Full Predictions and Feuds For Matt and Jeff Hardy as Solo Acts on WWE Raw

Just when WWE fans think the company is going left, it goes right.

That's exactly what happened on the August 28 edition of Monday Night Raw, when Jeff Hardy won a No.1 Contender's Battle Royal for the Intercontinental Championship. Suddenly everyone's favorite tag team seems to be heading in different directions. 

The idea of The Hardy Boyz going solo was surely on everyone's radar when the duo returned at WrestleMania 33. However, that likely had more to do with Matt than it did Jeff.

The dynamic between the two brothers has changed quite drastically since they left WWE. For the first time during their professional partnership, Matt had actually become the bigger star. It's not as though he wasn't always capable of rising above his brother, but WWE never seemed interested in allowing him to seriously explore the possibility.

But thanks to Matt's Broken character, he's forever changed. The only question is how far will WWE go with it, and how far will Jeff go in his new singles run?

Matt Gets Re-Broken?

When, if ever, is WWE going to pull the trigger on Matt's Broken persona? Is Global Force Wrestling ever going to stop being petty and just allow Matt to continue with the character that he created? Why is this still an issue when fans are so obviously frustrated and clamoring to see Matt finally get over again?

Maybe, just maybe, now is the time to get broken once again.

With his brother potentially moving to a full-time program with The Miz, it's time for Matt to stretch his creative muscles. While he may not be heading straight to the top for the Universal Championship, that does not mean he can't make an impact—pun intended—on the red brand.

The great thing about Matt's character is he doesn't necessarily need a title. Broken Matt Hardy lives in his own universe, a universe in which he reigns unchallenged. He draws people in with his promos, and he keeps them there with the absurdity of it all.

Fans know they're getting worked from start to finish, and they love it. 

They love it because Matt is just so good at what he does. He puts everything he has into his promos and into his character. The more he speaks, the more fans are pulled into his world. It's ridiculousness at the highest level, and fans can't get enough of it.

If he does indeed rediscover his otherworldly persona, then every heel on Raw would surely be anxious to work with him.

At the front of the line would likely be Cesaro and Sheamus. Jeff is moving on to The Miz, which leaves Matt to face the men that have occupied him for months. But if WWE chose another singles star to book against Matt, then Samoa Joe would be a great option. 

But perhaps the best Superstar for the job is Bray Wyatt. Broken Matt versus The Eater of Worlds is a storyline that writes itself. No mater how bizarre and insane Wyatt is, Hardy would outmatch him at every turn. It could very well be one of the year's most entertaining feuds.

Book Broken Matt against any heel on Raw and it's a main event. That's how compelling the character is, and it's proof of how much Matt can do when put to the test. Fans will go along for the ride, and once Matt gets hot, it will be very hard to cool him down.

The same is true if he goes to SmackDown Live.

There's been no indication from WWE that The Hardyz will split any time soon. But if the company intends on doing more than just a one-and-done shot with Jeff, then it may be the way to go. The blue brand is rife with heels that could feud with Matt, including Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, Bobby Roode and Rusev.

Then there's WWE champion Jinder Mahal. That may sound like a move WWE wouldn't make, but then again, no one knew Jeff would suddenly be challenging for the Intercontinental title, either.

The Enigma Returns

Jeff Hardy the tag team wrestler is one half of arguably WWE's most popular tag team of all time. Jeff Hardy the singles star is a main event powerhouse on par with Shawn Michaels in his prime.

That's how over Jeff was with fans the last time he reigned on top. Hardy had his demons, he had personal strife, but no mistakes he made could prevent fans from supporting him. He was a rockstar in every sense of the word, and WWE caught lightning in a bottle when he was a main event star.

Is WWE moving in that direction once again?

Common sense says that the company will keep Jeff to a certain spot this time. He's older, he's perhaps lost a step since his younger days, and he's not exactly a New Era star. Raw belongs to Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor and Brock Lesnar. For Jeff to reach that elite level, he would need to climb back up the ladder once again.

That may not be in the cards for him. But what if WWE doesn't have a choice?

Therein lays the issue of booking him as a singles star now. Jeff caught fire like few other Superstars in WWE ever have. His meteoric rise to the top was unlike anything fans had seen since Stone Cold Steve Austin, and nothing could hold him down.

He always got the biggest pop of the night, and he always had the crowd on its feet. It could all happen once again if WWE indeed moves ahead with Jeff as a main event talent. If fans react to him now the way they did before, then WWE will not be able to stop his explosion.

Jeff will get over, he will outpop everyone on the card, and WWE will be left with a 39-year old top guy that it may not have wanted in the first place. Like Daniel Bryan before him, Jeff will be the most in-demand Superstar on the card. 

Is that what WWE really wants?

If so, then the sky is the limit for him. Hardy can work heels or babyfaces and still get over in the end whether he wins or loses. Balor, Rollins and Ambrose would all be great opponents for him. The same is true of Jason Jordan, Samoa Joe and even John Cena. But as everyone knows, Monday Night Raw is Roman Reigns' show; could Jeff actually change that?

Right now, Jeff is on track to work The Miz. The Intercontinental Championship will be on the line when the two men face off on September 4. There's been no reason to believe Miz is dropping the title any time soon, but that may indeed be the plan now.

Whether it happens on Raw or on September 24 at No Mercy, Hardy versus Miz could end with a new Intercontinental champion. WWE can make the change, book Jeff at the top of the mid-card and try to keep him there. But if the WWE faithful has its way, Jeff could rise up and make everyone else obsolete. 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at boinkstudios.com