Matt Cardona looks back on the journey he has had since his WWE release.
Cardona, formerly known as Zack Ryder in WWE, had a long run with the company, and he won the Intercontinental, United States, and Tag Team Championships. The company released him in a wave of cuts in 2020, and Cardona went on to reinvent himself.
He battled Nick Gage in a Death Match, and he won the GCW World Championship. Cardona has also held successful runs in NWA, where he won the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, and IMPACT Wrestling, where he won the Digital Media Championship. Cardona remains quite active on the independent scene, and he is the self-proclaimed "Indy God."
In a tweet on June 5, Cardona reflected on his post-WWE run and stated that it's the most successful he has ever been in his career. He expressed his gratitude for having a 20-year career, and he made it clear that he has wanted to prove himself and his fans right.
The full message is below.
These 3 years (really 2 because of that fucking pandemic) being a “free agent” has been the most fun time of career. I don’t care how you define success…accolades, money, happiness…it’s been the most successful I’ve ever been in my career. Pro wrestling is all I’ve ever wanted to do…and I’m fortunate I’ve been able to do it for 20 years. Fuck proving people wrong. I just want to prove my fans and myself right. Everyone has a different path. Nobody…NOBODY has been counted out (by “the office”, the fans, fuck…even myself) and has come back more times than me! If you want this (or anything) bad enough, go for it! I still am. #StillHere #AlwayzReady #IndyGod #DeathmatchKing
Cardonar recently jokingly asked his wife, Chelsea Green, to text WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H for him because he rates the indies. More information is available here.
In a recent video, Cardona dressed up as The RyderTaker and played mind games with Steph De Lander. Click here to find out more.
