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Jeff Hardy is known mostly for his work in WWE, becoming a major tag team star throughout the Attitude Era, before establishing himself as a singles main eventer throughout the 2000s, culminating in World Title wins in 2008 and 2009. Fans may also be aware of the time he spent in TNA after leaving WWE in 2009, with him spending a good seven years there, becoming one of their top names before leaving once again in 2017. However, there will be some who have forgotten all about his initial stint in TNA, or not known about it altogether, which took place between the years of 2004 and 2006, joining the promotion following his release from WWE.
Jeff Hardy Joined TNA After Getting Released From WWE
Due to the recurring substance abuse issues which riddled Jeff Hardy’s time in WWE throughout the early 2000s, the company made the decision to release him in 2003. This was a big blow considering how popular he was, but it was probably for the best when looking at the spiral he was going down. After spending some time on the independent scene, even competing in Ring of Honor (albeit just two matches in a year), he showed up in Total Nonstop Action and signed with the promotion. The company was beginning to experience a bit of a rise at the time, and bringing in someone with the name value of Hardy was a good business decision.
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He made his TNA debut, challenging AJ Styles for the X Division Championship. This ended in a no contest due to interference, but it did see Styles and Hardy team up for a little while, which proved to be a good way to introduce Hardy to the company. After over a month being unbeaten, Hardy earned himself a shot at Jeff Jarrett’s NWA World Heavyweight Title, though he was unsuccessful in his attempts. Their feud would continue though for a few months, featuring a Steel Cage Match and Ladder Match. Unfortunately, TNA was getting riddled with overbooking and interference from the likes of Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, so that did some damage to the product. It also became increasingly clear that Hardy was not 100% at times, with questions regarding his substance abuse once again.
Jeff Hardy’s First Run In TNA Experienced Ups And Downs
From there, Hardy, along with AJ Styles and Randy Savage, would feud with the Kings of Wrestling (Jarrett, Hall, and Nash). It wasn’t terrible per se, but the product did begin to reek of late in the day WCW, which wasn’t a good sign. Hardy would then have rivalries with the likes of Abyss and Raven, before getting suspended due to no-showing an event. This went to show that Hardy, despite it being a couple years since the bad ending to his WWE run, still hadn’t overcome his problems.
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After Hardy returned, he was put back into more or less the same spot as he was in prior to his suspension, feuding with other upper midcarders. He would also compete at Bound for Glory in the Monster’s Ball match, and it would see him deliver one of the most iconic and death-defying Swanton Bombs of all time, which would also become a signature part of TNA’s intro sequence. Hardy was booked for a match at the Turning Point PPV in 2005, but he didn’t turn up to the event, which led to yet another suspension.
Jeff Hardy’s Time In TNA Between 2004 And 2006 Was Unremarkable
Unfortunately for Hardy, he didn’t compete on TV again, instead only wrestling on live events before his eventual release. It took just a few months before Hardy was back in WWE, reuniting with Matt Hardy, and then going on a successful singles run which saw him with the Intercontinental, World Heavyweight, and WWE Titles. In 2009, he made a big return to TNA, this time with fruitful World Title pursuits, becoming the TNA World Champion on three occasions. This period in TNA is remembered more due to its longevity.
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Hardy’s first run in TNA must be considered a failure overall. Despite some decent matches and moments, the booking of TNA was dominated by old timers and convoluted booking. Additionally, his time there was overshadowed by his unprofessionalism, suspensions, and controversy surrounding no-showing events. He was a liability, even with him being a high profile name, and was perhaps not even worth it for TNA. Despite this failed first run, Hardy is still recognized as a key name of TNA throughout the 2010s, even though this came with some controversy too.
