Matt Hardy thinks WWE's 22-year ban on popular move is unnecessary

Matt Hardy believes WWE Superstars should still be allowed to use the piledriver.

To perform a piledriver, a wrestler turns their opponent upside down before driving them head-first onto the ring canvas. WWE banned the move in 2000, three years after Steve Austin suffered a serious neck injury following a botched piledriver from Owen Hart.

Speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, the AEW star stated that piledrivers can be performed safely if the wrestler delivering the move is strong.

“Being banned isn’t gonna change a ton of injuries," Hardy said. "Obviously you’re not gonna get anybody being hurt from a piledriver because you can’t do the piledrivers, but do I think it’s a good thing it’s banned? Not necessarily. I think if you have someone who knows what they’re doing and they’re strong, I think it’s a fine move.” [1:07:28-1:07:53]

Despite banning piledrivers in 2000, WWE still allowed Kane and The Undertaker to use the Tombstone Piledriver throughout their careers.

In 2013, CM Punk surprisingly hit John Cena with a piledriver on RAW. He later wrote on Twitter that people backstage were “mad” at him for using the move.

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Matt Hardy discusses Edge’s piledriver on Jeff Hardy

Edge and Christian memorably defeated Matt and Jeff Hardy at No Way Out 2000 to become the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship.

Matt clarified that Edge did not go against WWE management by using a piledriver during the match, as the move had not yet been banned:

“We were all at that point where we wouldn’t have pushed the rules if we were told not to do something," Hardy recalled. "I don’t think any of us were that kind of rebel at that point. But I was surprised even when I saw the piledriver [rewatching No Way Out 2000] because I know later on a couple of years later, after that, it ends up being banned permanently.” [1:06:43-1:07:03]

Fightful Select reported in 2020 that several WWE Superstars, including Kevin Owens, wanted the company to reverse its ban on piledrivers. Some talents said at the time that variations of the move may return, but not with the “piledriver” name.

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Please credit The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.