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Matt Cardona, AKA Zack Ryder, Reacts To SmackDown Return As WWE Releases New Merch

Zack Ryder lives once again! Matt Cardona made his return to WWE Friday night on SmackDown, but is he sticking around for good?
Rick Ucchino|
Matt Cardona aka Zack Ryder
Matt Cardona aka Zack Ryder | Matt Cardona

The Long Island Iced-Z is back in WWE? Woo woo woo, you know it!

Matt Cardona, the self-proclaimed God of independent wrestling, made his return to WWE on Friday night's episode of SmackDown in Albany, New York. Well, sort of. It was actually Zack Ryder who was revealed as the surprise opponent for LA Knight in The 'Last Time is Now' Tournament.

The former Men's United States and Intercontinental Champion has been performing under his own name for the last five and a half years, after he was released from his WWE contract as a result of budget cuts during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Paul Levesque & Zack Ryder
Paul Levesque & Zack Ryder | Triple H on X

During that time, he completely reinvented himself and became arguably the most successful independent wrestler in the industry. Cardona has captured world championships for NWA, GCW, HOG and JCW, while also making numerous appearances for All Elite Wrestling, Ring of Honor and TNA Wrestling.

Even though he has carved out a great career for himself on the independent circuit, Cardona has always remained open to a WWE return and naturally stayed ready in case that phone call to come back ever came.

It finally did this week as the company selected a name from John Cena's past to compete for the right to face the 'Greatest of All-Time' in his final match at Saturday Night's Main Event on December 13. Zack Ryder did not come out victorious against LA Knight, but he still felt like a winner after the final bell.

“It’s been five years since I put on Zack Ryder boots. Every single morning, the first thing I do before I even open my damn eyes, I say, ‘how can I get back here? What do I have to do to get back here?’ I busted my ass for the past five years. Deathmatch King, Indie God, The Complete, all for this moment. This might be a one time shot. I might get the call tomorrow, it doesn’t matter, cause I’m Zack Ryder, I’m always ready.
Matt Cardona on WWE YouTube

During his time away from WWE, Cardona had gone on record that he'd prefer to come back to the company one day as himself, claiming Zack Ryder was dead. When a fan on X asked him about the resurrection of his old character, Cardona simply replied, "He has risen."

But for how long? Was Friday night a one-off appearance or is Zack Ryder back for good?

While there's been no official announcement from the company as to whether Cardona has been re-signed to WWE, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select is reporting that the two sides do not have any kind of long-term deal in place. They did reach a merchandise agreement, which is why Zack Ryder gear is now available on WWEShop.

With Friday's report that SmackDown is getting set to return to its previous three-hour format in January, WWE could use some additional talent to help fill out the roster. Whether they be free agent signings or NXT call-ups.

The Blue Brand would be a natural landing spot for Cardona if he ultimately does re-sign with the company. His wife, the first-ever two-time Women's United States Champion, Chelsea Green, is already on the roster.

We'll provide another update on Matt Cardona's status with WWE, just as soon as more information becomes available.

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Published | Modified
Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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