HIS HARDY APPETITE IS BACK!
“I WILL NEVER BE MY OWN WORST ENEMY AGAIN”

Not long ago, it was nearly impossible to imagine Jeff Hardy looking and feeling like the world champion wrestler he used to be. After some tough personal and professional travails, he’s refocused on returning to his glory days

By Mike Bessler

If controversy were a precious commodity, Jeff Hardy would have more scratch than a Texas oilman. Both in the arena and behind the scenes, Hardy’s two-year run with TNA has undoubtedly established him as one of professional wrestling’s most polarizing figures. Despite a number of noteworthy in-ring accomplishments, including two stints as TNA World champion, Hardy’s puzzling and regrettable life choices seemed destined to land his celebrated career on the skids. But with a tremendous amount of fortitude and the support of his peers, “The Charismatic Enigma” is once again on the road to recovery, and it’s clear that greatness is—once again—within his grasp.

While legal problems dogged him outside of the ring, the political intrigue within TNA yielded further complications for Hardy. After entering into a sinister alliance with Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, and their rogues’ gallery of thugs, Hardy proclaimed himself “The Antichrist Of Professional Wrestling,” subsequently wreaking havoc at every level of TNA’s roster. As the linchpin of the Immortal team, Hardy proved himself as one of the most calculated and brutal members of the unsavory union. He seemed destined to soar to new height as a talented and seasoned wrestler who enjoyed the backing of some of wrestling’s most elite movers and shakers. But instead, he crashed and burned at Victory Road when he dropped the TNA championship title to Sting in an embarrassingly short and sloppy main-event contest. In the months that followed, Hardy served a 10-day jail sentence on a 2009 drug possession arrest and then retreated to life away from the spotlight, taking careful steps to repair his wounded public image.

With his return to TNA a few months later, Hardy found himself a pariah in the eyes of many of his longtime comrades. Embarrassed by his antics and leery of any lingering allegiances, many of TNA’s competitors were keen to keep Hardy and his checkered past at a safe distance. Undaunted, Hardy embarked upon a sustained campaign of reconciliation with TNA talent and fans, offering his most sincere and heartfelt mea culpa addresses for weeks on end while simultaneously working in the ring to re-establish himself as one of the promotion’s most dynamic and exciting performers.

TNA mainstay Sting, who shared the ring with Hardy at Victory Road, is optimistic regarding the progress Hardy has made since his return to action. In an interview with Fighting Spirit Magazine, “The Icon” balanced sympathy with encouragement in his assessment of Hardy’s current state of mind: “My heart goes out to Jeff, and I’m glad that he’s on the trail back. He seems to be great. I’ve talked to him a couple of times, he seems really, really good and he is remorseful. But he understands that his words mean nothing at this point—time is going to be the only thing.”

Of course, Sting is generally known as a kind-hearted and compassionate sort of guy, so Hardy undoubtedly had a more difficult task seeking forgiveness from others in the lockerroom. Nevertheless, his efforts seem to have garnered approval from some tough customers. TNA honcho Eric Bischoff—a man who is not known for his patience and easy-going demeanor—expressed his enthusiastic support for Hardy with a spirited post on Twitter: “Very impressed with the way Jeff Hardy is handling himself. Taken responsibility, changed his life and is 100% professional.” Even Ken Anderson, who has received more than his share of beatdowns from Jeff—including a bloody head wound and concussion —seemed willing to leave Hardy’s past behavior in the past in an interview with The Sun (U.K): “I [make] no judgments about Jeff Hardy other than the fact that he is a great performer and a hell of a guy.”

Still, not everyone in the TNA lockerroom has been as willing as Sting, Anderson, and Bischoff to let Hardy prove his mettle. Bully Ray, who stepped into Immortal following Hardy’s departure, is anything but moved by the resurrected grappler’s newfound contrition. He recently confronted Jeff before a packed Impact Zone, chastising and lambasting the former champion for his personal and professional struggles. Yet Hardy, who enjoyed the support of most of the fans in attendance, resisted the urge to settle the score with fisticuffs.

Jeff Jarrett, who peppered Hardy with a verbal and physical assault during their brief standoff at Bound For Glory, stalked and taunted Hardy for months after his return to action. Even Karen Jarrett verbally attacked Hardy during a November episode of Impact Wrestling. When Jarrett and Hardy met in a steel cage showdown at Final Resolution, it was Hardy who scored an impressive victory that came with a handful of fringe benefits, including the termination of Karen Jarrett’s contract and a number-one contender’s spot for Robert Roode’s TNA World title.

Now standing on the cusp of a new phase in his career, Hardy is looking forward with a positive outlook and resolute determination. Smiling warmly, he recently addressed the Impact Zone faithful, promising a bright future for his fans and admirers. “I’m going to do everything in my power to make 2012 the most memorable year of my wrestling career,” he beamed.

Ever the enigma, Jeff hasn’t shared any specifics on his grand strategy to reclaim the top spot in TNA. But, with a bold agenda and unmistakable gratitude for a hard-earned second chance, he seems ready to conquer the world of professional wrestling all over again.