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Jeff Hardy has been part of the TNA family for several months now but fans fondly remember him being arguably the biggest star in WWE during the late 2000s. Jeff Hardy recently claimed he would have been a bigger star than John Cena if he kept a healthy lifestyle and now Matt Hardy has addressed this claim.
While speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, Matt Hardy shared his thoughts on his brother Jeff Hardy’s claim that he could have been a bigger star than John Cena if he had lived a more disciplined lifestyle. Matt Hardy believes that if Jeff had been more focused and in the right mindset, he could have been a top star for a long time. However, Matt is not sure if Jeff could have been bigger than Cena because of his struggles with promos.
“I think if Jeff would have been in the right headspace and had his act together like he does now, I think he could have been a top guy for a long time. I don’t know if he would have been bigger than Cena just because I don’t know how Jeff’s promos would have translated over.
Even though Jeff had a unique charm and mystery about him that drew fans in, Matt feels his promo skills might have held him back. WWE typically wanted top stars to be great talkers, which was not Jeff’s strength. However, Matt still thinks Jeff could have been a top star and a multiple-time world champion if things had been different.
“He’s a very unique character, he’s a very unique enigma, but talking, especially at that time with Vince in charge, was a very important factor. He had so much equity, and people were so invested in him because of his charisma and the mystique behind Jeff Hardy. He really is an anomaly—there’s something about him that just draws you to him. He has it, which a lot of people don’t have.
It would have been really interesting to see. I know they want someone typically as a top guy who’s really well-spoken, very articulate, and stuff, and that’s not exactly Jeff’s strong suit. But it would have been very interesting to see if he would have been in this headspace, how far he could have gone then. I definitely think he could have been a top guy and a multiple-time world champion.”
At that time, WWE under Vince McMahon put a lot of importance on promos, and Jeff’s skills weren’t as strong. Matt Hardy compared Jeff to wrestlers like Goldberg, who had a strong and impressive physique, something Jeff didn’t have. Since Jeff was smaller, Matt believes WWE would have expected him to be able to speak well and explain things, especially since he wasn’t as physically imposing as someone like The Undertaker or Goldberg.
“I’m just saying, realistically, I feel like with Vince there, with it being WWE, the biggest hold-up would have been his promo work. I mean, that’s one thing that’s different. Like, Goldberg looks like a freak, you know? He’s got this unique, amazing, massive physique and build, which Jeff doesn’t have. So, I feel like because Jeff is a smaller character, they’re going to want someone who can speak well too. I would imagine they would want him to explain things because he’s not a monster like The Undertaker or Goldberg.”
Fans continue to remember Jeff Hardy for his high-flying moves and electrifying presence in the ring. Matt Hardy’s reflections offer an intriguing “what if” about Jeff’s potential as a WWE legend. While Matt suggests Jeff’s career might have been different with a stronger promo game, it’s really hard to see whether Jeff Hardy would have been bigger than John Cena at his peak.
What do you think of what Matt Hardy had to say? Could Jeff Hardy have been a bigger star than John Cena if he had focused more on his promos? Let us know your thoughts!
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January 10, 2025 11:19 am
