Matt Hardy has opened up about the emotional conclusion to one of professional wrestling’s most legendary rivalries — The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz — following their final encounter at TNA’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view.
Speaking on his podcast, The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, the veteran detailed the emotion surrounding the match, the importance of Devon Dudley ending his career on his own terms, and the unforgettable post-match moment that symbolized mutual respect between the two iconic teams.
“It was, it was something that was epic, because it truly was the end of an era,” Hardy said. “It was the last time we would do this with these guys, that you know, that the match has been taken off the table because, because they’re done.”
Hardy described how the emotional weight of the moment carried beyond the ring, noting the reaction from fans who were visibly moved after the match. “I can’t tell you how many real-life testimonials I heard being there, signing autographs till 4 am. ‘Thank you for giving me my childhood one last time,’” Hardy recalled.
A major point of pride for Hardy was helping Devon Dudley close out his career properly after years away from active competition due to health issues. “I think everybody wants to go out on their own terms. Nobody wants to have a health condition and then just not be able to wrestle and not close your career with the finale that you want,” Hardy explained. “And I think Devon got the opportunity to do that. Let me have a match with two of my best friends, with Matt and Jeff, and let me go out there and have one last battle.”
After The Hardys secured the victory, The Dudley Boyz removed their boots and handed them to their longtime rivals — a symbolic passing of the torch that Hardy called the “ultimate show of respect.”
“It does mean something to me,” Hardy said. “I said this in that post-show promo… it’s the ultimate show of respect. And I feel like, you know, now part of our job is — the Dudleys are finished. It’s almost as if we have to bereave the Dudleys like they’ve moved on, but we have to keep them with us. Now it is our job to keep the Dudleys alive in whatever way it may be.”
The Bound For Glory match officially closed the chapter on the historic Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz rivalry, which defined tag team wrestling through WWE’s Attitude Era and beyond.
