Matt Hardy Recalls a Bizarre Hazing Incident Involving The Undertaker: A Journey Back to WWE’s Wild West Days
In the unpredictable world of WWE’s Attitude Era, chaos was the norm, and behind the scenes antics often mirrored the extreme motion that happened in the ring. Among the numerous stories of hazing and “difficult love” that have surfaced through the years, one specially bizarre incident stands proud, involving none other than Matt and Jeff Hardy, and the legendary Undertaker. Matt Hardy currently shared this jaw-dropping experience during a live edition of his podcast, The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, at the 90s Wrestling Con, dropping light on a moment that completely encapsulates the unpredictable locker room lifestyle of that technology.
The Hardy Boyz: Young Guns in a Ruthless Locker Room
In the mid-90s, Matt and Jeff Hardy have been simply beginning to make their mark in WWE as enhancement talent. Their younger exuberance and high-flying moves quickly made them fan favorites, but their upward thrust to repute wasn’t with out its demanding situations. The WWE locker room became notoriously tough to navigate, especially for rookies. Veterans of the game, frequently with a rough demeanor, took it upon themselves to provoke the newbies via a series of pranks and hazing rituals, ensuring that the following era “earned” their spot.
One such veteran was John “Bradshaw” Layfield (JBL), a person regarded for his hard processes and penchant for hazing. According to Matt Hardy, JBL changed into a grasp of this artwork, constantly prepared to remind the more youthful stars of their region.
A Flight Delay Leads to a Harrowing Ordeal
It turned into throughout their early days on the street that Matt and Jeff Hardy observed themselves on the wrong facet of JBL’s wrath. As Matt acknowledged, the brothers were on their third week of a grueling ten-day stretch, traveling from city to city for live events. Unfortunately, a flight cancellation left them scrambling to make it to a show in San Antonio, Texas, on time. Despite notifying the show’s producer, Jack Lanza, about their delay, the Hardys couldn’t shake their nerves as they walked into the venue.
“We’re so sorry, guys, our flight was canceled, we got here as fast as we could,” Matt recalled saying to the locker room, only to be met with a chilling response from JBL. “Well, hell, The Hardyz have been on the road for three weeks… They think they’re more important than The Undertaker, than the Stone Colds, than all the other top stars here because they just show up whenever the hell they want to.”
It was clear that JBL saw this as an opportunity to teach the young stars a lesson they wouldn’t forget.
The Unexpected Encounter with The Undertaker
As if the verbal lashing from JBL wasn’t enough, the Hardys were then directed to a locker room where they were met with an unexpected sight: The Undertaker, naked and preparing for his match. “We go, ‘Oh my god, we’re so sorry,’” Matt recounted, his voice still tinged with disbelief. But this was no accident. JBL, in a cruel twist, had deliberately sent the brothers into the room to further humiliate them.
The Undertaker, known for his intimidating presence both in and out of the ring, only added to the tension. “’Taker said, ‘Yeah, go ahead. Have a seat,’” Matt continued. Trapped in the room with the imposing figure of The Undertaker, the Hardys had no choice but to quickly change into their gear while the Deadman looked on, unblinking and unmoved by their discomfort.
A Final Humiliation: The Missing Bags
After surviving their stumble upon with The Undertaker and completing their healthy, the Hardys lower back to the locker room, only to find their bags missing. Panic set in as they searched the room, however there has been no signal in their assets. It wasn’t till Road Dogg, every other WWE veteran, pulled them apart that they found out the truth. Their bags have been tossed into a dumpster as a part of the continuing hazing ritual. Thankfully, Road Dogg reassured them that the luggage were secured, sparing their belongings from any real harm.
However, there was a capture: the Hardys had to preserve these records to themselves to avoid getting Road Dogg into problem with “the boys.”
H/t to Fightful
