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Can ‘Broken’ Matt Hardy’s Gimmick Work in WWE?

By Rob Wolkenbrod

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Can the ‘Broken’ gimmick of Matt Hardy’s be a success in WWE?

F4WOnline, PW Insider, and Pro Wrestling Sheet have all reported separate things on this topic, but they all come to one conclusion: Jeff and Matt Hardy are likely on their way out of TNA. This comes after contract negotiations broke down between the Hardys and TNA, which saw the company look to take 10 percent of their earnings, decline creative control and delay giving them new deals to sign.

The loss of the Hardys would be a significant one for Impact Wrestling, as they have become the centerpieces of the show. Entire episodes were even dedicated to them in late 2016, but that was under the old management. The new direction seems indifferent on whether they stay or not, so it looks like the Hardys could be on their way out.

In the spring of 2016, Matt Hardy brought himself into the spotlight with his now-famous “Broken” gimmick. Essentially, he’s a wrestler that lost his mind, owns a drone, and wants to “delete” everything in existence. It’s become a wrestling phenomena, captivating even WWE fans with the chant of “delete” at events.

The speculation will likely trend toward Matt and Jeff going to WWE. If so, can this “Broken” gimmick work and connect with a new audience?

As seen in the video above, WWE fans are aware of what these two have been doing in TNA and across the pro wrestling business. “Broken” has become mainstream in the wrestling world, especially in regard to Matt, as following what he does on Impact Wrestling and Twitter has become a must for any fan. So the WWE fans who are in tune with TNA’s shows and on Twitter — even if they don’t watch Impact Wrestling — are aware of what has been done. That’s why there are wrestling websites to aggregate the news and inform the readers on what is going on.

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There’s surely some sort of following for the Hardys from WWE fans. Those who watched them in the Attitude Era may even still look on at what they’re doing. However, their gimmick back then was punk rockers that did some cool things in the air. Now they’re older and under a cartoony persona, something that hasn’t exactly gone over well with recent Superstars like Adam Rose and Stardust. Will those old fans of the Hardys be able to relate and get behind what they would be doing on WWE programming?

More importantly, there are the fans that haven’t been exposed to Matt and Jeff, as in the young kids and the parents that are dragged by their children to go to WWE events. They love the mainstream stars like John Cena and Randy Orton, or the fan-friendly women like Bayley. These three have basic gimmicks that translate well with the fans, or have been around long enough for the WWE Universe to get behind them. If they see Matt and Jeff walking into a WWE show shouting “delete” with scientist-like hair, will those kids understand it? Will they follow along with some of the most unusual Superstars they’ve ever seen?

What goes in the Hardys favor with the young kids and casual fans is that “delete” chant. You rarely ever go to a WWE event that doesn’t have a chant. “This is awesome”, “Yes!”, and “10” are some of the most notable phrases used by the fans. They’re catchy, trendy and can spread like wildfire, if a hot-enough crowd is in the building. The “10” chants immediately went to the WWE main roster fans after Tye Dillinger received more exposure, so who’s to say something as simple as “delete” can’t get over with even the most casual of WWE followers?

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The past runs with WWE would also go in favor of the Hardys. They haven’t been gone for that long (Matt in 2010 and Jeff in 2009) and may still be fresh in some fan’s minds. Couple that with them having their most interesting gimmick, and you have the old fans interested in what they’re doing. Of course, some won’t get their “Broken” personality, but maybe with time they might, especially with how well it went over in TNA.

A potentially sure-fire way of getting the Hardys over would have been to put them against the Wyatt Family. The darkness and bizarre nature of their characters could have led to a dream matchup that no one thought had a chance of happening. However, with Luke Harper out of the stable, and Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton potentially going their separate ways, there might not be a Wyatt faction to go head-to-head with.

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If Jeff and Matt Hardy are going to WWE, it would be wise to see if this “Broken” gimmick can translate after how well it’s worked since 2016. Do you think it can succeed under Vince MeekMahon’s roof?

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