AEW suspends Jeff Hardy following arrest

This past March, Jeff Hardy made his much-anticipated debut in AEW to rejoin his brother once again. The “Best Tag Team of the 2000s” seem poised to win tag team gold once again, perhaps as soon as Dynamite: Road Rager. 

On Monday, June 14, Hardy was arrested in Florida and charged with driving with a suspended license, a DUI, and violation of restrictions placed on driver’s license. According to Yahoo, the violation was “a restriction that required him to keep an Ignition Interlock Device — a handheld breathalyzer that prevents users from starting their vehicle after drinking alcohol — in his car.”

The DUI arrest is Hardy’s third in a decade, making it a felony. Hardy was due in court today, but the appearance was moved to July 5. Tony Khan put out a statement that after making contact with Hardy, he has been suspended without pay. AEW will help him get treatment, which Hardy has indicated he’s open to receiving. In order to return, Hardy must successfully complete treatment and maintain his sobriety.

Hardy last competed alongside his brother at Double or Nothing in a “modern-day dream match” against the Young Bucks. The Hardy Brothers got the win. Following the match, Matt mentioned on his podcast that Jeff had “almost been knocked out” early in the match and “doesn’t remember the match.”

"“I was happy with the match, especially considering very early on in the match, Jeff was almost knocked out,” he said. “He got hurt pretty bad. That’s why [he was] pulled from the match in Los Angeles, obviously, so he was kind of running on fumes going through the match. So he held up his end of the bargain pretty good in the big scheme of things.”"

(h/t Wrestling Inc.)

This injury took place on May 29. That’s just 16 days before his arrest. Since they were scheduled to compete in a triple threat tag team match, there is an assumption that the “Charismatic Enigma” was cleared to compete. After his arrest came to light, AEW stopped promoting the match. On Tuesday, a new match was announced. Jurassic Express will now face only the Young Bucks in a ladder match.

This may have been Hardy’s last chance to win gold. The Hardys have talked about how their best years are behind them and they’re on the back end of their in-ring career. When Jeff left WWE, Matt said that he and his brother “still had a lot of chemistry”. The duo had wrestled several times since Jeff’s debut and many thought that they may win their first tag titles in AEW. It is still possible but seems less likely given the current circumstances.

Hardy faces the real possibility of jail time. On top of that, the conditions for his return is based on completing treatment and staying sober. Some have pointed out that treatment is never completed as sobriety is a life-long commitment, so it isn’t really quantifiable. There is the possibility that Hardy never competes again.

We at Daily DDT wish the best for Jeff Hardy in his recovery. If you or someone you love is struggling, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).