Matt Hardy Shuts Down Viral Death Hoax After Fake 'Bill Goldberg' Facebook Post Sparks Confusion
matt hardy was forced to confront a bizarre social-media death hoax this week after a fake Facebook page used the name Bill Goldberg to post a false obituary, forcing the 51-year-old wrestler to dismiss the claims publicly and promote his scheduled TNA IMPACT main event.
Matt Hardy responds to the fake obituary
Matt Hardy addressed the hoax in an Instagram video, telling fans the rumours were not true and that he and his brother Jeff were alive and well. In that message he leaned into his “Broken” persona while hyping the night’s TNA IMPACT main event, and he warned The Righteous not to betray the Hardy brothers. He also apologized for frightening anyone who had seen the false notice.
How the fake Bill Goldberg Facebook post presented the hoax
The fabricated post used the name Bill Goldberg and presented a memorial-style tribute that included the line Gone but never forgotten. Matt Hardy (1972-2026) and a sentimental tribute about legacy and scars. The page that shared the item is known for using AI-generated images to spark engagement, and that tactic appears to have helped the false post gain widespread attention.
Engagement tallies and the flood of messages
Estimates of the hoax’s reach varied: one count put engagement at more than 2, 000 comments and over 1, 600 shares; another tally cited over 1, 800 comments and 1, 000 shares; a separate measure said the post was shared more than 1, 000 times. Matt said he had been sent the bogus obituary nearly 100 times throughout the day, later noting that it had been sent to him 100 times; others described receiving it dozens of times. Many people approached him about the posts, prompting the public response.
TNA IMPACT main event: lineup, finish and aftermath
The response doubled as promotion for the Hardys’ scheduled appearance on TNA IMPACT, a main event set for 9 pm ET on the network that carries the show. The Hardys, identified in context as the TNA tag team champions, teamed reluctantly with The Righteous — Vincent and Dutch — to face The System: Brian Myers, Eddie Edwards, Cedric Alexander and Bear Bronson. The bout, held in Nashville on the February 26 episode of TNA IMPACT, ended when Vincent shoved Matt out of harm’s way and absorbed a Boston Knee Party from Eddie Edwards, allowing The System to score the pinfall victory.
Persona, warnings and fan reassurance
Using his Broken persona, Matt issued a blunt warning to The Righteous, invoking the FAFO shorthand for "f*** around and find out" if they chose to betray the Hardys. He also took time in the video and comment thread to reassure followers that it would not be his ghost on the show that night but the alive-and-well Matt Hardy. The interchange blended character work and real-world reassurance, reflecting how wrestling figures often straddle storyline and reality when addressing fans.
Broader context: the Hardys, The Righteous and future possibilities
Both Matt, 51, and Jeff, 48, remain active after more than three decades in the business. The Hardys have expressed enthusiasm about working with The Righteous; earlier this month Matt said that Windham would have loved to sink his teeth into Vinnie and Dutch, noting the duo’s strong commitment to character work. The Righteous had previously been slated to work with Bray Wyatt before plans changed months before the late wrestler’s death at age 32 in August 2023. The episode also left open the possibility that the Hardy brothers could return to a prior employer’s television programming in the future.
Recent updates indicate the false obituary was a fabricated social-media item that drew heavy engagement and required a direct denial from Matt Hardy; details may continue to evolve as fans and participants react.
