Tony Khan and AEW might have been the reason behind Triple H's recent WWE decision, says legend

WWE has made some major changes since Triple H took over the creative duties of the promotion in 2022. The Game is focused on delivering a quality product, and the promotion's recent partnership with TNA Wrestling is an example of it. However, legendary wrestler Matt Hardy has suggested the partnership could be WWE's way of eliminating any possibility of another working relationship between All Elite Wrestling and the Nashville-based company.

In December 2020, AEW formed a working relationship with TNA Wrestling (FKA IMPACT Wrestling). The partnership saw crossovers from stars like Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (The Good Brothers) as well as Kenny Omega, who had some great matches in the Nashville-based promotion. At Rebellion 2021, The Cleaner defeated Rich Swann in a Winner Takes All Match to retain the AEW World Championship and claim the IMPACT World Title. However, the partnership quietly ended in October 2021.

In the latest episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, reigning TNA World Tag Team Champion Matt Hardy addressed the possibility of WWE not allowing All Elite Wrestling to develop another partnership with TNA in the future with its recent move. The veteran also claimed that the partnership between AEW and TNA was very "one-sided."

"I'm sure it could be, especially from WWE because I know the AEW—some of the tweets that Tony [Khan] has written about Hunter [Triple H] and Shawn [Michaels] and the company, and the 'Weinstein Wrestling Federation,' whatever it was, I mean, I'm sure those don't make people happy, you know? But one thing I can say is I know whenever the partnership was going on with AEW and TNA, I thought it was very one-sided," he said.

The former AEW star said that he would have liked to see the Tony Khan-led company "put TNA over a little more" to make the promotion feel "on the same level" as All Elite Wrestling.

"I would have liked to see them put TNA over a little more, to try and make them look somewhat more on the same level, even if they weren't," he said. [H/T: Wrestling Inc.]

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WWE recently formed a multi-year partnership with TNA Wrestling

NXT and TNA have been working together since last year. The appearances of stars like Joe Hendry, Frankie Kazarian, and Jordynne Grace attracted more eyeballs to WWE's developmental brand's show last year. Last month, the Stamford-based promotion announced a multi-year partnership with TNA Wrestling that will allow stars from TNA and WWE to cross over.

The Royal Rumble Premium Live Event is set to take place in Indianapolis later tonight, and fans can expect to see some TNA stars in the 30-person over-the-top-rope elimination matches. Reigning TNA World Champion Joe Hendry could be one of the surprise entrants in the Men's Royal Rumble Match.