8 Wrestlers Who Could Be Revealed As Leader Of The Dark Order

6. Matt Hardy

Brodie Lee Dark Order
WWE

Pros:

Matt Hardy - whose contract is set to expire in the spring - is a very bright creative mind that can do much to improve the presentation of the Dark Order. There's a certain aesthetic and tonal similarity between Hardy and the Dark Order, insofar as both acts are absurd in the context of professional wrestling, but the distinction is that Hardy's absurdity got him over to a quite incredible extent a few years ago. Hardy may yet lend the faction the most ironic sense of credibility, and the reaction to the rumour has been fairly positive, on anecdotal evidence. His reveal was teased with a camp declaration of 'Wonderful!' in a January 1 vignette.

Cons:

As mentioned, AEW are building towards a blockbuster Elite Vs. Dark Order six-man tag showdown. Expectations are vast in this genre, and even as a bit-part player, with the respect he commands, Hardy is too broken down to keep up with the scintillating pace set by this generation. It's a dynamic that requires much audience good will to get over, and precious little of that has been extended to the act thus far.

The introduction of Hardy might pile goofy on top of goofy, and it doesn't make too much storyline sense. The Bucks elevated the Hardy Boyz in recognition, if anything, through their series in 2016.

Probability: 80%

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!