The Hardys React to Team 3D’s Emotional Retirement at TNA Bound For Glory

It was the end of an era at TNA Bound For Glory, as Team 3D seemingly called time on their legendary in-ring careers — and no one was more surprised than their longtime rivals, The Hardy Boyz.

In a high-stakes Tables Match that saw both the TNA and NXT Tag Team Championships on the line, Matt and Jeff Hardy managed to outlast Bully Ray and D-Von Dudley in a hard-hitting, nostalgia-filled showdown. But what came after the bell rang left fans and the Hardys alike stunned.

Following the match, Team 3D removed their boots and handed them to the Hardys — a symbolic gesture in pro wrestling that traditionally signifies retirement. With that simple act, one of the most decorated tag teams in history appeared to say goodbye to active competition.

Speaking in a post-match interview, Matt Hardy admitted the moment caught him completely off guard:

“They came out looking for a knockout — 3Ds right out the gate. But what shocked me was when the match ended, they took off their boots. They called it a career. We did not expect that. They… they gave us their boots, which was the ultimate sign of respect.”

Jeff Hardy echoed his brother’s emotions, reflecting on what the moment meant to him personally:

“What an honor. That right there gave us confidence and momentum for however long we keep doing this, knowing that that happened tonight.”

For both teams, the moment felt like a full-circle conclusion to a rivalry that helped define tag team wrestling at the turn of the millennium. The Hardys and Team 3D (then the Dudley Boyz) first clashed in a Tables Match at the 2000 Royal Rumble, and along with Edge and Christian, went on to create some of WWE’s most iconic moments in the original TLC matches.

Now, 25 years later, those same teams once again shared the spotlight — this time, to close the book on one of wrestling’s most storied tag team rivalries.

If Bound For Glory truly marked the final bow for Bully Ray and D-Von, it was a fitting farewell for a team that redefined what tag team wrestling could be — and an emotional passing of the torch to two men who helped them make history.