, was looking to get out of wrestling, at least for a little while. He had a reality show that he was pitching, and he wasn't looking for a long-term deal when his WWE contract expired at the end of July. WWE managed to get Hardy to agree to a 30-day extension that would cover SummerSlam and the ensuing SmackDown taping.

Contributor
Contributor

Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.