If you’ve been a casual fan of professional wrestling fan over the past twelve months or so, then you’re probably very confused about why there are chants of Delete ringing out every time The Hardy Boyz – or Matt Hardy, in particular – shows up on-air.
Well, let me enlighten you. That’s because Matt developed a gimmick for himself called Broken Matt Hardy during his time with TNA and his subsequent tour of the indie circuit. It became really big and breathed new life into The Hardyz’ career.
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The character can be best described as a crazy, prophetic incarnation of a mad man that has infested the body of the person formerly known as Matt Hardy. He took on a weird accent, streaked his hair blonde and started chanting Delete over and over.
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But, is the only one who could have pulled this off? Well, we think with a little bit of imagination and effort, we believe some other superstars – past and present – could have pulled off something as ridiculous.
So, without any further ado here is our list of 5 superstars other than Matt Hardy who could have pulled off The Broken Gimmick:
#5 Luke Harper
Coming in at Number 5 is the unlikeliest of the bunch, the former right-hand man of Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper. I know I know, you’re not very convinced, but just hear me out. Harper has been credited by Bray as a huge part of his creepy gimmick, and that sort of creativity is essential in pulling off a gimmick as outlandish as Broken Matt.
He has the crazy look required for the part and is a surprisingly underrated performer on the mic as well. This combination of things could easily see Luke Harper step out of the shadows of his former Wyatt Family leader and take up the role of leading man for himself.
He even has a willing cohort for the role of Brother Nero in Erick Rowan.
Also read: 5 potential feuds for Bray Wyatt on Raw
#4 Gangrel
Hey, you guys remember Gangrel? The creepy dude who literally played the role of a vampire during the Attitude Era. Gangrel used to run around drinking fake blood, acting the part of a vampire and even soaked his opponents in literal bloodbaths from above the ring. It was nuts. It is that sort of commitment to a role that is needed to pull off something as ludicrous as the Broken Hardy gimmick.
Gangrel was also a dab hand with a mic with his natural charisma and edgy way of talking, and he has proven he has the ability to gather followers through his time as the leader of The Brood.
On a weird anecdote to this story, Matt Hardy and his brother Jeff were once part of The Brood, as well.
#3 Aleister Black
Aleister Black is one strange cookie. Having made a name for himself on the indie circuit as Tommy End, he is a superb professional wrestler of great striking ability, but it is the gimmick that really adds to the aura of strange around him.
He may not be much of a talker, but he’s got a very measured and mysterious way about him which would be a great alternate take on the psychotic version of The Broken gimmick that Matt Hardy employs.
The Netherlands native’s natural charisma and post-apocalyptic grunge look can easily help him pull off some of the weirder aspects of the gimmick with ease.
#2 Eric Young
Now we to come to another member of the NXT roster, Eric Young – the man who leads the faction called SAnitY. He has all the skills required to pull off the crazed Broken gimmick with ease. He and his band of cohorts are completely nuts - fulfilling that part of the requirement - and he has the perfect unkempt look about him.
He also oozes natural charisma with the way he leads his stable and the effectiveness with which he cuts his promos. Young also has all the experience of being a long-time professional wrestler on the indie circuit and has all the experience that comes with that.
Young would be the perfect choice for a Broken Matt replacement. Well, second perfect after our number 1 entry on this list...
#1 Bray Wyatt
Who else was it going to be, right? Bray’s character is a weird version of Broken already, and he pulls it off like no one else in the world can. He has the promo skills down to a tee with the mental ramblings about supernatural things that no mere mortal mind is supposed to understand.
He has done his own version of The Final Deletion with that House of Horrors nonsense with Randy Orton. Everything he does is eerily reminiscent to Broken Matt. The two even teased a feud with each other before the elder Hardy brother returned to the WWE, that’s how similar their two gimmicks are.
Bray Wyatt is basically a weird alternate universe version of Broken Matt Hardy.
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