Matt Cardona, a former WWE star known for his time as Zack Ryder, made a surprising return to WWE TV during this week’s NXT episode, stirring significant buzz among wrestling personalities. Several current and former WWE talents, including Chelsea Green, quickly reacted on social media, sharing their thoughts and support, highlighting the impact of Matt Cardona’s comeback and sparking conversations about his future within the company.
Matt Cardona’s Background and Recent WWE Comeback
Matt Cardona wrestled for World Wrestling Entertainment from 2005 until 2020, capturing several titles such as the Intercontinental Championship, the United States Championship, and the RAW Tag Team Championship twice. After departing WWE, Cardona earned recognition on the independent wrestling circuit, building a strong reputation outside the mainstream spotlight.
This week, Cardona reappeared on WWE’s NXT program during a match between TNA World Champion Trick Williams and NXT Champion Oba Femi. The segment escalated when multiple TNA stars, including Cardona, invaded the show, resulting in an intense brawl between TNA and NXT wrestlers that closed the episode. This return after more than five years marked a surprising plot twist and drew immediate attention from fans and fellow wrestlers alike.
Reactions from WWE and Wrestling Personalities
Following the explosive NXT appearance, Matt Cardona posted on Instagram, issuing a warning to NXT stars not to underestimate TNA’s presence. He wrote:
“Driving home from @wwenxt…Don’t count out @tnawrestling…and don’t count out THE COMPLETE MATT CARDONA!” he wrote.
This message symbolized Cardona’s assertive re-entry into WWE storylines and showcased his confidence in the TNA group’s potential. Many wrestling stars, including Chelsea Green, Deonna Purrazzo, Alberto Del Rio, Megan Morant, Shawn Bennett, Cassie Lee, and Drew Gulak, demonstrated their support by liking his Instagram post. Others such as Natalya, Jessica McKay, Steph De Lander, and Robert Stone engaged further by leaving comments, reflecting the excitement and curiosity within the wrestling community about Cardona’s next moves.
Dominik Mysterio Commends Cardona’s Social Media Foresight
On an episode of Bradley Martyn’s RAW Talk podcast, WWE star Dominik Mysterio praised Matt Cardona for his early recognition of social media’s power in wrestling. Cardona’s savvy use of digital platforms was seen as ahead of its time during his WWE tenure, allowing him to build a fan following when few other wrestlers were actively promoting themselves online.
“Yes, 100%. I feel like guys back then didn’t have social the uh actually the one guy that knew social media was going to, like, start kicking back up or, like, become a thing, and he fully took advantage of it, and he’s like doing like huge with it now, is uh, Zack Ryder. He’s like a, he wrestled for WWE, and now he does uh independents, but like he started doing, like, the internet stuff back in the day, called himself like The Internet Champion, and now it’s like social media is like all we use for like to promote any sort of thing.”
Dominik’s acknowledgment underscores how Cardona helped change the way wrestlers connect with their audience through digital engagement, a practice now widespread across wrestling organizations.
What Cardona’s Return Could Mean for WWE and Fans
Matt Cardona’s comeback to WWE marks a pivotal moment given his previous success, independent popularity, and innovative use of social media. His alliance with TNA stars on NXT signals possible new storylines that merge talents across promotions, potentially refreshing WWE’s programming and drawing in fans from different wrestling circles.
The mixed reactions and attention from fellow WWE personalities like Chelsea Green WWE reaction demonstrate there is significant interest in how Cardona’s role will evolve. While his official signing status remains unconfirmed, his ability to generate buzz through social media and physical appearances indicates a strong influence on WWE’s current wrestling narrative.
In the weeks ahead, wrestling enthusiasts will be watching closely to see if Matt Cardona’s presence leads to more cross-promotional events or if he remains a key player on the independent scene while making sporadic WWE appearances. Regardless, his return has already reshaped conversations about the balance between WWE, TNA, and independent wrestling talent.
