Matt Hardy shuts down bizarre Facebook death hoax ahead of TNA main event
matt hardy dismissed a viral Facebook death hoax and used an Instagram video to tell fans he and his brother would appear in the main event of TNA IMPACT that starts at 9 p. m. ET on AMC. The fake post, shared from a Bill Goldberg account, carried an obituary line reading “Matt Hardy (1972-2026)” and a long tribute that prompted widespread alarm online.
Matt Hardy denies hoax in Instagram video
One-half of the TNA World Tag Team Champions shared a video on Instagram telling viewers, “Ladies and gentleman, the rumours are not true. The Hardy Boyz are not dead because Matt and Jeff Hardy will not die! We are both alive and well and we will be featured tonight in the main event of TNA IMPACT that starts at 9 pm ET on AMC. ” Matt, 51, leaned into his “Broken” persona while rebuking the false claims and warning The Righteous not to betray the Hardy brothers.
He added a forceful challenge to his onscreen allies: “Righteous, this is your one opportunity to make things right, and if you betray us, if you turn on us, you’re gong to FAFO. F*ck around and find out. ” Matt said many people had approached him about the troubling posts and that the fake obituary was sent to him nearly 100 times, writing in the comments, “Sorry to frighten anyone… It won’t be my ghost tonight on TNA iMPACT at 9pm on @amc_tv – It’s the alive & well Matt Hardy!”
Fake Bill Goldberg page used AI images and ran a tribute
The false announcement came from a Facebook page under the name Bill Goldberg that has been known to use AI-generated images to attract engagement. That post opened with the line, “Gone but never forgotten. Matt Hardy (1972-2026), ” then ran a tribute reading, “Matt Hardy - a soul of passion and creation. From broken dreams to immortal legacy. Every scar told a story, every match a memory. Your spirit echoes through wrestling forever. Rest in peace, legend… you live in our hearts. ”
Hardys fall short in eight-man main event in Nashville
The Hardy Boyz did appear in the advertised main event on the February 26 episode of TNA IMPACT! from Nashville. Matt and Jeff Hardy, 48, teamed with Vincent and Dutch of The Righteous in an eight-man tag match against The System: Brian Myers, Eddie Edwards, Cedric Alexander and Bear Bronson.
The match ended when Vincent shoved Matt out of harm’s way and absorbed a Boston Knee Party from Eddie Edwards, allowing The System to secure the pinfall victory and spoil the Hardys’ night.
Matt on The Righteous, Bray Wyatt and a possible WWE return
Matt has praised Vincent and Dutch for their commitment to character work. He told Metro that Windham (Bray Wyatt) “would have loved to have been able to sink his teeth into Vinnie and Dutch, no doubt, ” and added that what he enjoys most is how committed they are to the bit. The late Bray Wyatt died aged 32 in August 2023, a detail Matt invoked when discussing past plans for the Righteous in WWE.
Matt also noted that he and Jeff are enjoying working with The Righteous, and the duo could end up back on WWE television, a possibility he and Jeff have not ruled out.
After the hoax: what comes next
Matt used the Instagram spot to put the rumours to rest before the scheduled TNA IMPACT main event at 9 p. m. ET on AMC. He said the fake obituary had been circulated to him repeatedly and apologized for any alarm it caused; the brothers went on to compete that night in the Nashville main event.
