Why did Jeff Hardy leave WWE in 2009?

Jeff Hardy’s 2009 departure caught many people by surprise. He was immensely popular with large sections of the audience (just listen to the reactions he got during his 2006-2009 run) and was enjoying considerable success during his first run as a real main eventer.

He was so popular, in fact, that he frequently rubbed shoulders with guys like John Cena and Triple H and even the Undertaker in main-event-level matches.

So why did he disappear from WWE in 2009?

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Jeff was a mainstay of WWE's tag team division for several years

Early success and first departure

Jeff Hardy’s first major WWE run lasted between 1998 and 2003. For four of those five years, Jeff teamed with his brother, Matt. Together, the Hardy Boyz were one of the best and most exciting tag teams in the world, setting new standards for all tag team that would follow them. Their matches with the likes of Edge & Christian and the Dudley Boyz have become the stuff of legend among diehard wrestling fans.

The Hardys split in mid-2002, with Matt going to SmackDown and Jeff staying on RAW. He wrestled mainly in the mid-card, feuding with the likes of Rob Van Dam and Christian for lower-card titles. Jeff Hardy left WWE in late April 2003 for a number of reasons.

Although Jeff himself said that it was due to him being burned out due to WWE’s taxing schedule, there were other problems as well.

Wrestling observers and those close to the situation noted that Jeff was displaying ‘erratic behaviour’, which included problems with his in-ring performance, no-showing events, drug use and refusal to enter rehab. As a result, Jeff left WWE and spent three years wrestling on the independent scene as well as in TNA.

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Jeff's return in 2006 was met with virtually universal approval

2006 return

Jeff Hardy returned to WWE in August of 2006 and his debut was met with roaring approval. Hardy jumped back into the same spot as he was in before as if he had never left the company in the first place.

He experienced immense success as a singles wrestler, winning multiple championships and accolades between 2006 and 2009. This included two reigns as World Champion, which only further proved how popular he was with WWE’s audience.

However, this run itself was not without its problems as well. Hardy was suspended for 30 days in 2008 or violating WWE’s Wellness Policy, which caused him to miss WrestleMania XXIV. Prior to that suspension, Hardy was one of the men booked for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match and was actually rumoured to be the scheduled winner before he was suspended.

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The feud between CM Punk and Jeff Hardy did have a lot of personal elements that made it feel very real

2009 departure

Jeff Hardy’s final match in WWE until 2017 was a Steel Cage Match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Hardy challenged then-champion CM Punk for the title, with the added stipulation that Hardy would have to leave WWE if he lost. In the end, Hardy did lose, and was forced to leave the company.

But unlike regular ‘loser leaves X’ matches, this one was real, and was based on Jeff Hardy legitimately leaving the company once again. But this time it wasn’t necessarily due to Hardy’s personal habits or attitude. Instead, Jeff Hardy, like many wrestlers, wanted time off to heal nagging injuries.

Not only was he dealing with a neck injury, but he was also suffering from two herniated disks and Restless Leg Syndrome, which is a condition that creates a strong urge to move’s one leg when not moving, which causes serious sleep problems.

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The Broken Hardys were the funniest and most entertaining wrestling characters of 2016

Return to TNA and independent work

After this second WWE run, Hardy spent the next seven years or so with TNA. During this period, Hardy experienced considerable highs and lows. On one hand, he won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship three times, the TNA World Tag Team titles twice, and several other titles and accomplishments as well.

He was also instrumental in the ‘Broken Matt’ saga that brought TNA considerable attention from wrestling fans, as his war with his brother Matt and their wacky antics brought the company some much-needed attention.

On the other hand, Jeff’s work in TNA was hit or miss, as some of his actual in-ring work left a lot to be desired. The worst example of this was his ‘match’ at Victory Road 2011 against Sting.

Jeff was scheduled to face Sting in the main event, but was so intoxicated (no one’s sure on what exactly), that Sting and Eric Bischoff had to improvise both the match and the finish, which led to one of the worst wrestling matches of the past decade or more. This led to Hardy being sent home for his actions, and wouldn’t return to TNA programming until five months later.

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Jeff's return earlier this year hasn't been as good as it could've been

2017 return

Jeff Hardy made a surprise return at WrestleMania 33 alongside his brother Matt in a 4-team Fatal-4-Way Ladder Match for the RAW Tag Team Championships, which they won at the event. The duo returned with their old Hardyz music, even though Matt was making obvious references to his ‘Broken Matt’ gimmick.

The duo was set to become a fixture of the RAW tag team division, but these plans were halted when Jeff Hardy suffered a shoulder injury that has sidelined him for up to six months.

Although he’s still on the injured list, Hardy’s set to return in the coming months, possibly to set up a feud for WrestleMania. If this happens, you can guarantee that fans will cheer loudly as Jeff is still one of the most popular wrestlers on the WWE roster.