Matt Hardy Talks TNA's Issues, Vince McMahon Being Close Minded, Rock 'N Roll Express In Apocalypto
Ring Rust Radio interviewed Matt Hardy this week. You can listen to the interview in the video above, they sent us this transcription:
[This Thursday] you will host an entire episode of Impact Wrestling from the Hardy Compound, dubbed Total Non-Stop Deletion. How did this idea come to fruition and how satisfying is it to see the confidence TNA has in your creativity?
"It is going to be the most magnificent event ever known to mankind. Anthem, who is the new majority shareholders for Impact Wrestling now, are looking into new things and new interesting and riveting concepts. I was selected to actually promote and book my own show. It's going to emanate from the Hardy compound. The main event is going to be Apocalypto, a war tag team title match. This match is where myself and Brother Nero must prove that we are the greatest tag team of all space and time. We have invited every great tag team across space and time including champion teams from the Honorable Ring such as the Bucks of Youth and the Vince MeekMahon show we have invited the Day of New. We wanted all these tag teams to come and enjoy with us. We have had one legendary, iconic tag team the Rock 'n Roll Express, they are going to partake in Apocalypto. We have many other surprises in store and even a TNA title of the world match. Many, many matches! King Maxell is going to make his in-ring debut that night as well. It is very rewarding to be allowed to have my broken universe fill the two hours of Impact Wrestling."
You've been doing things that have never been done before in wrestling and consistently putting together the most entertaining segments TNA has to offer, but what do you have to do this time around with Total Nonstop Deletion to not only ensure that it's a success, but to surpass what you did previously with Final Deletion and maintain that positive momentum you've created?
"With Total Nonstop Deletion, my main goal is to give people the two hours of the most fun wrestling they have ever seen. I promise when you watch this show from beginning to end it will be the two hours of the most enjoyable entertainment you have ever seen in professional wrestling. The Apocalypto match, for the fans that loved the Final Deletion, especially the last five or so minutes when they saw the insanity that happened to myself and Brother Nero, you are going to see 50 minutes of that in Apocalypto. I can promise you this, the 50 minutes of Apocalypto, the main event that you will see next Thursday on Impact Wrestling, it will be the most entertaining 50 minutes of professional wrestling or movies that you have seen as long as you can remember, probably your entire life."
At Ring of Honor's Final Battle, a video played calling out the Young Bucks. What does the future hold between the Hardy Boys and the Bucks of Youth and will fans actually see Broken Matt and Brother Nero in an ROH ring?
"As I said before, the seven deities have mandated that myself and Brother Nero prove we are the greatest tag team of all time and space. The Bucks of Youth, I'm going to call them out tomorrow night on Impact Wrestling and going to invite them to Apocalypto and I hope that Sinclair Broadcasting, the owners of the Honorable Ring, that they're willing to realize that everyone needs to participate in this because it is truly great and a chance for these Bucks of Youth to show how great they are. They're one of the hottest tag teams going to this day and age and I invite them to Total Nonstop Deletion and Impact Wrestling and if myself and Brother Nero need to go to the Honorable Ring to kick their ass and show everyone that we are the greatest tag team of all space and time that is what we will do. It is basically a warning shot and who knows, you might see us doing that in the Vince MeekMahon show Monday or Tuesday night."
Sending the video to Ring of Honor has sparked some interest in a working relationship between TNA and Ring of Honor. From your perspective, you've worked for both companies and you have seen how both companies work from both sides of the camera. Do you think a partnership with Ring of Honor and TNA would be beneficial for both companies?
"I honestly think it would. I think if there's a way for these places to work together and it was done smartly and correctly, then yes. I am someone who was able to get on the Final Battle and have Vanguard 1 hack their satellite feed and now a bridge has been built between the companies. The companies have to talk to each other now. All I can do is build a bridge. I can't force people who are in charge or the powers to be to let talents walk back and forth on it. Yes I think if done right it could be very beneficial and I think anything that is new and exciting and fresh in the wrestling industry is a win not only for the company that it exists in, but also the wrestling fans."
Another one of the teams that you've called out before is the New Day (the Day of New), but nobody seems to believe that a team from WWE is going to answer your challenge. Why do you think Vince McMahon is unwilling to do something like that and what would you have to do in order to change his mind?
"I don't know. I have offered it to them and I'm sure in the next week I'm going to be even more intense with the offer. Let's say they would send the Day of the New to Apocalypto and to appear on an Impact Wrestling show. This would be the most grandest, most magnificent Impact Wrestling show of all time. Then maybe Brother Nero and I would go to one of their shows like one of their Raw shows or SmackDown shows. I am willing to do business and I'm willing to play ball with anyone for I am very open minded. It is Vince MeekMahon that is very close minded and afraid to do this so I don't know. Maybe I have to go there personally and get in his face and delete him to change his mind."
There was a stigma surrounding TNA for many years, but you and Jeff have injected new life into the company that has a lot of fans intrigued every week by what you will do. What does that mean to you and why do you think TNA is having trouble elsewhere on the show?
"I just think that the whole issue with TNA is they are having some overall issues with management, but I think we have a new opportunity. I know a lot of people haven't met the Anthem people or the Fight Network people, but I think it is going to do wonders for the company. I think in many, many ways they have a fresh slate as far as management for the company. On the talent side, it is greater than ever. The locker room is extremely talented and I think they are extremely willing to go out there and become the success that they have the potential to be. For me it starts at Total Nonstop Deletion. Like I said, there's going to be so many things that you see in the show that are going to be a first and will blow your mind and that you'll never be expecting. It's going to be shot differently, it's going to look differently, and the fans in the arena are going to look differently as well. This Apocalypto match, and I say this with sincere honesty, I think it's going to be the most entertaining 45 minutes in professional wrestling that anyone has ever seen. This match will change the way people look at the business and it will change how the business evolves going forward in the future."