AEW star Matt Hardy discussed a variety of topics on the latest episode of the “Extreme Life of Matt Hardy” podcast.
During the podcast, Hardy discussed reports that AEW Dark and AEW Dark: Elevation are being canceled ahead of the June debut of AEW Collision, a new Saturday show.
Dark and Elevation going away:
“I just saw this today. I didn’t know — I had heard at one point they were going to tape like two weeks worth of Elevation and two weeks worth of ROH, and then back and forth. But that’s pretty demanding, especially when you have to tape before and after. And like, TK loves to fill up his wrestling programs with a lot of matches and a lot of content. So hat’s off to him, you know. That’s what he wants to see. That’s how he likes it, and he’s the guy that is paying the bills so it works. Whatever he wants.”
The late nights that come with tapings:
“One of the most hilarious things ever was some of the nights when we’d do a live TV, and then we’d have tapings afterward where there was Elevation, Dark, whatever. And we would tape a few weeks’ worth. I mean, there were mornings where everybody, every top star in the company, was there until 2:00 or 2:30 AM in the morning. There was one time I was going out for a main event on one of the shows, and the Young Bucks go, ‘Can you believe this? They’ve got the legend Matt Hardy here until 2:30 AM in the morning, going out to wrestle when he’s already been on Dynamite, and he’s cooled down for five hours. This is insane!’
“But it was wild, man. Every time we’d go back to the hotel, Tony would have full course meals for everyone. It’d all be set up. And the brotherhood of the locker room was so great during that time. Everyone hung out, did their things and it was really, really a tight tight click.”
If it’s a bittersweet situation:
“Yeah, I think so. I think once again, Dark and especially Elevation, which is what we typically did at TVs. Dark was mainly done now in Orlando. But I feel like both Dark and Elevation, it was a great testing ground. Especially if someone wanted to try something new, if you had someone that wanted to experiment with some sort of angle. Or if you had someone who had started an angle, and for them to be able to supplement them on the show.
“For example, in the case of myself and Ethan Page, there were a lot of amazing things we did on those shows. Which I imagine would be in the package that aired on Wednesday, on Dynamite… so it is a little bittersweet, because I think it’s good to have guys who might not get big wins in matches on TV to be able to give them wins and spotlight them on TV as well. I think it’s a good spotlight for those guys.”
You can check out the complete podcast below:
(h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription)
