THE Hardy Boyz’ return at WrestleMania was one of the top moments in WWE so far this year.

But have you noticed those “DELETE!” chants coming from the crowd during every Hardys match? The change to Matt’s appearance? And references to “Brother Nero”?

6 Hardy Boyz hit Poetry in Motion back on the WWE after too long away from the company Credit: WWE

Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ll know before returning to WWE the brothers reinvented themselves as the “Broken Hardys” – making them wrestling’s hottest free agents.

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We explain exactly what their Broken Universe is – and when we can expect to see it in WWE.

Who are the Hardy Boyz?

Matt and Jeff Hardy were two of the biggest stars in WWE’s “Attitude Era” during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The seven-time tag champs were known for their high-flying stunts and revolutionised tag team wrestling in the epic table, ladders, and chairs matches against The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian.

They also had major solo success in later years. Matt became US and ECW Champion and Jeff won both the WWE and World Heavyweight titles.

6 The Hardy Boyz's return at WrestleMania went over brilliantly well with fans

6 Jeff hits his trademark legdrop in a tag-team match against the Bullet Club

There shall be an ABUNDANCE of DELETIONS happening at the #WWERome event tonight.



WONDERFUL! https://t.co/ukLvkSxzMA — MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 3, 2017

Jeff left WWE in 2009 and brother Matt followed in 2010 – both under controversial circumstances. Jeff was arrested for drug trafficking soon after, while Matt blasted WWE in a series of online videos.

They worked with indie promotions and WWE rival Impact Wrestling (formerly TNA) until their return at WrestleMania 33.

When did Matt Hardy become “Broken”?

During an “I Quit” match on Impact Wrestling in April 2016, Jeff smashed Matt through a table with a 15-ft Swanton Bomb.

Matt was carried off on a stretcher and when he returned to attack Jeff the next month he was “Broken”.

He had a shock of white skunk-like hair and began talking – and dressing – like some kind of 16 th Century baddie.

“Wonderful”, “Delightful”, and “Exquisite” all became regular catchphrases – not to mention “DELETE!”, of course.

Broken Matt claimed that according to the seven deities (whoever they are) his body was just a vessel for a soul that was thousands of years old – and he must “delete” opponents. First on the list for deletion was “Brother Nero”.



So who is Brother Nero?

It’s actually Jeff (Nero is his middle name). Broken Matt challenged Jeff to a match at TNA’s Slammiversary pay-per- view.

Check out the contract signing in the crazy video below. It had the whole wrestling world talking.

The acting is hammy and the concept ludicrous (at one point a baby gets thrown at Jeff before he’s smashed through a table) but it’s ridiculous wrestling genius.

After losing at Slammiversary, Matt challenged Jeff to a Final Deletion match – once again with the Hardy brand on the line.

In short, if Matt won then Jeff would lose all rights to the Hardy name and would have to officially become Brother Nero.



What happened in the Final Deletion match?

If you want to know where WWE got the idea for the House of Horrors, look no further.

Final Deletion happened on Impact Wrestling last July. It was shot in Matt’s actual backyard and features more craziness.

Jeff chases a drone on his dirt bike and tries to punch it out of the air, he later jumps off a tree, and the brothers shoot fireworks at each other.

It’s filmed like a movie, with music, special effects, and a surprise appearance of Willow – Jeff’s other alter-ego – who emerged from the “Lake of Reincarnation” to attack Matt.

The whole thing was bonkers – or Broken brilliance, as Matt would say.

Who else is in the “Broken Universe”?

Jeff made the full transition to his Broken persona Brother Nero a month later – throwing himself through a table.

There’s also Matt’s real-life wife Reby AKA “Queen Rebecca” and their one-year- old son “King Maxel”.

He’s the xylophone-playing heir to the Hardy brand who had a match (and won) against Rockstar Spud last year.

Other regulars include Reby’s father “Senor Benjamin”, Matt’s drone “Vanguard-1”, his boat “Skarsguard”, and the “Scribe”, who turns up to note down on Matt’s insane premonitions.

How did the Broken Hardys become so popular?

Their skits and videos are unlike anything in wrestling before.

In once series of videos, Matt gets amnesia and wants to become a chef – until he’s struck by lightning and regains his full Broken personality.

Matt’s oddball mannerisms and language have also been a huge hit (he calls the Young Bucks the “Bucks of Youth”) as well as his commitment to the character – on and off screen.

He appeared on the Jim Ross podcast and did the whole show in character.

The Broken Hardys quickly became the hottest and most relevant act outside WWE – giving the brothers an unexpected career resurgence.

6 The Hardy boys are already the Raw tag-team champions after a stunning return to WWE

6 Matt Hardy was the lesser star of the sibling team but rebuilt himself as a singles wrestler

Matt fuelled speculation that he and Jeff were WWE-bound months ahead of their WrestleMania return.

He openly challenged WWE superstars on Twitter, inviting them to Final Deletion in his peculiar Broken speak. They included “The Man with Three Hs”, “The Kid Who Breaks Hearts”, and “The Family of Wyatts”.

Bray Wyatt actually responded to Matt’s tweet – fuelling speculation that the Hardys were WWE-bound months before their WrestleMania return.

I FORMALLY invite The Man with 3 Hs & The Kid who Breaks Hearts, The X Degenerates, to #TotalNonstopDELETION. #Apocalypto — MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) December 13, 2016

I FORMALLY invite MeekMahan's #SDLive Champs, The Family of Wyatts, to #TotalNonstopDELETION.



Our universes must collide. #Apocalypto — MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) December 13, 2016

When will we see the Broken Universe in WWE?

Though Matt and Jeff have used the Broken gimmick in indie promotions and Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling is claiming creative ownership – stopping the Hardys from using it in WWE. So far, at least.

WWE is reportedly working on a deal with Impact Wrestling to use the Broken Matt and Brother Nero characters. And both WWE and the Hardys have teased their arrival by dropping hints and clues.

What clues are there?

Just days before WrestleMania, the official WWE Network Twitter tweeted a clip from the Matt v Jeff at ‘Mania 25 that referenced tables being “broken”.

Matt responded to the tweet and created huge buzz amongst fans.

There have been multiple references on commentary too. During their epic return at WrestleMania 33, Michael Cole declared “Things are about to be broken.”

Matt has kept the shock of white hair and even dropped his Broken accent into promos.

Check out the below interview from Raw when he says: “These are the most athletic competitors we have EVAH faced… it’s TREMENDOUS.”

6 Matt and Jeff Hardy were two of the biggest stars in WWE’s Attitude Era

Matt’s also used the “Delete!” catchphrase in the ring – it’s hard not to when thousands of fans are chanting it – and continues to playing his old Broken self on Twitter.

There was another big tease of Raw this week.

When Matt and Jeff confronted Sheamus and Cesaro about their attack at Payback, Matt said: “We come out here to give you our response. And our response is….” Before hitting the “DELETE” gesture and charging to the ring.

We'll be on #RAW tonight looking for @WWESheamus & @WWECesaro.



Nero just returned from a dental repair with the DELIGHTFUL Dr Isaac Yankem. pic.twitter.com/YZlYXSUGaV — MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 2, 2017

Does this mean there’s more to say?

Will the Hardys unleash their Broken personas to render the Celtic Warrior and Swiss Superman “obsolete”?

Some fans worry that the Broken Hardys won’t be the same after they’ve been through put the filter of Vince McMahon – or “MeekMahan”, as Broken Matt calls him.

Matt and Jeff had total creative control in Impact Wrestling, which won’t be the case in WWE.

But if Vince can delete his age-old attitude towards non-WWE gimmicks and give the brothers full reign on their Broken characters, it could “WONDERFUL”.