It appears thatAEWmay have hit a legal snag following Jeff Hardy’s announced intentions to sign with the company, as WWE is purportedly considering legal action for a violation of their no-compete clause with Hardy.
WWE feels that by publicly announcing intentions to sign Hardy,AEWhas in fact violated the terms of the non-compete clause and thus are open to legal action for allegedly tampering with a performer’s contract. This would most certainly cause a hitch in any sort of agreement between Hardy and AEW were they to have official talks.
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This comes as a follow-up to the news ofHardy’s seemingly confirmed AEW debut, in which Hardy has all but indicated he intends on signing with AEW once his 90-day non-compete clause with WWE runs out on Wednesday, March 9. He would later attempt to amend his statement, saying that he is in factconsideringjoining AEW and has yet to actually sign with them. AEW owner Tony Khan would later verify in an interview that while Jeff is someone he would like to see in AEW, him actually joining is “not a foregone conclusion.”
It should be indicated that nothing concerning WWE’s potential legal action has been set in stone either. While veteran pro wrestling pundit Dave Meltzer noted that WWE is “looking to do something legally in this situation…they’re looking for that mistake,” the company itself has yet to come forth with any sort of official statement regarding Hardy, AEW, or any sort of contractual snafu. It would be most interesting to see WWE take any sort of legal action against Hardy.
He initially refused to enter rehab following an unexpected leave of absence during a live event in December and the company subsequently released him, only for it to be revealed that the drug tests WWE had Hardy take before his release all came back negative. This meant WWE had assumed incorrectly, and all attempts to rehire him, including an offer of a2022 Hall of Fame induction, were summarily rebuffed by the former world champion. This perhaps could be why WWE is cautious about pursuing any sort of legal action, as their own hasty actions concerning the dismissal of Hardy and other WWE performers may very well come to light.
It’s easy to see why many fans are railing against WWE for jumping to the wrong conclusions concerning Hardy and considering any sort of legal pursuit, but the veteran high-flyer’s unfortunate history of drug use will always put an unflattering spotlight on moments like his unexplained absence back in December, and not without reason. That said, fans are hopeful that this legal unpleasantness will pass and Hardy can find himself in good company with his brother Matt in AEW.
