What’s the Story?
Raw Tag Team Champion Jeff Hardy joined Colt Cabana on the Art of Wrestling Podcast and talked about the first time he drank and did drugs, his past run with the WWE, his addiction problems, his infamous match with Sting at TNA Victory Road 2011 and how it changed his life.
Jeff said he never drank or did drugs until he turned 22. (Transcriptions from Wrestling INC)
“I was 21. I never drank a beer. Then, around 22, that’s when I started getting crazy, man. It was nuts, man. Back when GHB was, if you remember that whole thing, now it is known as the date rape. That was the first drug I ever did and once you do that, it’s over. It’s over.”
In Case You Didn’t Know
Jeff and Matt Hardy signed with the WWE back in the Attitude Era and rose to fame during their tag team feud with Edge and Christian and The Dudley Boyz in a variety of tables, ladders, and chairs matches. Eventually, Jeff would be released from the WWE in 2002 citing substance abuse issues.
Jeff returned to the WWE in 2006 and would go on to win multiple world titles before he left the company in 2009. In 2008, he would be suspended by the WWE for violating the wellness policy which caused him to miss WrestleMania 24 as a result of a 60-day suspension.
The Heart of the Matter
Jeff would go on to talk about his addiction issues and how they stemmed from his second run in the WWE in 2006.
“It was the schedule, definitely, with the WWE because if you’re on RAW back in, I don’t know, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’09, something like that and if you’re on RAW, you’re basically gone Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, come home Tuesday, and Wednesday and Thursday are your weekends, basically. Do it all again. Then, you’ve got the long haul of the tours, the overseas tours can last up to two week…”
Jeff would also go on to discuss how not having time for any of the things he enjoyed during his second run with the company sent him over the edge.
“If I have this song in my head, I’ve got to record it, get a demo down or something. And motocross was huge for me too and like, building tracks because I love that s**t so much. I never had time for that there and oh my gosh, I think that just drove me over, especially with the opioid addiction with the Vicodin and the somas”
Jeff left the WWE in 2009 and would return to TNA and stay with the company until for several years. Still struggling with his addiction, Jeff’s addiction eventually interfered with his ring work and lead to him being too high to face Sting at TNA Victory Road 2011. Jeff claimed that night with Sting was what helped him overcome his addiction.
“Basically, in a way, in a sick way, that was kind of an eye-opener for me to see that and to feel pitiful for myself. 2012 was one of my best years ever, coming back from that tragedy of a story and just, so basically being on the road so much, I got carried away. The addiction got the best of me.”
What’s Next?
Though Jeff has had no problems with substance abuse since 2011, Jeff still has two strikes in the WWE wellness policy that carried over from his previous runs with the company. If Jeff fails the test a third time, the WWE would be forced to terminate his contract and not re-sign him for a year.
However, the company’s wellness forgiveness program could be used to get one of Jeff’s strikes removed.
Author’s Take
Many wrestlers have struggled with addiction and died from it, so Jeff is very lucky to be where he is today. Not only did he battle back from addiction, but he is still one of the most popular stars in the WWE and could become a top star again soon.
Hopefully, Jeff’s struggles with addiction will help other wrestlers and people with the same issues so that they can learn from it or avoid the problems altogether.
