WWE News: Jeff Hardy Removed From Ringside Fest Amid Ongoing Legal Issues
With more than two weeks passed since he was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence, WWE superstar Jeff Hardy is apparently still dealing with the fallout from the incident, as he was recently removed from Ringside Collectibles’ Ringside Fest in New York City.
As reported by Wrestling Inc., the announcement was made on Monday in an official news release from Ringside Collectibles, which noted that he will be replaced by Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. The former Women’s Tag Team Champions will be joined at Ringside Fest on November 3 by three other WWE superstars — Ricochet, Sasha Banks, and reigning Universal Champion Seth Rollins.
Separately, Sportskeeda offered specifics on the event’s schedule, noting that fans will get to see Bliss, Cross, and Banks during the 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. time slot, while Ricochet and Rollins are scheduled to appear between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Bliss’ appearance at Ringside Fest this year will mark her second trip to the annual event after she joined the likes of Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, and former WWE superstar Big Cass in the 2017 edition.
While the news release did not specify why Hardy was being pulled from the upcoming event, Wrestling Inc. speculated that he was likely removed because he is scheduled to go to court for his DUI arrest on Thursday, November 7 — four days after Ringside Fest takes place. The 42-year-old wrestling veteran has been out of action since May due to knee surgery and was expected at the time to require about six to nine months on the shelf before returning to the ring.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Hardy was arrested in his home state of North Carolina on October 3, after police reportedly saw him drive away recklessly after buying a case of beer from a liquor store. While officers purportedly found what appeared to be dried blood on the wrestler’s nose, the multiple-time WWE tag team champion alleged that this resulted from a fight he had with his wife prior to the arrest.
Hardy’s October arrest was his second in three months, as he faced charges of public intoxication in July after police found him “passed out in a stairwell” in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, according to a previous report from TMZ. The gossip publication also claimed to have obtained police documents that detailed how the fan-favorite grappler “admitted to drinking vodka” prior to that arrest. This case was reportedly closed after Hardy paid a public intoxication ticket worth $153.
