Matt Hardy discusses the end of AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation.
Both shows aired on AEW's YouTube channel, and they were used as platforms to spotlight younger talent and/or try out wrestlers that were on AEW's radar. The shows also continued storylines that were featured on AEW TV, as they were supplemental programming for AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage. AEW reportedly signed an exclusive deal with Warner Bros. Discovery for its in-ring content, so the two shows have come to an end.
Speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, the veteran was asked to share his thoughts on the news that the shows were ending. First, he recalled how, in the past, the lengthy tapings would run into the early morning, but the talent would be greeted with a full-course meal when they returned to the hotel.
"One of the most hilarious things ever was just, some of the nights, whenever we would do a live TV, and then we would have tapings afterwards, whether it was Elevation, Dark, or whatever, and we would tape a few weeks worth, I mean there were mornings where everybody, every top star in the company was there until 2 or 2:30 a.m. in the morning taping. There was one time I was going out for a main event on of the shows, and the Young Bucks said, ‘Can you believe this? They’ve got the legend, Matt Hardy, here til 2:30 a.m. in the morning going out to wrestle, when he’s already been on Dynamite, and he’s cooled down for five hours. This is insane [laughs].’ But it was wild. Every time we’d go back to the hotel, Tony would have full-course meals for everyone. It’d all be set up, and the brotherhood of the locker room was so great during that time. Everyone hung out, did their things, and it was really a tight, tight clique," Hardy said.
When asked whether it's bittersweet that the shows are ending, Hardy noted that it was. He explained that both programs were great testing grounds for talent, as it gave them an opportunity to experiment and try new things. Hardy also cited the way his storyline with Ethan Page and The Firm was built up through Dark and Dark: Elevation.
“Yeah, I think so. I think, once again, Dark and especially Elevation, which is what we typically did at TVs, Dark was mainly done in Orlando. But I feel like both Dark and Elevation, I think it was a great testing ground, especially if someone wanted to try something new, if you had someone that wanted to experiment with some sort of angle, or if you had someone who had started an angle and for them to be able to supplement it on their shows. For example, in the case of myself and Ethan Page, there were a lot of amazing things that we did on those shows. It is a little bittersweet because I think it’s good too to have guys that might not get big wins in matches on TV, to be able to give them wins and spotlight them on those programs. I think it’s a good spot for those guys. So yeah, it is moving on, but apparently, there’s a new deal that’s been signed, and everything going to be exclusive to Warner Brothers Discovery now, all of their programming," Hardy said.
Hardy also highlighted AEW Dark's status as AEW's developmental program. He noted that Tony Khan would bring talent in and give them feedback, and these competitors would go back to the independent scene before they returned to AEW for another Dark taping. Hardy stated that a lot of people got jobs through this system.
“Tony Khan said from day one, he said that Dark is his developmental territory. That’s how he develops talent. He said he has guys come in, he said he looks at them, as opposed to sending someone to an NXT and pay them and have them work there for a month and try to teach them your style while doing that. They come in, he basically sees what they are. He would give them feedback, maybe try to work on this or work on that, whatever, or the people underneath him would. Then they would go out on the indies and they would do their thing, and they would come back and do another Dark. There are a lot of people that got hired through that process. So yeah, I feel like it was a pretty wise form of developmental," Hardy said.
Check out Hardy's comments about AEW All In here.
Hardy and his team won The Firm Deletion on the May 5 episode of AEW Rampage. Check out our coverage of the show here.
Click here to check out the card for the May 10 episode of AEW Dynamite.
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