Professional wrestler Matt Hardy explained why he chose to sign with AEW after spending so many years with WWE."Once AEW started and it was another place that had a great TV show on TNT, star power...it allowed other options to me," Hardy said on Talk Is Jericho. He told podcast host and fellow AEW star Chris Jericho that he couldâve stayed in WWE and made loads of money, but having creative control was more important to him.
"They tried very hard to sign me," he continued. "They have offered very good money, but I know my role would have been minimized. For me, more important than money right now, is just to totally utilize my creativity. And these last 3, 4 years, whatever I might have to do this, I want to enjoy it. I want to be driven and fueled by the passion I have for this â and I want to be creative and I want to have fun."
Hardy told Jericho that "in WWE, a lot of times, they suck the fun out of things because it becomes such a business and you just become a cog in the machine."
"To me, it wasnât about being a cog in the machine and making X amount of dollars," Hardy added. "To me, it was about enjoying what I was doing and really like enjoying every single second I have left doing this. And AEW just turned out to be the best-case scenario for me."
Hardy also noted he believes WWE is worried about the competition that AEW provides, which is why the company has so many Superstars signed. "I just think it got to the point where, WWE has so many talents under contract and the reason they have all these talents under contract is because they donât want anyone else having people who can like, move the needle or make a difference or cut into their business at all," he explained.
The Broken One made his AEW debut on the March 18 episode of Dynamite, joining the Young Bucks and The Elite in their feud against Jericho and his stable, The Inner Circle. Hardy said heâs already started filming promos and vignettes for the company.
Hardy told Jericho that he believes being in AEW â and apart from his brother, whoâs doing his thing in WWE still â will do his character more good. "Coming here to AEW, and having time where Jeff is still under contract with WWE, this is really good for me," he said. "Because it gives me an opportunity to be me and really highlight and focus on my strengths, and especially doing Broken Matt. I really know what Iâm doing this time around."