Watch: Matt Hardy's WWE Contract Expires, Confirms He's a Free Agent

Matt Hardy took to YouTube early Tuesday morning with an announcement — after months of speculation and teasing, his contract with WWE had officially expired and he was opting to become a free agent on the independent scene. Hardy's latest stint with the company started in 2017, when he and brother Jeff Hardy returned at WrestleMania 33. Though he picked up three tag team championship reigns in the three years that followed, WWE never used him as anything more than a midcarder and kept him off of television for long periods of time, most notably last year.

Hardy gave no confirmation on where he'd wind up next, though the biggest theory right now is that he'll be revealed as The Exalted One (the leader of the Dark Order) in All Elite Wrestling.

"As of this current time, I have decided to let my contract with WWE expire," Hardy said. "I am going to become a free agent, and that's not saying I'm not going to return to WWE, I did not want to leave WWE, I love WWE, WWE is my home. WWE has treated me great as an employee for the last three years, they've been great to me, they've been great to my family, they've been great to my kids — I have nothing but great things to say about WWE and all the people who work there. And going back twenty-plus years ago, if it wasn't for Vince McMahon I would not have been able to obtain the life, the quality of life I currently have. So I will always be grateful for that and I will always be appreciative of that."

Hardy added that he expects to return to the company at some point. But for now, he wants to enter a "creative renaissance."

"I am positive that am some point I will definitely be home, back with WWE once again," Hardy said. "I mean, I think there's definitely a WWE Hall of Fame ring waiting on myself and my brother. But I think right now, I need to weigh all my options, I need to see what all's out there, and I need to see what is going to be the perfect environment for Matt Hardy to maximize these next few years of my career. And really give me a creative canvas to paint my masterpiece, because that is what I want to do right now."