The Evil History Of Pro Wrestling: TNA Victory Road 2011

by Michael Sidgwick
Jeff Hardy Found
WWE

The disturbing truth is that Jeff Hardy has been enabled by professional wrestling ever since professional wrestling was able to monetise Jeff Hardy. TNA just happened to be the least competent. What a sad, brutal, eternal cycle it has been.

Hardy was released by WWE in April 2003 because he was clearly struggling, it was impacting his work, and he refused rehabilitation. Despite displaying similar behaviour in TNA, for which he last appeared in December 2005, he was re-signed by WWE in 2006. In 2006, WWE was not exactly enjoying a sparkling business period. He was twice suspended for violating the Wellness Policy during this second full-time run, during which his addiction was worked into the narrative: WWE teased, ahead of Survivor Series 2008, that he had died in a motel room - the place of premature death for too many performers. A year later, Jeff was gone again, of his own volition - weeks after which, he was arrested for drug trafficking. In 2018, 2019, and 2022, Jeff was arrested for either driving while impaired or being drunk in public. In 2019, he was done for both.

This is not even close to a comprehensive rundown of Hardy’s struggles. All the while, wrestling’s heartthrob daredevil was promoted in yet more debilitating ladder matches, the agony experienced in which was unbearable - unless he self-medicated.

Meltzer receives much in the way of flak, especially in recent years, but writing in the March 21, 2011 Wrestling Observer Newsletter, he was dead-on.

“When [Jeff] comes back, he’ll be over like crazy with the live audience, and then pushed to the top. And then the cycle will happen all over again.”

Now, Hardy was, and is, a grown man who is ultimately responsible for his own choices and actions. However, at a certain point, the power players within wrestling must be held to account. Did the owners of WWE, TNA and AEW really think, with Jeff, that “this time, it will be different”?

Or did they push the creeping doubt to the back of their minds - if they had the moral fibre to have that doubt in the first place - because Jeff is a money-drawing star?

One more drink can’t hurt.

It’s only one more ladder match.

One more drink can’t hurt.

It’s only one more ladder match.

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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!