NEW YORK, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Video of TNA wrestler Jeff Hardy falling and getting knocked unconscious during what appears to be a cage match gone awry is going viral under the guise it was a real accident and not part of the event's scripted timeline.
Hardy was fighting an opponent at the Manhattan Center on Friday during a TNA Impact event when he fell while climbing to the top of a fenced "cage" encompassing the ring.
As TMZ reported on Saturday, "The famous wrestler climbed to the top of a cage during a match at the Manhattan Center ... but when he was knocked off by an opponent -- sources say the fall didn't go as planned."
Appreciate your concerns for Jeff.. Last night he was legit hurt but we won't know how bad until he has some scans done. That's the update.
— Matt Hardy (@MATTHARDYBRAND) January 10, 2015I've seen @JEFFHARDYBRAND take some ridiculous bumps. 1st time ever I'm concerned for his health & this is coming from me.
— Tommy Dreamer (@THETOMMYDREAMER) January 10, 2015The problem with TMZ's sources and fellow wrestler's statements of concern, is it appears the fall went exactly as planned, and had no business being reported as real news, even by gossip standards.
"TMZ probably doesn't actually watch Impact, so here are a couple of things to make you feel better," Uprox points out.
"It might actually be impossible for someone to accidentally hit the ring steps in TNA. TNA is all about their ring steps spots. They love them. They do 'em all the time. It's also impossible to plan a spot where you swing out on an open cage door and fall to the floor, but expect to not hit the steps that'd be positioned directly under the door ... TNA is headed to the UK at the end of the month and Jeff isn't legally allowed to travel with them, so they have to come up with a reason for Jeff to get 'injured' right before they leave. Otherwise, fans in the UK might wonder where he is. 'He fell off a cage and hurt his brain' is more fantastic and easier to explain than 'he can't wrestle here because crimes.'"
The crime in question is a 2009 drug conviction according to Wrestling News Source.
The scam was eventually identified and debunked, but not before weekend desks at legitimate news outlets such as USA Today and Bleacher Report picked up the story and reported it as real.
