Booker T Thinks AEW Bears Some Responsibility For Jeff Hardy’s Recent Issues

Booker T believes that AEW should have "some responsibility to bear" when it comes to Jeff Hardy's recent DUI arrest.

Hardy was arrested yesterday morning in Volusia County, FL., his third DUI in 10 years. During his "Hall Of Fame" podcast Booker weighed in on the situation saying this incident and the one with Sunny, who was arrested for vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol, are examples of "how serious addiction really is."

Booker pointed out that Hardy is "one of those guys" who has been dealing with issues for "quite some time," with the former WWE Superstar often being open about his struggles in the past. But this situation made Booker say, "wow," due to the potentially serious ramifications.

"It's public as far as Jeff Hardy's struggles with addiction," he said. "Man, it's sad because this is serious ... a class three felony, he could face up to five years in prison, and that right there just makes it a little bit different."

Just as he did in regards to Sunny, Booker made it clear he doesn't wish jail time "on anybody," and  he has seen people commenting to claim "AEW didn't put the drink in his hand." But for the two-time WWE Hall Of Famer, you have to "go back and look at the compilation of death-defying dives" that Hardy has "pulled off since arriving in AEW."

"I'm a tell you right there, pain comes along with that," he said on Hardy's bumps. "When you got pain, a lot of times you will go and drink, take drugs to numb the pain, therefore, damn it, I just relapsed. Did he try to do it? Probably not, but that's what people with addiction do."

Right now, the future of Hardy in AEW is unknown as no official comment has been made by the company, but Booker said "I hope not" when asked if he wants to see Hardy in the ring again soon. That is a message that Booker had after Jeff's most recent WWE departure, which came to end in controversial circumstances.

Hardy left a match at a live event just before the finish, jumping over the barricade to walk away through the fans, which led to WWE demanding he takes a drug test and goes to rehab. It has since been stated by Matt Hardy that the test results all came back clean, and he then got to work for AEW.

Booker T made it clear that "it's not about his wrestling" anymore, however, wrestling is "something that is going to be there for him" as "the fans love Jeff Hardy." Booker knows that the wrestling audience is "going to support him," so now he would like to see him focus on his health.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "Hall Of Fame" podcast with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.