The TNA legend credits its lasting success to connecting with multiple generations
Summary
– Matt Hardy told Busted Open that he and Jeff Hardy may be more popular now than ever before
– Hundreds of fans waited beyond their scheduled WrestleCon signing times to meet them
– Matt believes their continued success comes from creating new moments instead of relying only on nostalgia
Matt Hardy believes he and Jeff Hardy may be experiencing the most popular period of their legendary careers.
During an interview with Busted Open, Hardy discussed The Hardys’ enduring appeal and their ability to connect with wrestling fans across several generations. The show’s hosts also placed Matt and Jeff in the conversation for the greatest tag team of all time.
While many legendary teams are closely associated with one particular era, The Hardys have remained major attractions for nearly three decades.
Matt pointed to their recent WrestleCon appearance in Minneapolis as evidence of their continued popularity. The brothers remained beyond their scheduled signing times on both days because hundreds of fans were still waiting to meet them.
On the second day, organizers reportedly needed to clear the original venue and moved the remaining fans into another room so Matt and Jeff could complete the signing.
“It’s crazy, no doubt,” Matt told Busted Open. “We were just at WrestleCon in Minneapolis, and both days we stayed overtime.”
The turnout showed Matt how successfully The Hardys have connected with different generations of wrestling fans.
Some supporters watched the brothers become stars during WWE’s Attitude Era. Others discovered them through their later runs and continued work in promotions such as TNA.
Matt believes their ability to remain active and continue creating memorable moments has helped their popularity grow rather than fade over time.
He looked back at the 1999 ladder match against Edge and Christian at No Mercy, which helped change the direction of tag team wrestling. The Hardys continued building their reputation through increasingly dangerous matches, including the Tables Match in 2000 and the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matches that followed.
Those performances established Matt and Jeff as two of the most fearless wrestlers of their generation.
However, Matt does not believe their current popularity exists only because fans remember what they accomplished during WWE’s Attitude Era.
During the Busted Open interview, he also highlighted the work The Hardys have produced more recently. Matt referenced their final match against The Dudleys in 2025 and their Wicked Garden rivalry with The Righteous in 2026.
“It speaks volumes because there are great moments,” Matt said. “You can look back at 1999, where Jeff and I were doing groundbreaking stuff like the No Mercy 1999 tag team ladder match.”
He then connected those historic matches to the new material The Hardys are still producing today.
The brothers are not limiting themselves to autograph appearances, reunions, or celebrations of their past. They remain active performers who continue to take risks and introduce new chapters to a career already filled with memorable moments.
That willingness to keep evolving has allowed longtime supporters to celebrate their history while giving younger viewers new reasons to follow them.
Matt also joked during the Busted Open conversation that he and Jeff could remain active long enough to retire wrestlers who have not even been born yet.
“We’re retiring kids that are going to be born nowadays,” Matt said. “We’re both feeling good and rocking on like a million bucks, man.”
The comment reflected The Hardys’ unusual longevity.
They began as young daredevils seeking recognition before becoming one of the most influential teams in wrestling history. Nearly three decades later, they can still attract massive crowds and generate excitement wherever they appear.
Their dangerous wrestling style helped build their reputation, but their willingness to reinvent themselves has allowed that popularity to endure across several eras.
Matt and Jeff Hardy are now established legends who remain active participants in the wrestling industry rather than performers returning only to revisit their greatest moments.
Their history continues to attract longtime fans, while their current work introduces The Hardys to another generation.
Matt and Jeff have already secured their place among wrestling’s greatest tag teams. Based on the response they continue receiving, Matt believes they may be more popular now than at any other point in their careers.
