Over the years, World Wrestling Entertainment have signed numerous siblings to their roster. Along with Booker T and Stevie Ray, the company have had Bret and Owen Hart, Rick, and Scott Steiner, and the famous Hardy Boyz. The real-life siblings, Jeff and Matt, have worked together since 1993. Together, they’ve captured an array of titles in the WWE. Because of their triumphs, the pair have often been assessed and critiqued as a collective unit. In turn, it poses an interesting question: which Hardy brother is the better professional wrestler? Well, let’s delve into the debate and analyze both of their WWE careers.
How Do Their Accomplishments Compare?
Together, the Hardy Boyz have won the WWE Raw and Smackdown Tag Team Championship, the WCW Tag Team Championship, and the World Tag Team Championship. They held the latter on six occasions. Their triumphs over the past decades have seen the brothers record one of the most decorated tag-team records in WWE history. Sportskeeda suggests that one of their best in-cage moments as a pair came at WrestleMania 33. Following an unannounced return to the promotion, the brothers captured their eighth Tag Team title, which they would defend for 64 days.
Individually, both competitors have an array of titles to their name. While Jeff is a two-time World Heavyweight champion, he has also once held the WWE Championship, WWE European Championship, WWE United States Championship, and many other honours. Matt, on the other hand, is a one-time ECW Championship and the United States Championship holder. Big Money Matt also won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in 2018.
On paper, Jeff has enjoyed a better career from a title-winning standpoint. Of course, that isn’t the be-all and end-all, but it speaks volumes about how the promotion viewed the pair. Throughout his career, older brother Matt wasn’t a world-championship competitor. Jeff, meanwhile, became the main event star, which enabled him to become a three-time champion. When given the spotlight, Jeff made it count and captivated audiences with his high-flying style. Because of that, he never had to reinvent himself, which is something that his sibling often had to do.
Their Styles Differ and That Divides Opinions
In March 2020, the WWE parted ways with Matt Hardy following the expiration of his contract. After being made a free agent, the 46-year-old signed with All Elite Wrestling as he continues to wrestle across four different decades. One of the superstar’s final televised appearances for the promotion saw him take a chair shot from Randy Orton, who is priced at +3300 in WWE betting to win the 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble.
Reaching the pinnacle of professional wrestling is a feat that few WWE superstars can achieve. Being the company’s most popular wrestler is a sought-after title, and Jeff secured that status in 2008, surpassing John Cena’s popularity. As per The Sportster, the 43-year-old defeated two of the sports’ biggest stars, Edge and Triple H, in a Triple Threat bout en route to claiming his first world championship. During this period, the WWE pushed the enigma, which saw him work closely with Chris Jericho, Orton, and Triple H.
As an in-ring performer, few can argue that Jeff wasn’t the more entertaining Hardy brother. However, for all of his memorable moments, including jumping off cages and ladders, the three-time world champion had his flaws. Unlike his sibling, the older half of the Hardy Boyz was more versatile than his brother. Although his triumphs don’t mirror Jeff’s, Matt is considered to be a WWE legend, and rightfully so. As mentioned above, the 46-year-old often reinvented himself, which gave him an entertaining edge irrespective of the storyline. Regarding his character, Matt had more depth to his persona, which stemmed from his dedication to the sport. Throughout his career, commitment to wrestling is something that his younger brother occasionally lacked.
Who Comes Out on Top?
While it may come across as sitting on the fence, it’s tough to separate the Hardy Boyz. In hindsight, they were polar opposites throughout their WWE careers, and what one lacked, the other often had in abundance. Regardless of who is better, their longevity in the industry speaks volumes about their ability to captivate the WWE Universe across numerous decades.