Matt Hardy Blasts ‘Annoying’ Online Backlash Over WWE SmackDown Botched Finish: ‘People Don’t Know What the F**k They’re Talking About’
When a WWE main event unravels in front of millions, the internet erupts—but one veteran is fed up with the armchair quarterbacking. Matt Hardy, the Broken Brilliance himself, vented frustration over the endless online chatter dissecting a chaotic WWE SmackDown botched finish, calling out critics who “don’t know what the f**k they’re talking about.”
The drama unfolded on the September 27, 2025, episode of WWE SmackDown, where Tiffany Stratton defended the WWE Women’s Championship against powerhouse Nia Jax in a high-octane main event. Interloper Jade Cargill injected chaos, legitimately busting open during the fray, which threw off the rhythm. As Stratton went for the pin on Jax after a delayed break-up on Cargill’s own near-fall, referee Daphanie LaShaunn halted the count—sparking a botched sequence with Jax’s awkwardly late kick-out and an improvised scramble to salvage the finish. Stratton retained the gold, but the mishap lit up social media like a pyrotechnics fail.
Hardy, speaking on the latest “Extreme Life of Matt Hardy” podcast, didn’t hold back on the WWE SmackDown botched finish backlash. “It’s a little annoying in some ways, especially when people are critical of people that are doing something that’s pretty challenging, pretty hard to do, especially when stuff is really physically challenging,” he said, slamming the flood of uninformed hot takes. He pinpointed the root issue as a “lack of communication” among Stratton, Cargill, Jax, and LaShaunn: “Everybody was kind of on different wavelengths right there… The biggest thing I can say about anybody involved in these situations, it’s just you’ve got to communicate. You’ve got to communicate like a m**r out there.” Hardy advised LaShaunn to power through the count regardless—”just count the three”—to avoid amplifying the mess, but he spread no direct blame, framing it as an “unfortunate situation” in wrestling’s unforgiving spotlight.
This isn’t Hardy’s first rodeo calling out the toxicity of wrestling’s echo chambers. The TNA alum and WWE Hall of Famer, now 50 and thriving in the indies, has long championed mental resilience amid the grind—echoing his own battles with botches and burnout. His take aligns with broader critiques: Earlier in October, Hardy addressed a separate SmackDown hiccup on Wrestling Headlines, revealing MrBeast’s behind-the-scenes role in a Kai Cenat stream gone sideways. Fans on X piled on the September botch, with @big_business_ tweeting a clip captioned “OH MAN…. THIS BOTCH WAS BAADDDDDD,” racking up over 1,200 likes and sparking debates on referee accountability. @JDfromNY206 fumed, “That may have been one of the ugliest botches I’ve seen all year. Referees REALLY need to just count the fucking three,” while @Ace109610 dubbed it “probably the worst botch in WWE history,” amassing nearly 3,700 likes. The frenzy even drew a response from LaShaunn herself in a YouTube clip, addressing the flak head-on.
WWE insiders and podcasters echoed Hardy’s plea for grace. On WrestlingInc., the botch fueled talks of Cargill’s injury history clashing with Jax’s brute force, but most agreed: Live TV’s unpredictability breeds these moments, and piling on performers mid-recovery helps no one. It’s a reminder of wrestling’s razor-thin margins—Stratton’s title reign, now a cornerstone of SmackDown’s women’s division, nearly derailed by one split-second miscue.
For U.S. wrestling diehards, Hardy’s rant cuts deep in a Netflix-streaming era where SmackDown viewership hovers at 2 million weekly, blending escapism with raw athleticism. Economically, botches like this ripple: They tank social buzz (this one trended #SmackDown for hours) and pressure WWE’s $1 billion ad machine, but stars like Hardy humanize the chaos, boosting podcast listens amid a $15 billion sports entertainment boom. Lifestyle hit? Fans in heartland arenas crave perfection, yet Hardy’s words validate the grind—perfect for tailgate debates or fantasy leagues eyeing Stratton’s next feud. Politically neutral, but it spotlights labor strains in pro wrestling’s union-free world, where injuries like Cargill’s fuel calls for better safety nets.
User intent spikes for behind-the-curtain scoops: Searches for “WWE SmackDown botched finish explained” seek Hardy’s no-BS breakdowns, while wrestlers hunt “handling botch backlash” tips—his advice? Over-communicate in-ring and tune out the noise. For bookers, it’s management gold: Pre-tape key spots or drill contingencies to shield talents from online vitriol, as seen in post-botch X threads roasting everyone from Jax’s “lazy kick-out” to LaShaunn’s hesitation.
Hardy’s straight talk underscores a timeless truth: Wrestling’s magic thrives on mishaps turned triumphs, but the online wolfpack often misses the sweat-soaked script. As SmackDown barrels toward Bad Blood, expect tighter finishes—or at least, more vets like Hardy keeping the chatter in check.
By Sam Michael
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