After months and months of teasing, Matt Hardy has finally made his long-awaited debut on the upstart AEW's latest episode of Dynamite. Amidst the current situation with COVID-19, other wrestling companies have turned to empty arena venues to host their shows, and AEW was no different as fans tuned in to a silent arena this Wednesday. Hardy had left the WWE earlier this month due to creative differences, and for weeks fans speculated as to where he would go until it was revealed to be AEW.
Of course, Hardy wasn't the only one to make a long-anticipated debut that night. Another former WWE star also made their first appearance in what was quite possibly the most surprising moment of the night. Both wrestlers had their debut in front of empty seats to almost complete silence. And while it's a less than ideal situation, it may have particularly hurt Matt Hardy's entrance as the lack of an audience pop seemed a little too awkward than most fans were used to.
It was around the end of the show when Chris Jericho mocked The Elite for lacking a fifth member for Blood & Guts that Matt Hardy made his sudden appearance. Matt Jackson of the Young Bucks replied to Jericho saying that they indeed did have a fifth member, followed by Vanguard 1 (a drone/character from Hardy's "Broken Universe") flying in from nowhere and interrupting the Inner Circle's short-lived triumph over The Elite. Then as the camera cut to the rafters, to what would have otherwise been the loudest pop this year so far, an exhilarated Matt Hardy appeared while staring down a shocked Jericho.
The absence of the audience pop may have hurt the debut somewhat, but make no mistake, the surprise was still well-executed despite the circumstances that were beyond AEW's control. The sudden buzzing of Vanguard 1, followed by the ominous piano music may have been the second-best background track AEW could've hoped for other than a raucous crowd. The atmosphere created was perfect for a character like Hardy's, and the rows and rows of vacant seats only made the image of Hardy standing above in the rafters all the more epic. This may have been the first glimpse for many fans of the "Broken" character of Hardy's, and it was, without doubt, a spectacular first impression for those unassuming fans.
Overall, given the circumstances, AEW probably gave its fans the best possible debut for both their debutants. No doubt the pops for both segments would have reached the roofs if not for the unfortunate situation. It is not confirmed yet whether Dynamite would return for next week's Wednesday, but if it does then fans are in for the first-ever Blood & Guts match in AEW. With Matt Hardy now revealed as the fifth member for The Elite in the match, anticipation runs high for the next episode of Dynamite.