The legal battle over the rights to Matt Hardy's Broken gimmick continued yesterday the wake of statements from Impact Wrestling president Ed Nordhom claiming that Impact owns the full rights to the characters and that WWE is not interested in buying the gimmick from them. The news didn't sit well with either Hardy, causing Reby Hardy to break off her feud with WWE superstar Tyler Breeze…
Got a phone notification that someone named "@MmmGorgeous" was following my husband back & was bout to pack a bag to go beat some hoe's ass
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
… it was this guy
😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/vlVBp79pJZ
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
(That's the love triangle angle we need, by the way, WWE. Please make that happen…)
And respond:
@RebyHardy apparently you and WWE aren't interested in the Broken Gimmick according to ED
— Cal 👅 (@CallumW1995) May 22, 2017
Only thing apparent here is the level of desperation from a person of his position doing a phone podcast re: intentions of a billion $+ co. https://t.co/WcXOJUwkQa
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
When this is all said and done I hope you're right. Because if not you've been the voice of the Hardys fans for far more than you should be
— Matthew Dunn (@the905guy) May 22, 2017
I am the voice for myself & MY FAMILY, as every woman should be. Go find your own leader, it ain't me & I ain't claiming you. https://t.co/MNXCoDRYRM
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
And to claim that Impact is avoiding the Hardys' lawyers:
Details on What's Really Happening With The Broken Universe Trademark: https://t.co/gljimiQjVO pic.twitter.com/6inyELcvEN
— Pro Wrestling Sheet (@WrestlingSheet) May 22, 2017
And Matt Hardy to retweet Pro Wrestling Sheet's Ryan Satin:
https://twitter.com/ryansatin/status/866714859060121600
Accurate. https://t.co/HR7vAuWRfV
— #BROKEN Matt Hardy (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 22, 2017
At which point Dutch Mantell took to Twitter to gloat about Nordholm's disputed statements, taunting and continuing his feud with Matt and Reby from last week.
NEWS: Thanks @EdNordholm for clearing it up on @LAWradio. @IMPACTWRESTLING owns BrokenBrilliance IP 100%. No dispute.@RealJeffJarrett
— 𝔻𝕣. 𝔻𝕦𝕥𝕔𝕙 (@DirtyDMantell) May 22, 2017
Prompting Reby to respond:
Guys. Giving an "interview" to YOUR OWN NETWORK while lying through your teeth is now considered "NEWS:" 😆😆😆 https://t.co/TCP81KysBW
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
And, in a cunning legal maneuver, to reveal tweets between herself and her lawyer about the subject:
No dispute ? Watch 🙃#TextsWithMyLawyer pic.twitter.com/ouJQy3txVo
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
Now I'm just annoyed. Which is worse than pissed, trust me. Time to squash the bug.
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
exactly. So self righteous.
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
Somebody over there should tell Ed that KAYFABE is dead. We're not stupid. #NoCredibilityED #InHardysWeTrust
— Dave McMichael (@MickeyMcDave) May 22, 2017
#NoCredEd 😆 https://t.co/5kRoV9di5b
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
During Monday Night RAW last night, WWE itself seemed to get in on the action, first posting a match graphic between Sheamus and Matt Hardy with Matt grinning in full Broken character:
PLUS: @MATTHARDYBRAND will battle @WWESheamus, with the winner deciding the stipulation for the #RAW #TagTeamTitles match at #ExtremeRules! pic.twitter.com/W4wiL3zhu7
— WWE (@WWE) May 23, 2017
And then later changing it to non-Broken smirk:
UP NEXT: @MATTHARDYBRAND and @WWESheamus will battle to determine the stipulation for the #RAW #TagTeamTitles match at #ExtremeRules! pic.twitter.com/8fQo5C4uLJ
— WWE (@WWE) May 23, 2017
But when a fan pointed out the change to Reby Hardy, she had a response ready:
@RebyHardy they changed it!!!! He's fixed… https://t.co/DYbvoOda3J
— Billy Neal (@Billy_Neal87) May 23, 2017
He showed up dressed as a green bean tonight, so no. Still #BROKEN 😆 https://t.co/UlF6LVyPf0
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 23, 2017
Even the WWE Universe got in on the action, with one fan holding a sign at Monday Night Raw referencing Senor Benjamin, Reby Hardy's real life dad, who appeared for free throughout the Broken storyline on Impact in 2016 without, according to the Hardys, ever signing a release. The Hardys find claims of copyright over Senor Benjamin particularly egregious.
Gracias amigo. #FreeSenorBenjamin#justiceforsenorbenjamin #RAW pic.twitter.com/BZ2B1U8Rjh
— Señor Benjamin (@BenjaminSenor) May 23, 2017
Was in the TNA's top story & NEVER PAID A PENNY, even tho promised.
He NEVAH signed a release to use/air his footage-That isn't legal. #DTO https://t.co/d9CfdSD1ib
— #BROKEN Matt Hardy (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 23, 2017
And leaving Mantell to extend an olive branch, of sorts, which Reby Hardy rejected:
Go away. You're not my type. @dirtydutchman1 pic.twitter.com/FkhjPoTkcJ
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 23, 2017
Charge your phone battery, Reby. This could go on for a while.