WWE Prevents Then “Allows” Hardys to Wrestle at House of Hardcore

At Friday’s House of Hardcore event in Metuchen, NJ, Matt Hardy was scheduled to face Tommy Dreamer in a “street fight.” However, the match never happened, since WWE apparently prevented Matt from wrestling. House of Hardcore did an angle where the Spirit Squad came out and said that their boss Vince McMahon told them to “delete” the match. They then attacked Matt, and he was gone after that. Bully Ray came out instead, setting up an impromptu tag match with Bully Ray and Dreamer defeating the Spirit Squad. The Sandman also came out during the match and hit the Spirit Squad with kendo sticks. After the match, Tommy Dreamer said that he had to re-book the match last minute because of “politics getting in the way.”

The next night in Philadelphia, the Hardys actually wrestled. Tommy Dreamer said that he was contacted at the last minute by Vince McMahon and Triple H, who changed their minds and “allowed” the Hardys to wrestle. Dreamer said he owed WWE a favor for that. The Hardys took on Tommy Dreamer and Bully Ray and picked up the win in a relatively quick match.

WONDERFUL! @MATTHARDYBRAND has returned to take on @THETOMMYDREAMER! #HOH24 pic.twitter.com/VTbqrxEDdp

— FloSlam (@FloSlam) April 22, 2017

IT'S ON!! The Hardys are facing @THETOMMYDREAMER and @bullyray5150 at #HOH25! pic.twitter.com/NJIQqEGO3v

— FloSlam (@FloSlam) April 23, 2017

Swanton Bomb! @MATTHARDYBRAND and @JEFFHARDYBRAND are still the team to beat! #HOH25 pic.twitter.com/xqqN81l9BQ

— FloSlam (@FloSlam) April 23, 2017

Here’s a report of last night’s show, via Mike Johnson of PWInsider.

Following intermission, Tommy Dreamer and Bully Ray came to the ring. Dreamer said he wanted to first thank everyone for coming tonight. He said it was the first time they sold out at the front door, in advance. He noted that 17 years ago, he wore these very boots in this ring and won the ECW World title. He said the behind the scenes drama between Paul Heyman and himself, as Dreamer didn’t want to do it with WWE involved as well as Taz was under contract to WWE at the time.

Dreamer said he based this company on “no politics, no BS, just wrestling” but because of certain circumstances, politics have hit his company. He said going forward, anyone who works for HOH will be under a nightly contract so this doesn’t ever happen again. He said it was nothing to do with the wrestlers, because 95% of them are men and women of their word. But, politics have come into his company. He said he wishes he could tell everyone everything that has happened in the last week and wishes he could write a book, because he worked so hard to make this happen for them. He said he promised a state of the union address.

The Spirit Squad came out and said that the Hardys weren’t here and their boss Vincent Kennedy McMahon has deleted this match from happening. They told Bully his better half was in the WWE making a paycheck. They mocked that Dreamer was about to cry over his company and tossed a roll at toilet paper at him. The fans chanted “Zigger’s b**ches” at them. They accused Dreamer of getting ready to cry. They said that last night, they saved the show when Dreamer and Bully wrestled the Squad. They told Dreamer he could still have a reunion by grabbing a shovel and digging up some of his friends. They said “this company is bullsh**.”

Music hit and out came Matt and Jeff Hardy to a big pop and “Delete!” chant. Hardy said he knew the Sprit Squad Spot Monkeys would come. He said they were not taking his broken brilliance or Brother Nero anywhere. He told them they have five seconds to exit the ring. If not, they would be obsolete. Jeff Hardy sang the song. Everyone loved it. They attacked the Squad and beat them down and tossed them from the ring.

The Hardys faced off with Dreamer and Bubba. Matt Hardy said that Dreamer is in a tough spot. He said the WWE was nice enough to let them appear but Matt says that is not enough. He said they came to wrestle tonight and the fans came to see them wrestle tonight. He said he am sure there will repercussions on Monday but he will deal with Vince McMahon then. He said this is an extreme decision he is making and this is the place to do it. The crowd chanted, of all things, ECW.

They announced the match would happen right now. I guess no cage!

The crowd chanted, “This is awesome.”

Matt and Dreamer began exchanging headlocks. The fans chanted for Dreamer and Matt. Jeff tagged in, so Bully did as well. Finally all four faced off and they began brawling. They went to the floor. Dreamer nailed Matt with a soda. Matt slammed him on the apron. They returned to the ring. Hardys hit their spots. Dreamer and Bubba went for the Wazzup but the Spirit Squad returned to the ring and attacked. They placed a table in the ring. Dreamer and Bubba put Kenny through the table.

Ray and Dreamer and The Hardys faced off again and exchanged punches. Hardys got the better of it. Jeff hit the swanton on Dreamer and scored the pin.

Your winners, The Hardy Boyz!

It was a spectacle. While not the match that obviously would have happened before the Hardys signed, it was entertaining.

The crowd chanted “Thank you Hardys.”

Matt Hardy took the mic and said that with all sincerity, they wanted to thank the fans for letting them come here and do this for so, so long. He said that he and Jeff have seen great days and thanked Dreamer and HOH and independent wrestling fan soldiers like everyone here. He made a TNA reference as the crowd began chanting “F*** that owl.” He said that it is because of fans like everyone here that they find themselves in the position they are in today. He praised Dreamer and the crowd chanted, “Thank you Tommy.” Matt said he’s going to kiss Dreamer’s a** right now. He said Dreamer runs a great promotion and they may have just gotten themselves fired, so can they have a job in HOH? The place popped and chanted “Yes.” He told Dreamer he’s the man and does a great job with this company. The crowd chanted “HOH.”

Bully Ray took the mic and said they returned at Wrestlemania and stole the show. He reiterated “stealing the show” and said that’s cool, but it will never be as cool as “this” and pointed down at the ring. The crowd chanted “ECW.”

Dreamer said at the eleventh hour, this all came together. He got to the hotel at 3 AM and was woken up at 5:45 AM. He said ROH and Joe Koff were putting some behind the scenes magic that didn’t happen (NOTE FROM MIKE: ROH was going to send The Young Bucks as a surprise) and said that HOH owes ROH a favor. Dreamer then said that if it wasn’t for Vince McMahon and Triple H contacting Dreamer today, this wouldn’t have happened. He said that Vince and HHH made this moment happen. He said that if he has to make a deal with the devil, so be it, he owes Vince and HHH a favor.

Dreamer cut a promo saying this is the best business in the world and thanked everyone in the back and all the fans and said they are going to keep going for the fans. The place went nuts.

Everything Dreamer said in the ring was 100% legitimate. As of this afternoon, The Hardys were not wrestling but after a conversation with WWE, McMahon and Triple H gave the OK.