Jeff Hardy Discusses Addiction Problems, His Match With Sting

This might have been the company’s low point. “Impact Wrestling” is currently undergoing some major changes in an effort to get rid of a lot of their negative reputation. One moment that caused that reputation was the ending of “Victory Road 2011” where Jeff Hardy came to the ring completely intoxicated and was beaten in less than ninety seconds to end the show. While that was a major low point, Hardy has some new thoughts on the event.

Hardy recently appeared on the “Art of Wrestling” podcast to discuss his substance issues with “Victory Road 2011” in particular. The show, which was over six years ago, still seems to haunt Hardy, who says it still comes up over and over again. Hardy calls it an eye opener, which helped him in the end. Here are his comments with transcription courtesy of Wrestlinginc.com:

“2011, with Sting, I was taking somas and I went out there f–ked up, and, man, I couldn’t even wrestle. For the first time in my life, I went too far. I couldn’t wrestle my idol, basically, Sting, and he had to do the right thing and shut me down and pin me; that deal with Sting, man, honestly, was the best thing that ever could have happened to me to straighten my ass up. That was my eye-opener, for the rest of my life, it was that night with Sting.

“And, man, I love him so much. He was so great after that and coming back in the best shape of my life in 2012, whenever that was when I won [TNA’s] world title again or whatever. 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 go carried away. The addiction got the best of me.”

You cna listen to the whole interview here.

Opinion: I was one of the people who wanted Hardy fired for the incident and I’d still say the same today. That was something that would have gotten almost anyone else fired on the spot and in any competently run company would have never made it to the arena. Now that being said, if that’s what woke him up and helped get him away from some of his issues, it’s a very good thing and one of the best things that ever could have happened to him.