5 Ways WWE can revive Jeff Hardy's career

Jeff Hardy's WWE run since 2017 hasn't lived up to expectations. While he has enjoyed multiple (brief) runs as a Tag Team Champion on both RAW and SmackDown, he hasn't been too successful on the singles front.

Perhaps the most singles success that Jeff Hardy has had since returning was his Intercontinental Championship reign in 2020. Many fans believe that Jeff Hardy is done in WWE and will never reach the heights he did in 2008-09.

Jeff Hardy is physically past his prime, but in WWE, it only takes a magical moment or two to restore somebody's momentum.

Despite Jeff Hardy being on the losing end of many matches recently, he is still a popular nostalgic act for fans and could have a big role once they return regularly.

Here are five ways WWE can revive Jeff Hardy's career:

#5. Not using Jeff Hardy's past all the time

Jeff Hardy and Sheamus in their bar fight.

When Jeff Hardy returned to WWE in 2020, he began a feud with Sheamus on SmackDown. It was a personal rivalry, with The Celtic Warrior addressing Jeff Hardy's real-life past issues with alcoholism and drug use.

It was uncomfortable for many fans to watch, but Jeff Hardy told The Daily Star that he agreed to the storyline because he knew that there was going to be a positive payoff:

“The stuff with Sheamus that’s happened most recently, I knew there was a great outcome in it. I knew that bar fight was going to be cinematic and good. All the stuff building up to that match, I just knew the outcome was going to be fantastic. And it’s good to face challenges like that because there’s so much negativity in the world.”

While Jeff Hardy has an understandably positive perspective on it, WWE fans felt that the storyline wasn't in good taste. Jeff Hardy's issues have been brought up numerous times on WWE TV, most famously by CM Punk in their early PG era rivalry.

The story was taken overboard regardless of the positive payoff that it had. WWE needs to move on from using Jeff Hardy's real-life issues if they want to revive his career.

#4. A hot winning streak for Jeff Hardy

In WWE, all it takes is a string of good, clean victories to revive a Superstar's momentum, and the same could happen to Jeff Hardy. We've seen certain stars who didn't have good momentum at all suddenly get a surge because of a good string of victories.

Usually, WWE tends to carefully push and protect future Royal Rumble winners by giving them a quiet but slightly noticeable winning streak. While Jeff Hardy doesn't need to (and likely won't) win the Royal Rumble in his career, having a quiet win streak would be a great way to get him back on track.

Fans start to notice Superstars who are winning week after week, and it helps build them up for a future match or push. Jeff Hardy has mostly been on the losing end of matches in his recent run on RAW. But that could change instantly with a good set of wins. It could even lead him into title contention.

#3. A show-stealing performance by Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy with his signature face paint.

While a string of wins in WWE would help Jeff Hardy, it could only be a singular moment that's required to get his momentum back. While it would work better in front of a crowd with an authentic reaction, a show-stealing performance could do wonders in reviving his career.

Think of Kofi Kingston in 2019 or Seth Rollins in 2018. While they were both in different circumstances and weren't having a bad run before, a singular performance changed fans' perception of them.

Both men were always appreciated, as is Jeff Hardy. But a show-stealing performance in their respective gauntlet matches saw fan support propel to a new level.

While the Gauntlet Match season is over for 2021, there could be any other kind of match where Jeff Hardy is allowed to showcase himself and remind fans how talented he truly is. The best part about WWE and wrestling, in general, is that it only takes a moment of magic for something special to begin.

#2. A long creative hiatus for Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy took a long hiatus from 2019 to 2020, and he extended his contract last year, stating that he wants to use "No More Words" once crowds return. Jeff Hardy isn't in the best physical shape of his career and has suffered more injuries from wrestling since 2017 than he did in the previous 17 years.

Bray Wyatt's extensive hiatus from the summer of 2018 until post-WrestleMania 2019 was an example of how a creative hiatus isn't always a bad thing. Braun Strowman had revealed that it also had to do with Bray Wyatt "obsessively" going deep into his new character and shutting himself off from the world.

While Jeff Hardy doesn't need an eight-month hiatus, spending a good time away from WWE television will help create more value when he returns. Hopefully, that will be when the crowds are back so he can get a big pop when he returns.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it applies to Superstars and legends who are away for a long time. Jeff Hardy would benefit from a creative hiatus.

#1. A character change for Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy had a brief character change in the bar fight against Sheamus.

This could be the biggest solution to reviving Jeff Hardy's WWE career. While he is popular with fans, there hasn't been any change or character development in the last four years.

It's largely just been Jeff Hardy using his legend status and toned-down moveset in the ring. While we don't blame Jeff Hardy for having to tone down his in-ring style as he grows older, a character change is perhaps the most important thing.

The greatest wrestlers always adjust with age, and this might be the time for Jeff Hardy to focus on a more character-oriented direction over a flashy moveset in the ring. His IMPACT Wrestling run as Brother Nero was a huge success (largely due to Matt Hardy), and it proved that a character change could do wonders.

Whether it's a heel turn or simply an evolution, Jeff Hardy needs a change in personality and character. If there's going to be one last shot at the World Title gold, then that will be required.

Meet Randy Orton's lovely wife HERE