5 Biggest missed opportunities with Jeff Hardy's last WWE run

Over 12 years after his last departure from WWE, Jeff Hardy is gone from the company again. He returned in 2017 along with his brother Matt Hardy in one of the most iconic moments in WrestleMania history.

However, the honeymoon phase soon ended, and within a few years, Matt left for AEW, while The Charismatic Enigma re-signed with WWE, sticking throughout the pandemic era.

While the company has been heavily criticized for the mass releases since April 2020, this release isn't one that fans are disputing, debating, or putting against WWE.

It was reported by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful that Vince McMahon's promotion offered Jeff Hardy help and rehab, but it was refused. As a result, he was released.

I've heard WWE offered Jeff Hardy help and rehab, and it was not accepted. Here's to hoping things get better for him.

This is the aftermath of the concerning live event incident last week when Jeff aimlessly wandered into the crowd with the security running behind him. Drew McIntyre finished the match anyway but seemed visibly confused at his partner's absence in that time.

Unfortunately, Jeff Hardy didn't want to get the help that was needed, and in the eyes of many, he became a liability in the company. All personal issues aside, we can only really comment on WWE's handling of him on-screen and the opportunities that were missed during his last WWE run:

#5. A feud between Jeff Hardy and Roman Reigns

Universal Champion @WWERomanReigns stands tall at the 19th annual WWE Tribute to the Troops!

@HeymanHustle
@WWEUsos

#WWETroops
@TributeToTroops https://t.co/7piSyEzSn9

Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling's Sid Pullar III, Jeff Hardy revealed that his biggest dream match in WWE was against Roman Reigns. While he has already crossed paths with the other two former Shield members Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, a match against Reigns was one he wanted.

Not only this, but he felt that he fit into The Tribal Chief's story and wanted to be the one to dethrone him. In the SmackDown Black Friday Battle Royal, Hardy seemed to have finally earned his Universal title shot, but it was taken away by Sami Zayn, who appeared in the last second to win.

This is what Jeff Hardy told Sportskeeda Wrestling about the dream Roman Reigns match:

"There's three (goals) I think, more than anything. The first is to be the Universal Champion, ideally, defeating Roman Reigns. That's one of my dream matches because his stuff is so powerful now. I got to mix it up with Seth [Rollins] and Dean [Ambrose] before he left. Roman's the one guy I never came in contact with. I just kind of feel like I belong in that story, and that I will belong in that story," said Jeff Hardy.

This would have been a dream match and feud, and an interesting one for Reigns as well. While Hardy would never have won the match, it would have still been amazing to see legends of two different generations clash.