Stephanie Against Jeff Hardy title win.

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The decision to give Jeff Hardy the WWE Championship belt took place during a creative team meeting two weeks before the pay-per-view match at Armageddon. Vince McMahon first brought up the idea, which caught most of the creative team by surprise.

Ever since Rob Van Dam's drug possession arrest in July 2006 (who held two major title belts at the time) and all the drug related suspensions of September 2007, McMahon said they could never put a major title on someone who was at a high risk of being suspended because all of the creative team's major storyline plans would have to be overhauled not to mention that it would set a bad example.

At the creative team meeting two weeks ago, Stephanie McMahon was the only one to challenge Vince's idea of giving Jeff Hardy the WWE Championship, bringing up his own doctrine of a wrestler at a high risk of getting suspended receiving a major belt setting a bad example to the talent. Vince acknowledged the doctrine, but said in the short-term, his plan could work if Jeff handled the opportunity properly.

With WWE's rule of publicly releasing names of talent who fail drug tests putting enough pressure on them as it is, strapping the title on Hardy isn't going to make people say that they can fail a test with no punishment.

If somehow there is a relapse on Hardy's part before his title run comes to an end, McMahon made it clear he's immediately dropping the title as a failed drug test would of course mean the termination of their world champion because it's would be Jeff's third strike. McMahon said Hardy getting fired while champion would send the ultimate message to the locker room.

**I can see why she is worried. She doesn't want anything to put a bad name on WWE, but cut the dude some slack. Sure he's made mistakes ... but who doesn't make mistakes? I think this title run will bring more positive things in his life and I don't think he's taking this lightly.

She prolly just mad that HHH is not champion.... She so negative

Thats exactly what I said, but if Jeff screws it up I will lose all respect for him cause he said the championship is what he wanted his whole life.

I commend Jeff Hardy for trying his hardest but I hope he staya away from bad influence cause I'll be so sad the day I hear something is Wrong With Jeff Hardy. God Forbid

I never thought he would be the WWE champion looking back 3 years ago.

Me neither dude! Boy was I wrong too. Last year was thae start of Jeff's journey, I just hope Matt gets his too. He is just as deserving