Matt Hardy Says There Was More Wiggle Room On WWE Smackdown Under Vince McMahon

If there's one thing that's been well documented about WWE creative over the years, it's been Executive Chairman Vince McMahon's hands-on approach. 

But on a recent episode of "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" podcast, Matt Hardy explained that things felt a little different on "WWE SmackDown."

"'SmackDown' was kind of like the sentimental favorite to a lot of people," Hardy said. "Because, like, 'Raw' was definitely Vince's baby, and it was the flagship show. So he was very hands-on with that. And I feel like people could get away with a little more on 'SmackDown.'"

Prior to being drafted back to "WWE Raw" on April 13, 2009, Hardy was nearing the end of a personal feud with his brother Jeff. The feud was so personal that it culminated in an "I Quit" match at Backlash. Jeff got the better of his older brother that day, forcing him to quit just after the 20-minute mark. As it happens, having the Hardy Boyz go on respective singles runs was always part of the plan. 

Being back on "Raw," though, meant dealing with a more hands-on McMahon again.

"Vince had a vision for Raw," he added. "And he knew exactly what he wanted to do. SmackDown, it was a little more, there was a little bit more wiggle room in there to do your own thing." Hardy's run on "Raw" didn't last long, however, as he was traded back to "SmackDown" on June 29.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.