D-Von Dudley revealed that Matt and Jeff Hardy personally told him they were frustrated with how AEW used them.
He also criticized Tony Khan for not making consistent use of talent that comes to AEW after runs in WWE.
On Friday’s episode of Duke Loves Rasslin, D-Von said he has noticed a pattern in AEW. He said several wrestlers are featured prominently right after they debut but end up losing TV time in the long run.
“The one thing, you know, I’ve noticed with teams or people coming from WWE or just new guys in general to the scene is that, you know, they start off great and hot in the very beginning and then all of a sudden it’s like they’re not used anymore,” D-Von said.
D-Von pointed to The Hardys as an example and recounted what the brothers told him.
“You have so many people that are very good hands that are used one minute and then not used the next,” D-Von said. “And you know what? The one team that I never thought I would see that happen to and it did. And I spoke to them personally and they were telling me about their frustration were the Hardy Boys.”
D-Von also talked about the times he visited AEW while he was pursuing a producer role. On those visits, he heard complaints from people backstage who weren’t on the shows.
“I would have never thought in a million years that they would be put to the side or be the one of the ones that when I went to go a couple of times to, you know, see about being a producer, you know, I was told, you know, by certain people, oh well, you know, we’re not on this week,” D-Von said. “We’re we’re going to be sitting in catering again. And I’m like, that is insane.”
The conversation then turned to what The Hardys are doing in TNA. Duke pointed to the brothers’ role on TNA television and said the company’s ratings have gone up with them involved.
“Look at what the Hardies are doing in TNA right now,” Duke said. “where where TNA is essentially structuring what everything that they’re doing around the Hardies and the ratings have gone up and they’re doing great.”
D-Von agreed with that assessment and went on to question how Khan runs AEW.
“Get people that know what they’re doing and that can help the company really strive as opposed to getting people that you like because you’re friends with or what have you,” D-Von said. “and they will tell you yes. You need people that’s gonna tell you no.”
Matt himself has publicly voiced the complaints D-Von described. On an episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, he acknowledged that he and Jeff had creative issues in AEW and said TNA currently offers them a better working environment.
Matt also acknowledged that Jeff’s personal problems, which led to his suspension in 2022, hurt their plans.
The Hardys most recently appeared in a backstage segment with Moose on Thursday’s Impact, ahead of the match between Avery Styles and Joe Alonzo.