Matt Hardy takes a shot at WWE's third party policy

Former WWE superstar and current AEW wrestler Matt Hardy took a shot at WWE's new third party platform policy on last night's episode of All Elite Wrestling.

Matt Hardy, who is currently alligned with tag team Private Party in the promotion, made the subtle comment during a segment which also featured artist and WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg. The backstage skit, which revolved around Private Party signing new contracts, seemed to be a jab at the way contracts and payments are handled in WWE.

"You guys wanna be kings, right? A king like Snoop Dogg? You're gonna be a winner. You have the potential in you, it's untapped. I'm gonna bring it out. I know 30 percent is a hefty fee but it will pay off in spades." Hardy said.

Matt Hardy would go on to mention "third party platforms" and that the team would still be able to continue using such platforms in their personal lives, if they wished.

"I can't wait for Private Party to be iconic. And you know what? All those 3rd party platform things like Cameo or Twitch...I'm not a monster. You still got that. And they're very beneficial."

While comical in nature, it's clear Matt Hardy was attempting to highlight the differences in talent policies between the two rival companies, AEW and WWE.

What happened when WWE introduced its new third party policy?

Zelina Vega in WWE

After a decision by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon back in September 2020, WWE talent was told to stop using third party platforms, such as Twitch, or face potential termination.

While most in the locker room complied to the message, one WWE superstar who found herself creating headlines over the issue was Zelina Vega. Real name Thea Trinidad, Vega's WWE contract was terminated when she refused to withdraw from third party platforms.

Mere hours before the news of her termination broke, Vega shared this message on Twitter:

I support unionization.

— 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖆 𝕿𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖉𝖆𝖉 (@TheaTrinidad) November 13, 2020

Vega's sudden dismissal from the company came as a shock to many, considering she was engaged in a feud with Raw Women's Champion Asuka at the time. She continues to stream regularly on her Twitch channel.