Matt Cardona: ‘I Made More Money Outside WWE Than I Ever Made In WWE. I Technically Took A Pay Cut To Go Back To WWE’

Matt Cardona says he took a pay cut coming back to WWE from the indies.

After getting his release from WWE back in 2020, Matt Cardona (then known as Zack Ryder) made a name for himself in the indies. He returned to WWE last year as a TNA talent, and eventually signed with the promotion in January 2026.

Cardona recently spoke with Jeremy Jacobowitz, who said that Cardona and Brian Myers (his Major Wrestling Figure Podcast co-host) look much better on camera post-WWE release.

Jacobowitz asked Cardona whether more WWE talents who aren’t getting the chances to take a risk and work the indies.

“When I got fired from WWE, it was the greatest day of my life. I knew then I had three options because I’m a student of the game. I see what happens when people leave WWE. You could fade into obscurity, which I wasn’t going to do. You can just be bitter, negative, and fade into obscurity, or you can just coast off your WWE name forever. I don’t mean the literal name, like Honky Tonk Man still doing the Shake, Rattle, and Roll, the jump. I love that, it’s great, and I love Honky, but I didn’t want to still do the ‘woo woo woo’ on the indies. I wanted to create something new. That’s why I decided, ‘Okay, I’m going to reinvent myself, and I’m going to change the Matt Cardona game.’ I’m going to reinvent myself in a way that hopefully WWE wants me back. But if they don’t, that’s fine.”

Cardona also said that he made more money outside WWE, and that coming back there was technically a pay cut for him.

“I made more money outside WWE than I ever made in WWE. I technically took a pay cut to go back to WWE. That’s how much money I was making on the indies. But WWE, going back, is the ultimate opportunity, because if it works out, it’ll be the ultimate raise, right? I’m sitting here talking to you because WWE set this up. You’re a big fan of mine but ‘Deathmatch King’ Matt Cardona you never had here.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Cardona recalled meeting Test during ECW December to Dismember 2006. Fans can read his full comments here.

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