High-flying Hardy

WWE Daredevil Lives with Risk of Injury

Triple H, arguably World Wrestling Entertainment’s biggest star, is out of commission. For the second time in his career, Triple H has a torn quadricep muscle, a potential career-ending injury that requires four to six months to heal.

Ironically, WWE daredevil Jeff Hardy has only broken a couple of fingers in his ring life. That’s despite the fact that he routinely performs aerial moves from ladders, ring posts and tables in his matches.

Hardy’s worst injury is a broken collarbone — which he suffered in a motocrosss event. But he never forgets the risk of injury in the ring.

“There’s a huge risk,” said Hardy, who currently reigns as Intercontinental Champion. “I’m sore as hell now, just from wrestling night after night. Every night we go in the ring, there’s always the chance we’re going to break a bone or pull or tear something.

“When ever somebody comes up to me and says, ‘Man, that stuff’s fake.’ I consider that complete ignorance. I’ll openly say, yes, we know what’s going on. But it’s far from fake.”

Hardy performs more of his high-flying stunts Monday as the WWE’s flagship TV show, Raw, returns to the Cajundome for the first time in three years. One of cable TV’s highest-rated programs, Raw is broadcast to more than 5 million viewers on USA.

WWE stars expected for Monday’s show include Hardy, champion John Cena, Ric Flair, Umaga, Rated RKO (Edge and Randy Orton, The Great Khali, Carlito and many others.

A WWE wrestler since 1993, Hardy has been practicing his daring ring techniques since childhood. He and his brother Matt imitated TV wrestling moves on a backyard trampoline at their home in Cameron, NC.

Their Trampoline Wrestling Federation was born. Those high-flying, TWF antics launched them into professional careers that became renown for leaps off ring ropes and 20 feet ladders.

Hardy said his riskiest move came during a Table, Ladders and Chairs match with RVD on Smackdown.

“I jumped on a table vertically off a 14-foot ladder. I went to hit the Swanton Bomb on him through a vertical table.

“He moved and I went through it longways. After that, I never wanted to do anything like that again.

“The table just shattered and I hit the ground so hard. It was on the floor, not in the ring. It was a pretty brutal fall.”

Hardy admits the high-impact maneuvers make him nervous before every match. But the nerves also keep him alert.

“There’s pressure before every match,” said Hardy. I’ve always got the butterflies, but I think that’s a good sign. There’s more meaning to it when you’re nervous.

“Now that I’m getting older, I have a lot to live up to. People expect to see me do crazy things. Although I’m not 21 or 22 anymore, I’m not as athletic and crazy as I used to be. But I’ve got enough signature moves that people can still enjoy and sense that crazy mentality.

“I’m nervous before every match and that’s part of the fun. When the match is over, it’s a great feeling.”

Nerves have taken a toll on Hardy. The rugged ring life and bouts of drug use forced Hardy to leave the WWE in 2003.

Hardy participated in motocross and wrestled for a smaller organization. But he said the time away allowed him to rest and refocus on his career.

When he’s not wrestling, Hardy is a poet, painter and songwriter. He hopes a life in art becomes his career when he grounds his high-flying wrestling moves for good.

“I enjoy creating things and being original. That’s one of my goals in everything I do is to be original. It’s hard because so much as been done in this day and time.

“It’s what you wear and how you act. I always try to be unique in that and that’s how I’ve lived.”