Jeff Hardy On Being Inebriated During Match With Sting, How Sting Was After, What Caused Drug Issues

On episode 346 of The Art Of Wrestling, pro wrestling podcast pioneer Colt Cabana interviewed one-half of the WWE RAW Tag Team Champions, Jeff Hardy. Among other things, Hardy discussed how WWE's schedule caused his addiction issues, his infamous match with Sting at Victory Road (2011), and whether the Hardys were partiers in their youth.

According to Hardy, the brutal WWE schedule ultimately led to his addiction problems.  

"It was the schedule, definitely, with the WWE because if you're on RAW back in, I don't know, '06, '07, '08, '09, something like that, and if you're on RAW, you're basically gone Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, come home Tuesday, and Wednesday and Thursday are your weekends, basically. Do it all again. Then, you've got the long haul of the tours, the overseas tours can last up to two weeks or whatever, but I think, overall, because I have these other outlets as far as, like when I see something I want to paint, I've got to go get a canvas and do it. If I have this song in my head, I've got to record it, get a demo down or something. And motocross was huge for me too, and, like, building tracks because I love that s–t so much. I never had time for that there [in WWE], and oh my gosh, I think that just drove me over [the edge], especially with the opioid addiction with the Vicodin and the somas, man, because it became something bigger than me and I was going, I knew deep down, 'man, I can't live my life like this and depend on this pill, like, everyday to get this feeling.' And I knew better."

Hardy, who was noticeably inebriated during his 2011 match with Sting at Victory Road, professed that the match was the first time he overdid it with drugs.

"2011, with Sting, I was taking somas and I went out there f–ked up, and, man, I couldn't even wrestle. For the first time in my life, I went too far. I couldn't wrestle my idol, basically, Sting, and he had to do the right thing and shut me down and pin me."

Hardy reflected, "that deal with Sting, man, honestly, was the best thing that ever could have happened to me to straighten my ass up."

'The Charismatic Enigma' stated that 2012 was one of his best years as a professional wrestler and that his match with Sting really opened his eyes.

"That was my eye-opener, for the rest of my life, it was that night with Sting. And, man, I love him so much. He was so great after that and coming back in the best shape of my life in 2012, whenever that was when I won [TNA's] world title again or whatever. Basically, in a way, in a sick way, that was kind of an eye-opener for me to see that and to feel pitiful for myself."

Hardy continued, "2012 was one of my best years ever, coming back from that tragedy of a story and just... So basically being on the road so much, I go carried away. The addiction got the best of me."

Hardy admitted that GHB was the first drug he ever tried. Apparently, the Hardys were not big partiers growing up and 'The Daredevil' says he did not even drink a beer until he was 22 years old.

"I was 21. I never drank a beer. Then, around 22, that's when I started getting crazy, man. It was nuts, man. Back when GHB was? if you remember that whole thing, now it is known as the date rape [drug]. That was the first drug I ever did and once you do that, it's over. It's over."

Check out the interview here. If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit The Art Of Wrestling with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Source: The Art Of Wrestling

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