The Odd Gimmick That Nearly Tanked The Hardy Boyz You Probably Forgot About

During the late 1990s, one of the most popular factions of the Attitude Era was none other than the Brood, which featured Edge, Christian, and Gangrel showcasing a fresh vampiric gimmick and bringing a new level of grunge to "WWE Raw." However, many fans often forget that one of the greatest tag teams in wrestling history joined the New Brood in 1999, when Jeff and Matt Hardy partnered with Gangrel after Edge and Christian departed from the group. Unfortunately, The Hardy Boyz failed to be suitable replacements for the Canadian duo, with the New Brood being remembered as one of WWE's most embarrassing projects of that era. 

Throughout wrestling history, most stars who attempt to fill the shoes of an original faction member struggle to replicate the success before them, with fans being unwilling to view the group differently than its initial form, and it was no different for the New Brood. When the first iteration of the Brood started in 1998, WWE's goal was to elevate Gangrel, but it would be Edge and Christian who benefited the most from the faction, leaving the company no choice but to push them to the top of the tag team division. Therefore, when Jeff and Matt appeared alongside Gangrel, it felt like a parody rather than a second coming of the group, but nothing seemed to be more damaging than turning The Hardy Boyz heel.

Before joining the New Brood, Jeff and Matt were two of the most beloved stars on WWE's roster, and trying to force the audience to boo a tag team that was universally liked only made it more difficult for the second version of the faction to resonate with fans. Additionally, part of what made The Hardy Boyz special was their outgoing personas and high-flying ability, but being part of the New Brood required them to tone down the best parts of their gimmick. Thankfully, WWE realized it was a poor decision to have Jeff and Matt join the New Brood and would turn them babyface just two months after aligning with Gangrel.