TNA Star Jeff Hardy Addresses Inspiration For Extreme Style

The wrestling world hasn't been the same since Jeff Hardy arrived on the scene in the 1990s, with the Charismatic Enigma carving out a legacy as one of the greatest daredevils in the history of the business. He has jumped off of ladders, fallen through tables, and been hit with chairs to the point where the fact that he is still performing for TNA Wrestling is a borderline miracle. During a recent interview on "Busted Open Radio," Hardy opened up about some of his earliest inspirations, both aesthetically and in the ring. 

"At first it was definitely Sting and The Ultimate Warrior," Hardy said. "Sting was NWA, Ultimate Warrior was my WWE guy, and the face paint, that's where all it came from from that inspiration. I never understood why they did it, I would hear them say like 'it's war paint' or something and I was like 'I don't know they do it, I just love it, it's so cool.'" 

Hardy explained that he wanted to make people feel the way Sting made him feel, especially after not only seeing The Icon perform live when he was 12 years old but also getting to touch him on the shoulder as he made his entrance. This has since led to Hardy painting his own body for his matches, something that he is very proud of as he believes he's taken it to the next level. By the time Hardy got into the business, styles had evolved and changed to the point where he had a new set of inspirations. 

"When I saw Rey Mysterio and Psicosis, the original feud in the original ECW, that really changed my perspective on everything as well, and from Japan, Jushin Thunder Liger was a huge inspiration."

Please credit "Busted Open Radio" when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.