"People were really unsure" - Matt Hardy on backstage worry regarding WWE's brand splits
Matt Hardy recently opened up about locker room concerns during WWE's brand split.
Hardy made a career out of death-defying stunts in various extreme matches. along with his brother Jeff. The pair now ply their trade in AEW after The Charismatic Enigma joined his brother earlier this year.
The former 11-time tag team champion recently spoke on the latest The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast and reminisced about the looker room situation before the brand split:
"People were really unsure because they tried their best to like keep it underneath a tight lock and key. They didn't want people to know just so we can get stooged off and they wanted to try and surprise people to get their legitimate reactions. You know, I think most guys would be trying to fill out writers during the day like, you know, so what am I doing in the next couple of weeks? Do you have any ideas? Can you give me like a hint or whatever but they were very tight lipped about all of it." [18:17 - 18:40]
#FBF 2002 The first EVAH #MattFact appeared as I made my way to the ring as The Sensei of Mattitude, Matt Hardy V1uuhhh!
I speak about this time period of my career in depth on the new #ExtremeLife of @MattHardyPod.
LISTEN HERE- linktr.ee/matthardypod https://t.co/3AnyAGBHxh
The Hardy Boyz are currently smashing tables in another company but will always be remembered for their ground-breaking matches and moments in WWE.
Matt Hardy on The Dudley Boyz during the brand split
“@XtremeEnigmaR: Bully Ray thinks he's the most hated man in pro wrestling.. @MATTHARDYBRAND would beg to differ.” http://t.co/lVNlMUj3l8
The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz have faced each other countless times with the involvement of Tables, Ladders, and Chairs. On the same podcast, Hardy went on to talk about The Dudley's during the brand split:
"It became a scenario whenever those brand splits would happen people were always like worried about where they gonna end up. A lot of people were also worried up like if they were dating someone there like or myself or my significant other are going to split up or is myself and my tag team partner going to get split up and in some guys I think in case of Bubba and Devon, I feel like they were in a point when they were ready to probably try their singles where they had never really done that before." [18:43-19:09]
The brand split has often shaken the landscape of RAW and SmackDown, which changed the lives of various superstars, either for the best or the worst.
While using any quotes from this article, please credit 'The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy' and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.