The Broken Hardys — Broken Matt and Brother Nero — made their dramatic entrance at NXT Halloween Havoc, set to their signature “Broken” theme, as they prepared to defend the NXT Tag Team Championships. Their challengers were the menacing DarkState (Dion Lennox & Osiris Griffin), and the match was contested under Broken Rules — a chaotic environment tailor-made for the Hardys’ unique brand of carnage.
From the opening bell, the bout descended into madness. DarkState’s Saquon Shugars and Cutler James repeatedly interfered on behalf of their allies, only for Matt and Jeff to even the odds in spectacular fashion. The Hardys soared off the ropes and crashed through tables, taking out both Shugars and James to the roar of the crowd.
Midway through the match, DarkState channeled a bit of tag team history, connecting with a 3D on Matt Hardy — a nod to Team 3D. The move carried extra symbolism, given that the Hardys had only recently defeated Team 3D (Bully Ray & D-Von Dudley) at TNA Bound For Glory in what was billed as Team 3D’s final match, unifying the NXT Tag Team and TNA World Tag Team Championships in the process.
As the mayhem continued, Jeff Hardy climbed a towering ladder and attempted his trademark Swanton Bomb, but Griffin narrowly escaped, sending Jeff crashing through a pile of tables below. The end came moments later when Griffin hoisted Jeff onto his shoulders for a Doomsday Device. Lennox charged forward with a vicious clothesline, driving Jeff through another table. Lennox made the cover, scoring the three-count to secure the victory.
With that, DarkState became two-time NXT Tag Team Champions, reclaiming the titles they had lost to the Hardys at NXT vs. TNA: Showdown.
Following the title change, cameras caught up backstage with Je’Von Evans and TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater, who had earlier opened the show with a win over AAA’s Mr. Iguana and La Parka. The duo reflected on DarkState’s victory and issued a subtle warning. Slater noted that while his current focus remains on the X Division Championship, once business there settles, he and Evans fully intend to set their sights on the NXT Tag Team Titles — and on DarkState in particular, after the team infamously crashed their singles encounter at Bound For Glory 2025.
