At the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, Jeff and Matt Hardy will battle each other in the squared circle, looking to settle a personal issue that is making their common blood boil down to the core. (WATCH)

They will settle their differences in an Extreme Rules Match, featuring no disqualifications and no count-outs. (Follow the Hardys in WWE.com's "Dueling Diaries")

Matt Hardy’s actions in the past few weeks – slapping Jeff in the face after his brother refused to fight him, costing Jeff his chance at WrestleMania’s Money in the Bank Match and finally alluding to the fact he may have been behind Jeff’s recent, terrible “accidents” – are only a smaller part of a larger problem that has been building for some time.

Matt and Jeff Hardy came up in WWE when they were still teenagers. And through the years, there has always been a subtle whisper in the wind, a hint of friction accompanying their success. Perhaps the elder Matt Hardy was forced to pick up the slack for his free-spirited, “irresponsible” younger brother time and time again. And, as the two Superstars grew in the business, Matt would later say that this arrangement would consistently be a thorn in his side.

While Matt Hardy was forced to leave WWE due to injury, Jeff got himself suspended for destructive reasons of his own making. Jeff’s misfortune continued when his house burned to the ground. However, upon returning, both brothers’ fortunes immediately started to change. Matt won the ECW Championship and promised to be a fighting champion, tenaciously taking on all comers. Jeff Hardy worked through his problems and came back determined to be a World Champion, overcoming numerous obstacles in pursuit of that goal. 

Then, several months ago, just one day before Jeff was set the make his attempt at the WWE Championship, the Charismatic Enigma was mysteriously attacked in a stairwell of his hotel. This ignited a series of unfortunate circumstances that included a hit and run “accident” and a pyrotechnics “accident,” both of which left their mark on Jeff.

Something didn’t add up about these instances and though many were suspected, for the time being, the culprit would remain a mystery. Although it was not known at the time, the dye had already been cast on the future of the Hardys.

Jeff Hardy continued to overcome his demons and at Armageddon, as he finally captured the WWE Championship. Both Hardys carried gold in what should have been a perfect realization of a family dream.

But, at the Royal Rumble, the fuse was lit that would instantly bring family disorder. After losing the ECW Championship to Jack Swagger weeks before, Matt Hardy lost his rematch for the Extreme gold. Then, later that night, when it looked like he was coming to the ring to help deal with SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero’s interference in his brother’s match, Matt stunned the WWE Universe by hitting Jeff with a steel chair, allowing Edge to get the three-count and in one instant, take away Jeff Hardy’s dream.

Matt Hardy may have opened a wound that can never be closed. And now that Jeff has agreed to face his estranged brother at WrestleMania, it remains to be seen whether Houston’s Reliant Stadium is reinforced enough to contain the firestorm that will be unleashed.

Don’t miss the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania April 5 at 7:00 pm only on pay-per-view.