Originally published on ProWrestlingSheet.

After weeks of speculation, Matt Hardy has confirmed he's leaving WWE to become a free agent.

Hardy released a video on his YouTube channel in which he confirms his WWE contract was set to expire on March 1 at midnight and he's made the decision to not re-sign at this time.

"I am going to become a free agent and that's not saying I'm not going to return to WWE," he explained. "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 good to me. They've been good to my family. They've been great to my kids. I have nothing but great things to say about the WWE and all the people who work there."

Matt also notes that he's grateful to Vince McMahon, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. 

"It's just time for me to take a break and become a free agent," he added. "The reason I needed to leave WWE is because when it comes to my creative stance – and my creative outlook on myself and my career and how I want it to go for these last 3 or 4 years that I have to spend as an active in-ring competitor – I just think myself and WWE are on different pages."

Matt then talks about his passion for the business and how his last years in the ring are important to him in cementing his legacy. "I want to enter a creative renaissance. I am not, obviously, 25 or 30-years-old. I am 45-years-old and I have to be utilized in a certain way. But I still know in my heart, I know I have so much to offer this business. I have so much entertainment left inside this vessel. And I have so much I want to give each and every one of you. I want to enter a creative renaissance and I want to have non-stop input on my creative process. And I think that's where WWE and I are on different pages."

Hardy says he's positive he'll return to WWE at some point in time, but for now he needs a break to enter free agency and see what his options are to maximize the next few years of his career.

He also mentions how this week he'll be watching Being the Elite, Raw, AEW Dark, NWA Powerrr, Impact Wrestling, WWE Backstage (with his brother Jeff Hardy as a guest), NXT, AEW Dynamite, Friday Night SmackDown, Ring of Honor, MLW and NJPW to survey the scene.

Matt explains that today, 3/2/20, was supposed to be the beginning of a multi-part release for the series finale of his Free the Delete videos. However, that will now happen on Wednesday. 

For those who haven't been following along with "Free the Delete," the series is setting up the death of Broken Matt's essence Zenith. "From the very beginning of this deal, I have been looking to re-procure my Broken Brilliance and free the delete. That is the goal and I am confident that when this series ends we will do that," he continued. "I am going to miss the first coming of 'Broken' Matt Hardy. And I'm not sure what's going to come. Especially with Abomination trying to take over my vessel. Is he going to win? Am I going to become some dark omnipotent force? I don't know. Or are we going to get the second coming of 'Broken' Matt Hardy?"

Watch the full video below.