On a recent edition of his “The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy” podcast, Matt Hardy recalled battling Sting for the TNA World Championship, his conversations with the WCW icon about the Jeff Hardy Victory Road incident, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On where his 2011 TNA World Title Match with Sting ranks in his career: “That was cool. I mean, to have a one-on-one with a guy that was one of your favorites growing up, very very cool. I mean, and I get that now that I have done that with a lot of younger guys you know (laughs). But like Sting was on such a level for so long in NWA and WCW. Then to be at TNA in a different environment and work with different guys. So yeah, it was cool. Once again, I think whenever — Adam Copeland just came in and he got to team with Sting, and he got to interact with Sting and do things, it was very cool to him. It’s just very — it’s cool, and I think we realize it because we’ve had younger guys tell us how much it means to them. It’s like they’re checking something off their bucket list because they get to work with us. Still, it does to us too because I think in your heart if you feel young and you’re still a fan at heart, it’s still very cool to work with someone and compete with them on the same level. When you grew up watching them as a child it’s just; it’s a big thing.”
On if he ever spoke with Sting about the Jeff Hardy Victory Road incident: “No, I mean even after I was first, when he first came into AEW and just getting to speak with him, know him well and talk to him on a different level he said he’s always loved Jeff. He’s made mistakes, I’ve made plenty of mistakes in the past as well, you know. It was a mistake and he said, ‘I love him.’ He’s like a good dude, he has a good soul, and you could tell. He loves him so much you know. That was his mentality towards all that, you know. He’s real good man, like he’s in a place where he has a very strong base in religion and he believes in forgiveness, that people deserve second chances. And you know, just because someone who’s a good soul or good person, if they make a mistake even a couple times, that they’re still worth redeeming. I really like that, it’s very very optimistic. Very much something that makes me love Sting so much. Something that really inspired me too. To always be very forgiving towards everyone.”
