Ring Rust Radio with Jeff Hardy
Hosts: Donald Wood, Mike Chiari, and Brandon Galvin
Audio available at Blogtalkradio.com/ringrustradio
On returning to the ring: I’ve been wrestling now for about seven matches, and in each match, I do a little bit more than before. I have a torn PCL, but I have a really good brace and I feel real safe in the ring. After each match, I do a little bit more than before. For example, I did a swanton a couple of weeks ago and crushed Matt in the process. I push myself a little more each time, and Tuesday I’m really going to push myself to new limits as far as the injury and where I can go and what I can and can’t do. I’m just mentally prepared, physically prepared and just glad to be back in the mix.
On Matt Hardy’s success as a heel and his role in TNA: He has just such a great mind. Behind the scenes, he has such a great mind for the business and pro wrestling is his life. He really does live and breathe it. It’s what he is all about. You can really tell in social media with the videos of him with his wife and son and the photos and videos they put up are just hilarious. He is such a great heel, and he is better than he’s ever been and I’m looking forward to another Jeff Hardy versus Matt Hardy match, even though it’s a little bit of a different scenario this time.
On his interest in the X Division Title: Not really especially now with how I had to modify myself quite a bit after getting hurt. Those guys are just too intense for me. If I have the surgery and I’m 100 percent I wouldn’t mind getting back in that groove and style of wrestling. I’ll leave the highflying and flipping to those guys.
On his surgically repaired leg: It’s been rough. I broke it April 28th of last year so almost a year ago now. End of April this year I’m going to get the rod out of my tibia and hopefully it’s going to help with some of the pain that’s going on in my knee because it’s starting to come out a little bit. Once I get that taken out, I’m going to leave my PCL alone and just continue to work with brace as long as I can. Right now it’s still good and holding up. If I could show you how my knee looks now and how it moves you would think, “Wow, how are you even walking?” It’s crazy how stable it is but the brace is really good and I’m going to wrestle with that as long as I can. Having that PCL surgery is just like the ACL surgery where it is 6 to 9 months I’ll be out of action.
On head injuries and his interest in donating his brain for medical research: My wife read where Kevin Nash announced that and I said, ‘Oh, my God, I have to do that.’ I for sure will do whatever it takes and I would love to be a part of that. It’s a huge serious issue in wrestling. I’ve rung my bells so many times especially back in the day when chair shots to the head were legal. My goodness, I took so many of those. Luckily, I’m only aware of about two or three concussions that I have had but there’s really no way of telling how many overall. When Nash announced he was doing that I was on board and I didn’t know that RVD did as well. That really inspired me to do the same thing.
On whether there’s been something beyond Jeff Hardy and Willow that he’s wanted to try: Not really but it was a dream come true when they gave me the chance to be Willow because that’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Back in the Omega days, Willow was my main character because back then Jeff Hardy and Willow were completely different. They didn’t do the same moves but it is a little harder now that I’m older. Bringing it to TNA and bringing it to life was just so cool to see and I don’t think you’ve seen the last of Willow for sure. He could very easily pop up on the live show this week. I think the time is perfect for it and we can give the people both Jeff Hardy and Willow.
On his long-term goals with Impact Wrestling and the possibility of another TNA Title run in his future: For sure yeah, I am going to drive myself crazy until I win that world title. Actually, I would love somewhere down the road before my time is done with TNA to team up with Matt again and win the tag team titles. When I broke my leg, we had just won the titles and we didn’t even get to defend them. I was also the Omega champion at that same time and I just had to give it up. So I would like to try to make up for things from when I got hurt. By far I want to be the world champion again and tag-team champion again with big money Matt, even as arrogant as he is.
On re-signing with TNA and whether he plans to continue wrestling after his deal expires: I don’t know, it’s hard to say especially with this injury. Right now I’m taking it match by match. It was an obvious choice and I didn’t hesitate to re-sign because I owe it to them. I’ve been riding all my life and it was a bad thing to do to get hurt outside of the ring. It really hurt TNA with me being a main player in the game and out of action. I just felt like I owed it to them, a good year of strong wrestling. I hope things happen for a reason because now it’s really challenged me to up my style and I’ve learned a lot about myself since I’ve been injured. I’ve been lucky considering this is my first serious injury I’ve ever had. It really has been hell but it’s also been good in a way with Matt doing so well and being on top. For future and long term, I am focused on getting through here and right now and maybe check out options next year about this time.
On eventually being inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame and who he would like to induct him: I’m not really a popular fan of the whole Hall of Fame thing. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs and I don’t feel deserving a lot of times. It would probably be something like they would induct me and I deny it and say I don’t deserve it. Ultimately, if it had to happen Eddie Vedder would be really cool if he could come in and induct me. I mean Billy Corgan did induct Earl Hebner.
Be the first to comment