Is Matt Hardy really dead? WWE star responds to viral death hoax
A viral online post falsely announcing the death of 51-year-old wrestler matt hardy forced the veteran to rebut the claim publicly and reassure fans ahead of a scheduled main event appearance. The episode highlighted how a fake account and AI imagery can spread a convincing — but false — obituary and put performers on the defensive.
Fake Bill Goldberg page published an obituary listing 'Matt Hardy (1972-2026)'
A fake page under the name Bill Goldberg circulated a post that opened, "Gone but never forgotten. Matt Hardy (1972-2026). " The item included a memorial-style tribute that praised Hardy as "a soul of passion and creation, " saying "every scar told a story, every match a memory" and closing with "Rest in peace, legend… you live in our hearts. " Observers noted the account often uses AI-generated images to drive engagement.
Estimates of the post's reach varied: one tally put comments at more than 2, 000 with over 1, 600 shares, other counts listed over 1, 800 comments and 1, 000 shares, and another description said it had been shared more than 1, 000 times. The volume of reaction was enough to unsettle fans and to trigger direct responses from the wrestlers involved.
Matt Hardy posts a video denying the rumours and hyping a 9 pm ET main event
In a video message shared on his account, Matt Hardy dismissed the false obituary: "Ladies and gentleman, the rumours are not true. The Hardy Boyz are not dead because Matt and Jeff Hardy will not die!" He added that "we are both alive and well" and reminded viewers that they would be featured that night in the main event of TNA IMPACT!, which was set to start at 9 pm ET.
Hardy said many people had approached him about the troubling posts, and he used the message both to refute the hoax and to promote the evening's match as part of his well-known "Broken" persona.
Hardy to team with The Righteous against The System in eight-man tag
Hardy confirmed that he and his brother Jeff would be teaming with The Righteous duo of Vincent and Dutch to face The System in an eight-man tag team match. The System lineup named in the context included Brian Myers, Eddie Edwards, Cedric Alexander, and Bear Bronson.
The bout took place on the February 26 episode of TNA IMPACT! from Nashville. It ended when Vincent pushed Matt Hardy out of harm's way, absorbed a Boston Knee Party from Eddie Edwards, and that sequence allowed The System to secure the pinfall victory.
Fans flooded Hardy's messages with 'obituaries'; he apologised for any alarm
In follow-up comments, Matt said he had been sent the fake "obituary" nearly 100 times during the day and described being bombarded with the post. In one message he wrote, "Sorry to frighten anyone… It won’t be my ghost tonight on TNA iMPACT at 9pm — It’s the alive & well Matt Hardy!" Other accounts described the post as having been sent to him dozens of times, underscoring how many fans encountered the hoax.
Broader remarks: ages, the Hardys' history and a link to Bray Wyatt
The duo remain active: Matt is 51 and his brother Jeff is 48, and the pair have been wrestling for more than three decades. Matt spoke recently about enjoying working with Vincent and Dutch, noting that The Righteous were originally meant to be paired with Windham — better known as Bray Wyatt — before plans changed months before Bray's death at age 32 in August 2023.
On that topic Matt said, "Windham would have loved to have been able to sink his teeth into Vinnie and Dutch, no doubt, " and added that what he appreciates most about The Righteous is "how committed they are to the bit" and the need to "become that character, especially when the red light is on. " He also left open the possibility that he and Jeff could return to WWE television in the future.
Aftermath: denial, a loss, and attention on misinformation
The immediate result was clear: matt hardy publicly shut down the death hoax, apologised for frightening anyone, and went on to compete that night in Nashville, where his team lost after Vincent took the decisive move from Eddie Edwards. The episode underlined the speed at which fabricated memorials and AI imagery can spread and the burden placed on public figures to counter them in real time.
