By Rick Gardner, PWTorch specialist

Sunday, March 30, 2008. Seventy-four thousand fans filled the Citrus Bowl in Orlando to see WrestleMania 24, and millions more tuned in at home for what has become the most important event on the wrestling calendar. There were nine matches, celebrity appearances, and one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history in the form of Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair.

However, one of the WWE's most popular stars was forced to watch from the sidelines.

Jeff Hardy had failed a WWE Wellness program test on March 11 and was serving a 60-day ban. For Jeff Hardy, his self-inflicted absence must have been difficult to swallow. He had reached his peak popularity as a singles performer, and fans had been clamoring to see him defeat Randy Orton for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.

For his political opponents, this was vindication of their belief that Hardy was too unreliable to hold on of the company's top titles. Imagine if he had been scheduled for a main event match and had failed the test.

But to the fans who had witnessed his rise over the course of the last decade, Jeff Hardy was one of them.

From wrestling his brother in the backyard, to wrestling Razor Ramon on WWF TV at the age of sixteen. From signing his first WWF contract with his brother, to beating the Acolytes for his first Tag Team Title. From stealing the show in numerous TLC matches, to being booed out of the building by angry ROH fans at Death Before Dishonor.

From continually no-showing appearances in TNA, to surprisingly re-signing with the WWE in 2006. From becoming one of the most popular wrestlers in the company to missing WrestleMania due to a test failure.

Jeff Hardy's WWE Title win is the culmination of a unique career. However, it is much more than this.

Jeff Hardy's WWE title win at last week's Armageddon represents a remarkable turnaround for a man who was in the bad books of WWE management in March. Through months of hard work, Hardy proved wrong everyone who believed his behavior was too erratic, that his physique was not up to scratch, that his in-ring work was too spot-based, or that his promos were not believable.

For most wrestlers, winning a World Title is proof that they are one of the best in the world. Jeff Hardy's WWE Title win is not only proof that he is a world-class wrestler; it is a story of triumph in the face of adversity. And for that, Jeff Hardy should be very proud.

[Jeff Hardy art by Grant Gould (c) PWTorch]

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