The Hardy Boyz may be WWE Hall of Famers, but their AEW run left them frustrated — and they told D-Von Dudley as much. Speaking on the October 23 episode of the Duke LovesRasslin podcast, Dudley revealed that Matt and Jeff Hardy privately complained to him about their treatment while they were still with Tony Khan’s company.
Dudley, himself a WWE Hall of Famer, didn’t mince words: of all the teams he thought would be used properly in AEW, the Hardys were the last ones he expected to end up sidelined.
The Hardy Boyz (Credits: Ringside News)
D-Von Dudley: Hardy Boyz Told Him About AEW Frustrations
Dudley’s comments targeted a pattern he says he’s noticed across AEW: established wrestlers arrive with major momentum, get hot starts, and then quietly disappear from television. “You know, they start off great and hot in the very beginning and then all of a sudden it’s like they’re not used anymore,” he said.
“The one team that I never thought I would see that happen to and it did. And I spoke to them personally and they were telling me about their frustration were the Hardy Boys,” Dudley added.
Dudley also revealed that during visits to AEW — where he was exploring the possibility of working as a producer — he heard other wrestlers discussing how they weren’t being used on television and were spending their time backstage instead.
A Familiar Criticism of AEW’s Roster Management
The Hardys’ alleged frustrations fit a long-running debate about AEW’s bloated roster. With one of the deepest talent pools in wrestling history, consistent TV time for everyone has always been the promotion’s central booking challenge — and veterans arriving from WWE have repeatedly been cited as the most visible casualties.
For Matt and Jeff Hardy, the story has a fitting epilogue: both are now back where their legacy was built. The Hardys were recently announced for House of Glory’s December 11 event, keeping their schedule full. But Dudley’s revelation is a reminder that even legendary status doesn’t guarantee screen time — in any promotion.
Also Read: Matt Hardy Says Jeff Hardy Might Take Time Off to Deal With Neck Injury and TNA iMPACT Draws 252,000 Viewers on October 15, Up Nearly 18%
Source: Ringside News — read the full story there.
