Congratulations TNA Wrestling fans, your world champion isn’t going anywhere. Jeff Hardy has re-signed with TNA and will be sticking around for a couple of more years thus squashing all rumors about a WWE return.
[adinserter block=”1″]TNA president Dixie Carter made the official announcement on Thursday night live on Bellator MMA. Since her announcement, TNA has released the length of the deal on their website subsequently thereafter, noting that Hardy’s deal will keep him around for another two years.
I must admit that I was dead wrong on this one. I predicted that Hardy would indeed return to the World Wrestling Entertainment where he would reclaim the world heavyweight title and possibly wrestle Dolph Ziggler at WrestleMania 29. I expected him to go as did many others who have been talking about a possible WWE return for months.
TNA deserves a lot of credit here. They took a major risk and put their world championship on a guy who could have been a free agent. TNA gambled here that the championship and push would work as a sign of good faith in negotiating a new deal with Hardy. It seems that was the case and Hardy opted to stay a big fish in a smaller pond than possibly being swallowed up in the WWE Universe.
I still wouldn’t completely rule out a Jeff Hardy return to the WWE. Hardy’s next contract comes up in two years. Hardy will only be 37-years old and will have worked a TNA schedule which some consider part-time to the WWE. Even a new two-year deal then would still have him eligible to cash out on a big money deal with the WWE before he turns 40. Regardless it looks like Hardy is happy in TNA and isn’t going anywhere.
This is a big signing for TNA. Losing Hardy right now would have been devastating. Would they have survived? Sure, but it would have been a big blow. Hardy is one of the few regulars that have name recognition and superstar appeal. He is not easily replaced. It also would have looked silly to see their world champion signing a deal with the WWE in a Wrestling with Shadows kind of way.
[adinserter block=”2″]At some point TNA is going to have to make a full commitment to building its younger stars. TNA did a great job in recent years of building up Bobby Roode and Austin Aries but they need to make a consistent effort to keep them on top. The two year window they have with Hardy gives them time to do that in case Hardy does decide to bolt in two years.
Looks like that Hardy Boyz reunion in the WWE will have to wait.
[amazon_link id=”B002NXSROS” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]WWE: Jeff Hardy – My Life, My Rules[/amazon_link]
[amazon_link id=”B000AYELLU” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]TNA Wrestling: Enigma – The Best of Jeff Hardy[/amazon_link]
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