What’s the story?
In a recent edition of Pro Wrestling Shoots, Matt Hardy spoke about his real-life altercation with Brock Lesnar.
Hardy revealed that he and his brother Jeff were amongst the Superstars against whom Brock Lesnar worked several matches in the early phase of his WWE career.
He stated that Vince McMahon and the WWE agents were very high on Lesnar and knew he going to be a huge deal down the line. Hardy explained that although his initial experiences with the Beast were cordial, Lesnar flipped out at him after a botched chair-shot in one of the matches that they worked with one another.
In case you didn’t know...
Brock Lesnar worked with the WWE from 2000-04; returned to the company in 2012 and has been working as a part-timer for the company ever since. Meanwhile, Matt and Jeff Hardy have performed for the WWE since the mid-1990s, besides, besides leaving and re-joining WWE multiple times till date.
The heart of the matter
Matt went on to explain that he was due for a big push from the WWE at the same time when Brock Lesnar was being pushed as the company’s top star, and the Beast would go on to have a backstage altercation with him.
Matt explained that when he was doing well for himself on SmackDown, Brock had this angle on TV, when Big Show and Paul (Heyman) had screwed him out of the title. He recollected a main event he was working with Brock, a 12-minute match that was supposed to be really good and competitive, with Lesnar booked to win after landing the F5.
He added:
“And I remember Brock kept coming back down the course of the day and he was like ‘Nah, you’re getting a little too much’. ‘This needs to come out’. ‘We need changes’ and so and so, ‘…because that makes me look weak’.”
He asserted that Brock’s changed behaviour didn’t sit well with him, and revealed that he may have lost his temper a bit, and legitimately cracked Lesnar with a chair shot in the segment that was followed by a brief match. Matt continued on what happened backstage after the match-
“I know he (Lesnar) wants to kill me (and) I just remember him coming back like a gorilla. He’s like ‘What the f***?’ ‘Why the f*** did you hit me in the head?’”’
Matt stated that it was Vince McMahon who asked Fit Finlay to calm Lesnar down, and diffuse the situation. He added that Lesnar was always safe while working with him after the incident, and alluded to the fact that the Beast is a consummate professional.
What’s next?
Matt and Jeff Hardy will challenge Sheamus and Cesaro for the RAW Tag Team Championships at Great Balls of Fire on July 9th.
Author’s take
Not everyone can say they took on a Beast by its horns and escaped Suplex City to tell the tale. Well, kudos to Matt or rather should I say Vince McMahon and Fit Finlay for nipping the fight in the bud. Pro-wrestling is a wild world!
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