Matt Hardy helps Jeff clear his name.
Jeff was released by WWE on December 9 after teaming with Drew McIntyre & King Xavier Woods at a live event on December 4. In the bout, Jeff was reportedly sluggish and left the ringside area after tagging out. He was sent home on December 5.
In the latest Wrestling Observer newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported WWE offered Jeff a spot in the 2022 Hall of Fame, but Jeff declined and wanted the results of his drug test, which took six weeks to get back.
Taking to Twitch, Matt Hardy commented on the results of Jeff's drug test and provided his reason as to why Jeff decided to leave the ringside area in the December 4 match.
"Whenever my brother ended up being released, he had taken a drug test. Usually, these drug tests come back in 10 to 14 days. Those 10 to 14 days had been up and he never got a rest and he was curious as to where his result was. He knew he had passed his drug test because he knew he hadn't been doing any drugs and he has been clean, he's been clean the whole while he's been there. There was an issue where they said, 'Jeff Hardy had this erratic behavior' and he 'jumped over the guardrail' or whatever. Hello, he's Jeff Hardy, he's a weird dude. That's kind of what he does. The erratic behavior is why they gave him a drug test and sent him home. He addressed it with me and, as he was saying, he knew at that point...working for WWE is a very stressful job. I am not going here to bury WWE, I love WWE, Vince McMahon, everyone who is there. I wouldn't be who I am and I wouldn't have this life right now. I have great appreciation and I'm very grateful for everything I've done for them and every opportunity they've given me. It's all good, but it's also a very stressful environment. Anyone who has worked there knows that. I feel Jeff was stressed out in many ways about several things and he confessed to me that when he went over that guardrail, he knew he was done. He was literally done with the match and he felt done," he said.
When asked by his wife Reby Hardy if Jeff intentionally jumped the railing as a way to get fired, Matt replied, "I don't think he did it intentionally trying to get fired. He does shit like that all the time. There are times where we're in the ring and he just goes into business for himself because that's how he feels. That's how he is. He's a very, emotionally, supercharged person and he follows his emotions and instincts."
Matt noted that Jeff acting on his emotions is why the audience has always gravitated towards him.
Matt this commented on Jeff's drug test and WWE wanting him to go to rehab before the results came back.
"He took this drug test, he ended up being released a few days later. He never got the results of this drug test, he obviously passed all his drug tests. He was drug tested quite often when he worked there. It also leaked out that, he thought this was going to be a private conversation, they said with go to rehab or be released. They gave him an ultimatum. He said, 'Okay, you can release me then, I don't need to go to rehab.' That was his mentality at the time. Three weeks later, he hadn't got his drug test and he asked to see it and got it. He was fighting, scratching, clawing to get the drug test and he got the run around," said Matt, who also noted that the he believed the drug company was blaming WWE for the delayed results while WWE was blaming the drug company for the delayed results.
"After my brother and his wife spoke to WWE a bit, they spoke to a lawyer to have him help them out. A couple of days ago, he got his drug test and it was compliant, Everything was negative, he passed on all levels. The main reason he was so adamant about getting those is because he wanted to clear his name," he stated, saying it was important to Jeff to clear his name given his history.
Matt also confirmed that Jeff was offered a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame before he got his drug test results saying, "He got a call from John Laurinaitis and they offered to induct him into the Hall of Fame. That's not made up. That's a real thing that happened. He just asked for his drug test at the end of the conversation. He said, 'No, I just want my drug test,' kind of to clear his name."
Matt said that Jeff continues to do well and he is excited to reunite with him on the road. The two have already been announced for multiple Independent wrestling events together and more announcements will be coming.
Matt also said that Jeff, with the help of Reby, will be filming a video for one of his songs. Jeff has done an acoustic meet and greet tour following his WWE release.
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