Former WWE wrestler Matt Hardy granted his first post-WWE interview to longtime friend Shane Helms on the "Highway 2 Helms" online show that is co-hosted by Marty "Champain" Garner at GeekWeek.com/live.. The following are the highlights of the interview, which can be viewed below or at Justin.com/geekweek/b/273629623.

-Hardy and Helms toasted to "being free" and "having the cuffs off." Matt said it was great to be part of WWE and work for a CEO, but he and Helms want to be CEOs now.

-Helms asked Hardy how it felt to be finished with WWE. "I actually feel great," Hardy said. "It was time for me to go." He said being with WWE was interesting and he put over the company as a global phenomenon. He said it can be frustrating to work for WWE. He cited travel and wear and tear. He said you're gone five days per week when you work for WWE including travel time and that does not include international tours.

-Matt said that watching Jeff Hardy and his companion Beth bring his niece into the world made him question whether it was time to move on to the next phase of his life.

-Hardy addressed the youth movement in WWE, and credited Helms with saying the company needs a talent movement. He cited guys like Eric Escobar and Drew McIntyre as heels who were pushed aggressively. "There was no reason to boo him (McIntyre) and people didn't boo him," Hardy said.

-Hardy said WWE has missed the boat on Christian. He said that if Christian doesn't win a World Championship it's an injustice. Hardy expressed frustration over a long term program he and Christian planned that was killed quickly.

-Helms said his personal strength was making his opponents look better. He said he can make them look better than they can make him look, and said sometimes that can work against you.

-Hardy said he calls out the "dirt sheets" because he wants them to be better because they are influential. He said writers would have a better perspective if they could follow him or another wrestler around for six months.

-Helms said it was frustrating to deal with agents who told wrestlers how to get over when they were never over during their careers.

-Hardy said one of his favorite shows is TNA Reaction because the wrestlers get to be themselves and put things in their own words. He said there are times when promos he has delivered have been panned, but he was just saying what he was supposed to say. He added that he hated that his character supposedly burned Jeff's house down.

-Garner asked Hardy who the latest person he had serious heat with. Garner mentioned C.M. Punk. Hardy said he had no problem when Amy "Lita" Dumas and Punk dated. However, he said he got to know Punk and indicated that he wasn't very impressed. Hardy put over Punk's talent, but said he's too good at playing the character because he's hypocritical.

-Hardy addressed his abdominal issues. He said it got so bad that he could take two fingers and push his intestines back in. Helms verified the story and said it looked like a big knot that Hardy could push back in. He said he was wearing three pair of under armor shorts during matches at one point.

-Hardy said he was supposed to get a big push, but it was derailed when he broke his hand even though he never missed a match. Hardy said that he came back a month early from abdominal surgery because WWE wanted to turn him babyface. He said it was determined that he can't eat red meat, and his physical appearance is changing for the better now.

-Hardy addressed the reports that he was sent home from a house show in White Plains, N.Y. He said someone contacted John Laurinaitis and insinuated that he may have had an "issue." Hardy said he was drug tested and was not allowed to wrestle until the test came back clean.

-Hardy also addressed his behavior on the UK tour. He said the office contacted him and said they were sending him home because they heard he was nodding off the night before. He said the office sent him home even though he worked the match the previous night without any issues. He said he asked for his release twice before, but this was the final straw.

-Hardy went on to say that he doesn't think the company appreciated him. He said the only day he took off in WWE was when Lita had neck surgery. Helms said she must have appreciated it. "She appreciated it so much that she went and banged the Rated R Superstar," Hardy joked.

-Hardy said he spoke with Laurinaitis the Monday after he returned home and said it was time to go. He said never failed a drug test when he worked for WWE. Hardy said it was not easy to get his WWE release.

-Helms recalled the end of his WWE run. He said he was frustrated on the ECW show. Helms said he is a varsity player, not a JV player. Helms said he wished he could have left the company on a higher note. Hardy and Helms recalled how Helms worked through a broken neck for four months. Helms said he was frustrated by how he was treated toward the end.

-"It's a different company now," Helms said. "Talent relations is making it what it is. I'll say it publicly, I think Vince (McMahon) is being worked. I think Vince is being worked by the guys in talent relations."

-Hardy said now is the time for TNA to strike. He said that the wrestlers in WWE with low downside guarantees are the guys who will be kept around.

-Hardy and Helms put over Northeast Wrestling. Hardy spoke about his upcoming indy match against Mr. Anderson.

-Helms questioned how much money Vince needs. He spoke about how Vince's non-wrestling ventures have failed.

Powell's POV: The trio had some fun at the start of the show, but it turned out to be an interesting broadcast when they settled in and focussed on specific topics. They were sharing some memories of Chris Benoit late in the interview, which goes on for two hours.


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