10 Worst WWE Moments Of 2009

Timing is everything in wrestling. For Jeff Hardy, ascending to main event status again in late-2008 was ideal. He became WWE Champion after righting the wrongs of his prior stab at a singles run in the company, and all seemed right with the world. Everyone and their granny figured that daredevil Jeff would be a permanent fixture at the top of cards for years to come.

Sadly, Hardy's own personal demons got the best of him. By mid-2009, he was letting his WWE contract lapse and looking for a much-needed physical and mental break. So, writers put him in a 'Loser Leaves WWE' cage bout with CM Punk on the 28 August SmackDown, and Jeff lost. That was a cover story. In reality, his contract was due, he had several painful injuries, and he wasn't in the best frame of mind personally.

By 11 September, Hardy had been arrested for drug trafficking and possession. It was a sad and sudden downfall for somebody who seemed to be on top of the mountain as a main event star in the biggest promotion going. Thankfully, despite other legal problems since, Jeff has managed to largely clean up his act and is in a much, much better place. 

Fingers crossed that mindset sticks.

Watching him go from a vital cog in the headline pack on SmackDown and winning WWE/World Heavyweight Titles to arrested and then showing up in TNA was depressing to his fans. Industry critics reasoned that Jeff was content to throw everything he'd worked for away. Harsh? Maybe, but there was overwhelming evidence supporting his repeated patterns of behaviour.