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Jeff Hardy is one of the most popular wrestlers in the history of the business. He is just one of those guys who will stay over with the fans no matter how much time passes. He has been a topic of discussion though since his move to AEW earlier this year.
Over the course of the past couple of months, it has become apparent that he is no longer capable of being the performer that he once was, and understandably so, considering how long he has been in the business and how much punishment he has taken. Unfortunately, the current version of Hardy is pretty limited in the ring.
That was not the case over a decade ago though when he was in the middle of his second run in TNA. Back then, Hardy was in the middle of his prime and fresh off of a run in the WWE as one of their top babyfaces. He would also undergo a shocking heel turn there and that character had a world of potential. Ultimately though, it turned out to be nothing more than another missed opportunity for TNA.
The Lead Up To Jeff Hardy's Heel Turn Was Very Intriguing
TNA had turned over to a new page in 2010 and the company had more star power than ever before during that period of time. Not only was Hardy, who was one of the top babyfaces in wrestling at that time, in the company, but they had also brought in the likes of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Eric Bischoff, Rob van Dam, and Mr. Anderson, while already having stars like Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Kevin Nash, Sting, Abyss, Jeff Jarrett and several others on their roster.
While now forgotten, at that point in time, many felt that TNA had the potential to be a competition to the WWE one day. They even went head-to-head with RAW for a short while, even though that move failed.
The main storyline in TNA back in 2010 revolved around Abyss claiming that 'they' would be coming on their 10/10/10 pay per view event, Bound For Glory. There was a lot of intriguing about who 'they' were and ultimately, it ended up with Hardy turning heel in the main event against Angle and Anderson, to join forces with Hogan and Bischoff.
The Anti-Christ of Wrestling
Hardy would call his new heel persona the 'Anti-Christ of Professional Wrestling'. It was certainly the most interesting gimmick of his career, as he turned his back on the fans and his high-flying ways, and instead went for a more methodical style of wrestling.
It is hard not to draw the comparisons with Cactus Jack turning his back on hardcore in ECW. Hardy's promos changed and so did his work in the ring. It was clear that TNA was completely behind him as they gave him his custom World Heavyweight Championship.
On paper, the Anti-Christ of Wrestling was a pretty good idea and probably something that Hardy needed to do, having never really played a heel during the course of his career until that point.
Why Jeff Hardy's Heel Turn Did Not Work In TNA
While the idea of Hardy undergoing a transformation as a heel was good, there were multiple reasons why it did not work. The first is the fact that there was just too much going on storyline-wise, as people turned heel and face constantly, for the focus to be solely on Hardy.
Secondly, it was pretty clear from the very beginning that with Immortal, TNA was trying to recapture the magic of the NWO, which had been the hottest thing in wrestling in the 1990s. Unfortunately, that era was gone and the idea of the NWO itself had been run into the ground for a long time, with many even feeling that they had overstayed their welcome in WCW.
Finally, Hardy's natural charisma was just too much to overcome. While booed at the beginning of his heel run, the fans started to cheer him again soon.
The Infamous Victory Road Incident And The End of Heel Hardy
Victory Road 2011 has gone down as one of the most controversial events in wrestling history. In the main event, Sting and Hardy faced off each other for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. But apparently, Hardy appeared at the event in an intoxicated state and was in no condition to perform.
As a result, an audible was called, with Sting pinning Hardy by force to finish the match in under two minutes.
Hardy would be sent home after this and when he would return to TNA television later that year, he would ask for the fans' forgiveness, thereby bringing an end to his run as a heel.
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