Report: Jeff Hardy Is AEW-Bound, To Be At Dynamite Wednesday
Sources: Charismatic Enigma's WWE release was premature, set for angle with brother Matt.
Ever since Jeff Hardy was released from WWE in early December, fans have been counting the days until he would debut in AEW. It looks like those days are now numbered in the single digits.
Fightful Select reports that the younger Hardy brother will be at Wednesday's AEW Dynamite, though it's not clear whether he will appear on the show or just be present backstage. Hardy himself initially confirmed, then backtracked on the signing last week. Regardless, the report states that the working plan has been to bring Jeff in shortly after his WWE no-compete expired, provided there were no substance issues.
Hardy was released from WWE in December after he walked out on a house show tag match, leading to some to speculate that he was under the influence. The Hardy family claimed, and Fightful's sources backed up, that Jeff passed both a breathalyzer and a drug test. Before the drug test results came in, WWE offered him rehab, but he declined, leading to his release.
Since then, the company has tried to lure Hardy back, even dangling a Hall of Fame induction, to no avail. Fightful indicated that multiple WWE superstars insisted that Jeff wasn't on any substance during the match that led to his release and "just had an 'off night.' " One source suggested that WWE "jumped the gun" in releasing the Charismatic Enigma.
The report also notes that the recent on-air situation involving brother Matt Hardy leaving Private Party during their 9 February Dynamite match was "a direct response" to how Jeff's final WWE match went and was designed to start the fracture of the AHFO. Given that Matt is teaming with Isiah Kassidy and Andrade El Idolo at Revolution, it's entirely possible we see this angle furthered at the PPV, leading into Dynamite.