The Broken Hardys Return: NXT Confirms Huge Halloween Havoc Match

On Tuesday night’s episode of NXT, Matt and Jeff Hardy — sometimes known as The Broken Hardys — made their long-awaited return, confronting the group DarkState in a shocking segment that few, if any, fans saw coming. The video included Matt and Jeff at the Hardy Compound, both walking into the Lake of Reincarnation and transforming into the characters Broken Matt and Brother Nero.

The teams will face off in a Broken Rules Match at Halloween Havoc, which seems fitting given the odd and eerie characters of these two.

WWE’s official X (Twitter) account broke the news in dramatic fashion, posting:

“OH. MY. GOD.

DarkState have awoken Broken Matt Hardy and Brother Nero, and we're getting a Broken Rules Match at Halloween Havoc!!”

This marks the first time in some time that the Hardys will compete together under their “Broken” personas — a fan-favorite gimmick that never really saw the light of day in WWE. While both gimmicks worked well in TNA and had underwhelming runs in AEW, trying them in NXT was unexpected.

These two characters aren't for every fan, but those who like it love that it blends surreal storytelling, chaos, and cinematic-style production. The “Broken Rules” stipulation typically means there are no disqualifications, falls count anywhere, and the match might take place on the Hardy Compound.

Fans React To The Return Of The Broken Hardys

The announcement quickly took over social media. Fan reactions ranged from pure excitement to tongue-in-cheek skepticism. One user wrote, “I saw someone say this is gonna be a classic — DarkState and classic in the same sentence,” while others wrote, “Heck yeah!” There were several "Delete" memes.

While this might be a one-time appearance at Halloween Havoc, for the Hardys, this return could signal one last major run in WWE. They are currently part of the TNA brand and working in NXT as part of the promotional crossover. Still, their “Broken Universe,” which first gained cult status during their TNA could lead to more.

With Halloween Havoc already shaping up to be an intriguing event, the addition of The Broken Hardys made this a can't-miss event for some fans.