Matt Hardy's appearance at WWE Raw could be a sign of what's to come

Matt Hardy attended the March 18 taping of WWE Raw. His wife, Reby, posted a video of the pair at the Raleigh, North Carolina, event. The video inevitably created a buzz online that Hardy could be gearing up to return to WWE once his deal with AEW reaches its conclusion.

According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, though, Hardy didn't participate in a meeting with WWE higher-ups during his visit to RAW. 

"Fightful noted on Monday's WWE Raw post-show that Matt's wife Reby posted a TikTok video of the two at WWE Raw in Raleigh, North Carolina not far from where they live," Sapp reported. "This fueled speculation that Hardy was there meeting with WWE, but we're told that isn't the case."

Hardy's tenure with AEW hasn't gone how many had hoped since he joined the company in 2020. Even after his brother, Jeff Hardy, came on board with the AEW roster in 2022, Tony Khan's booking failed to create any traction for the hugely popular tag team. Hardy has scarcely been seen in the ring in recent months. Instead, he is often used in small promo segments or asked to put talent over in matches.

At 49 years old, Hardy's career is on the back nine. He could choose to return to WWE for one final swan song, which would become even more likely if his brother's contract is also due to expire and the team could return to their former stomping ground together. 

Of course, Hardy could have been attending the event as nothing more than a fan. Still, the timing of his appearance and his contract negotiations will undoubtedly leave fans wondering what's next for the Hall of Fame candidate. AEW's roster continues to grow, meaning available TV time is dwindling. WWE would undoubtedly find a storyline and angle to get the Hardy brothers back on track. 

For now, both Hardy brothers will remain under contract with AEW. The question is, how much longer will they be with a company that continues to fumble their careers. And how many other stars will look to follow them out of the door if things don't change? The Hardys could be the first departures in what may be a roster trimming for Tony Khan's company. Maybe that will be WWE's gain.