Matt Hardy: Why My 'Broken' Character Hasn't Worked In AEW

Matt Hardy has commented on his persona change back to 'Big Money' from 'Broken' since joining All Elite Wrestling, saying his former gimmick was not translating over to just a television audience. 

Hardy's debut in AEW in March 2020 saw the 46-year-old utilise what has arguably been his most popular character - 'Broken' Matt Hardy - but with live audiences unable to attend shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hardy would instead declare himself the 'Multifarious' Matt Hardy which permitted him to switch between his personas. 

Since the back end of last year, Hardy has largely stuck to his 'Big Money' character, turning heel and managing Private Party, and Hardy says the decision to move away from the 'Broken' character came because of the lack of fans able to be in the shows. 

The former WWE ECW Champion also said he is enjoying working as a heel because it allows him more scope to be a hated individual. 

Speaking to APP, Hardy said: "Broken Matt Hardy is a very audience-friendly character. It needs a crowd, it needs an audience, and it just was not in the cards to be Broken Matt Hardy … because his debut was in the first-ever empty arena era, pandemic-era show, the first empty arena show that AEW had.

"Broken Matt Hardy is … very theatrical, and it doesn’t translate as well to the current AEW audience that sits at home and watches (on television) because I’ve realised that this is a much younger audience. It’s a much more sports-centric-type audience.

"I tip my hat to Tony Khan. He allowed me to try kind of switching characters and see how people reacted to it. I think if we had been in arenas full of people it would have been different, but considering we’re now playing to the television audience, it was better for me to zone in and focus on one thing.

"And I think being Big Money Matt and being a heel, considering how I’m an older guy here and it’s such a younger demo(graphic), I think that’s the way for me to go. So I’m very happy with the groove that I’m currently in.

"I feel like as a babyface, I wanted to try and work with (the young talent) on the same level but I think physically, because I’m older, it’s kind of tough for me to do that. I think I’m in a much better role where I can be the heel, the guy who isn’t afraid to get booed or the guy who doesn’t have to keep up with them and can work a different style that suits me better. Considering my age and the amount of physicality my body has been through over the years, I just feel like being in this role I’m at as the bad guy just works better."