Matt Hardy in TNA: Who's Next for Version 1.0?

Fans of the sport of professional wrestling are split right down the middle on the topic of Matt Hardy in TNA. A lot of people loathe Matt Hardy, and despise the very idea of the Angelic Diablo on TNA Impact. Said people, for whatever reason that it may be, hate that Matt Hardy and his new hair style are even close to the TNA product, while others love it because he's away from WWE. Essentially the same reason. 

Then there's the fan's of Matt Hardy, who absolutely love the fact that Matt Hardy will grace their TV screens once again, every Thursday night.

The debate between who's right and wrong? Well, that's for another article sometime down the road.

The reality is, the new, revamped, in-shape, cold-blooded Matt Hardy is on TNA for the foreseeable future, and I, along with many others, have been evaluating the future of Matt Hardy on Impact and who he should face off against in his time here. I've decided to take a look into the possible future of "The Man Who Will Not Die," and conjure up some ideas as to who I think he should face off against.

Without further ado, here are the 10 wrestlers that I believe Matt Hardy should face off against while he's on TNA.

AJ Styles

Before I get a slew of comments saying "how could Matt Hardy possibly keep up with AJ Styles?," hear me out.

AJ Styles is arguably the greatest professional wrestler in the world today. If he is not, then there aren't too many people ahead of him on the ladder. He is the epitome of what the modern day wrestler should be: athletic, charismatic, skillful, and tenacious. Styles is also one of the most respected stars in TNA.

Unfortunately, AJ Styles has become a victim of a changing of the guard in TNA, and in the TNA World Heavyweight Title picture. I personally believe that a feud with Matt Hardy would do them both wonders!

Firstly, AJ is not going to remain a heel for long, that's for sure. He is a natural face wrestler, and should shortly become a face again. One thing's for sure, AJ is looking to have a short feud to propel him back into the World Title picture.

Matt Hardy has never been a consistent main event wrestler, though he has the skills, and the charisma, to do so.

Add the two components together, and you've got a great upper-middle card feud that can propel them both towards the World Championship picture.

Tommy Dreamer

Tommy Dreamer is on the back end of his career, that much is clear. No one knows for sure what's left for Dreamer. He's done it all as an extremist, but one thing's for sure, he can still give out, and take a beating!

When you thinks of Tommy Dreamer, the first thing that comes into your mind should be weapons. When one thinks of Matt Hardy, one of the first things that comes into your mind should also be weapons.

In my opinion, Tommy Dreamer and Matt Hardy should have a hardcore match. Why not? They can both take a beating, they can both give out a beating, and they are both masters of the extreme wrestling style. For many, this is a dream match, where tactical wrestling, fairness and most of all, rules, are thrown out the window, and replaced with blood, sweat and weapons, but mostly blood.

Dixie Carter, make it happen!

Eric Young

Eric Young has been held back in TNA thus far. He is a tremendous talent, and has unbelievable potential in the wrestling business. He can out-wrestle most superstars on the roster, and he is decent on the mic, and should be in the X-Division Title race at the very least. He should not be playing a confused, dim-witted character for pure comic relief, and yet, he is.

A short feud with Matt Hardy could change that!

For the same reason that I believe AJ Styles could benefit from a feud with Matt Hardy, Eric Young could too! EY and Matt Hardy both belong in the main event picture, or at least somewhere close.

A feud between the two could allow Matt Hardy and Eric Young to propel into the World Title Picture, or the TV Title picture.

Jeff Jarrett

If any of you are like me, and are getting very sick and tired of Jeff Jarrett, then you're probably thinking "why would I want to see Matt Hardy Vs. Jeff Jarrett."

Don't we all love seeing Jarrett getting the hell beaten out of him?

In all seriousness, Jeff Jarrett is (hopefully) nearing the end of his career, but he still insists on being in the Main Event, almost every week, or at least making an appearance in said main event. Matt Hardy vs Jeff Jarrett would not be a long lasting feud by any means, but it would be a nice way to see Matt Hardy in the main event, plain and simple.

Another reason that this could be a good idea is that no matter how much we hate him, Jeff Jarrett puts people over, and draws pure hatred to himself. Matt Hardy vs. Double J could be a possible way to see a Matt Hardy face turn.

The Motor City Machine Guns

The Motor City Machine Guns are one of, if not the best tag team in professional wrestling today. They have taken on, and beaten, the likes of Beer Money Inc., Team 3D, Generation Me, Lethal Consequences, Matt Morgan & Hernandez, and the list goes on and on. There is however one tag team that they have not beaten, The Hardys.

There is a very good chance that Matt and Jeff Hardy will be teaming up a lot in TNA, and who better to face than the Motor City Machine Guns?

Imagine this scenario, if you will. Ultimate X, with a wooden X suspended by four ropes in the shape of an X, attached to 20 foot high suspension bars. No rules, no mercy. Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley. Did you get goosebumps too? That's a dream match of epic proportions!

Team 3D (The Dudley Boys)

It was only a matter of time before I mentioned The Dudleys.

Most of the matches that I have proposed have been ways of advancing Matt Hardy's future with TNA, and propelling him into a World Heavyweight Championship picture, or him and Jeff into a Tag Team Championship picture.

This one will do neither, rather, it will allow fans to relive two of the teams that stared the age of Extreme Tag Teams.

Over 10 years ago, at Wrestlemania, The Grandest Stage of Them All, we witnessed the Hardys, the Dudleys, and Edge & Christian in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match that forever changed the landscape of tag team wrestling.

All these years later, we can relive the magic. We could see the Hardys and the Dudleys face off in a classic match up that allows the hardcore wrestling fans to relive arguably the greatest tag team feud in the history of professional wrestling!

Why not?

Rob Van Dam

Yes, I have realized that Matt's inaugural match with Matt Hardy on TNA was against Rob Van Dam. Hear me out!

Rob Van Dam has some crazy hatred for the name Hardy nowadays, and Matt's last name is Hardy. That enough is the makings of a good match. We've seen Matt Vs. RVD part 1, but something tells me we'll see future installments of the rivalry before it's over.

We have also witnessed Matt and Jeff Hardy vs. RVD and Mr. Anderson. Matt and Jeff are an established tag team, one of the best of all time in fact. RVD and Mr. Anderson, not so much. If RVD were to establish a tag team with anybody on the roster, it would give us a treat to see Matt, Jeff and RVD in the same ring, at the same time.

Another possibility of seeing the three of them in the ring would be a triple threat match. Why not? Matt and Jeff have feuded before, and what if Rob Van Dam were caught in the middle of it? The answer, we'd get a hell of a match! Possibilities for ladder matches, extreme rules matches, falls count anywhere matches, if you name it, and it's extreme, it's a possibility!

I ask you, fellow wrestling fan, wouldn't you love to see any of these matches?

Shannon Moore

Shannon Moore and Matt Hardy have been friends since they were kids learning to wrestle on a trampoline. Since then, Matt Hardy has had a stellar tag team career, and has won several singles accolades, such as the ECW and United States Championships, while Shannon has had a very mediocre wrestling career, barely managing to keep a spot in the WWE after the demise of the cruiserweight division and has since broken out into a good tag team wrestler, with tons of potential.

What better way to "pass the torch" then have a series of amazing singles matches between the two, with Shannon ultimately winning the "feud." This wouldn't be the typical feud though, these guys would be two face wrestlers, two best friends, fighting for the pure love of wrestling.

They could do that, or they could turn Shannon jealous of Matt, and have Shannon fight for the right to be called the better wrestler, and fight for Matt's respect (shades of Matt vs Jeff in early 2009). Now that would be a feud that I would pay to see! That would put asses in seats, and would get Pay Per View buys. Maybe it's just me that thinks so, but I love the very prospect of that idea!

Generation Me

Since the time of their debut, Generation Me has often been compared to Matt and Jeff Hardy, in both looks and style. Well, there's one other comparison that has been made, potential. Max and Jeremy Buck have so much potential as tag team wrestlers, and as singles competitors. They've already proved that they could hang with the best teams in TNA, but they have both expressed that Matt and Jeff were inspirations to them when they were kids.

In my opinion, Generation Me is one solid push away from a tag team championship. Who better to put them over as the real deal in TNA tag team wrestling, to give them that push to the Tag Team Championships, and to fulfill a life long wish than the Hardy Boys?

This feud has infinite possibilities. They could do an angle where Generation Me wants the Hardys' respect, or they could do an angle where Generation Me wants to surpass the Hardys as "the better team." They could even do an angle where the Hardys want to squash Generation Me because they feel threatened by them, and Generation Me wants to prove them wrong! Either way, amazing story lines are in store for this one!

Then there are the infinite possibilities for matches. Ultimate X, ladder matches, and TLC matches come to mind, but then there are possible Falls Count Anywhere matches, extreme rules matches and cage matches! Who knows, these two teams could innovate a brand new type of match! Not to sound like a fangirl, but how awesome would that be?

Jeff Hardy

Last but not least, it is very possible that sometime during their time with TNA, there could very well be a feud between Matt and Jeff Hardy, again. Personally, I loved the feud between the two in 2009, though I know that many do not share my views.

I think however that there is a lot of potential in a Matt vs. Jeff feud.

Firstly, it would allow one of them to for sure be a face character, which would make TNA money. Plain and simple, money is what the company cares about. Butts in seats, Pay Per View buys, and merchandise sales.

Secondly, Matt and Jeff Hardy can still take beatings like very few others. This allows for the possibilities of various hardcore matches, and long, entertaining matches.

Thirdly, Matt and Jeff are very innovative, and creative. They could create their own match, or maybe innovate a match that has been used sparingly, that has potential to be entertaining.

Lastly, remember when Matt and Jeff faced off in 2009? Well, after that, Jeff went on to win two more World Titles. It is very possible that if Matt were to come out on the winning end of this feud, it could propel him to a TNA World Heavyweight Championship. There could even possibly be a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match between Matt and Jeff Hardy! As a life long Hardys fan, I'd love to see that!

There are many things that Matt and Jeff have done in the wrestling business, and they have left their mark on professional wrestling forever. A successful main event feud between Matt and Jeff Hardy on both WWE and TNA would forever leave them as legends in singles professional wrestling, adding to their status of legends of tag team wrestling.

Conclusion

Matt Hardy has a bright future in TNA, with tons of possibilities. Hopefully, we are looking at a future TNA World Heavyweight Champion in Matthew Moore Hardy!