Matt Cardona is back in WWE, and he admits it was always the plan.
After reinventing himself as the “Indie God” following his release in 2020, Cardona became one of the hottest free agents in wrestling. He won titles in NWA, GCW, and TNA, proving his worth outside the WWE machine. However, speaking on the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast, Cardona revealed that returning to the big stage was always his endgame.
“The goal was always to get back, but it wasn’t from day one, ‘What do I have to do to get back to WWE?’ I couldn’t think like that,” Cardona said.
He addressed recent jokes from Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens, who teased him for claiming to be the king of the indies while secretly plotting his WWE comeback.
“I only brought it up when I was asked… Of course, that was my goal. Of course, I wanted to work where my wife works. Of course, I wanted to work at the place where I grew up wanting to work. Of course, I wanted a WrestleMania moment again.”
Cardona re-signed with WWE at the start of 2026 and made his return on SmackDown in Berlin. Now, with the “Zack Ryder” persona firmly in the past, he is focused on achieving the heights that eluded him during his first run.