We’ve covered the issues between Matt Hardy and Anthem Entertainment/Impact Wrestling eight ways to Sunday. But in the months since Matt and his brother Jeff left the former TNA, we haven’t seen a Tweet from House Hardy quite like this one.
Impact is, as you know, claiming ownership of the “Broken” gimmick Matt rolled out on their programming last year. Hardy says it’s his intellectual property. No one seems to know what his contract states (other than it likely doesn’t say “anything you come up with working for us is yours”, or we’d be enjoying the characters like a plate of piquant green beans on Raw every week).
While public communication from the company to the Hardys has been cordial, Matt and his wife Reby have been pretty blunt - some might even say crass - in their responses.
Which is why Matt’s Tweet from earlier this morning (May 16) is noteworthy.
It comes in response to a fan’s response to a message from Impact producer Dutch Mantell. Here’s the thread:
@DirtyDMantell @IMPACTWRESTLING @EdNordholm For the love of God, please come to agreement with Matt and Reby. Fans want it. You stand to benefit from the overflow exposure. Do it.
— The Nefarious (@MmmchelleMyBell) May 16, 2017
They have a chance to. Hope they do the right thing. I adore most people there.. Hope a couple of bad apples don't spoil the bunch for them. https://t.co/kTr3smTxix
— #TheTruthTeller MMH (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 16, 2017
The “bad apples” are probably frequent Hardy targets Jeff Jarrett and Ed Nordholm, but still! In addition to the civil tone, Matt also alludes to ‘a chance’. Could that be the rumored settlement?
Or is this just a sign Matt’s noticed public opinion isn’t as staunchly on his side as it was a month or so back (check some of the other responses to that fan’s Tweet, or comments on our last Hardy post for examples of a pro-TNA, or at least “get over it Matt” sentiment)?
We’ll see.