 The main event was a contest for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship between then-champion, Jeff Jarrett, and the challenger, A.J. Styles, with Tito Ortiz as Special Guest Referee. On the April 8 episode of TNA's television program TNA Impact!, Director of Authority (DOA) Dusty Rhodes announced that the winner of the planned bout between Styles and Abyss in a Six Sides of Steel Cage match at TNA's Lockdown PPV event on April 24, 2005, would earn a championship match at Hard Justice. Styles went on to defeat Abyss at Lockdown, thus becoming the number one contender. DOA Rhodes announced on the April 29, 2005 episode of Impact! that the match was official and that Ortiz would be special guest referee for the bout. TNA held a sit-down interview conducted by TNA commentator Mike Tenay between Styles and Jarrett on the May 6 episode of Impact !. The match was promoted heading into the event with a video package highlighting the strengths of Styles'in-ring ability against Jarrett's history as champion on the May 13 episode of Impact !.
