Used sparingly by WWE in the late 2000s, Matt Cardona, then known as Zack Ryder, developed a massive fan following while social media was still in its infancy and subsequently became one of WWE's most popular Superstars.
After finding great success on YouTube at a time when WWE had yet to embrace the benefits of the platform, he'd go on to win the Intercontinental and United States Championships. Unfortunately, WWE never pushed him as a top star, and Cardona was eventually released in 2020.
He's since reinvented himself, competing in All Elite Wrestling, Impact Wrestling, and the National Wrestling Alliance, not to mention a host of independent wrestling companies where he's been dubbed the "Indy God."
Cardona recently spoke with Chris Van Vliet and was asked about potentially finding his way back to WWE or AEW.
"I’ve said this a million times. When I got released, it wasn't like, what can I do to get back to WWE or get to AEW? [It was] What can I do to prove myself right? And, oh my God, even saying that again and again and again, for five years, I've been saying that I don't want to prove people wrong, I want to prove myself right and my fans right. It makes me sick to say because I feel like I've said it so many times, but it's the truth. I feel like I have. But man, like, what else do we need to do to get back there?"
Quizzed on whether he's surprised that WWE hasn't asked him back, Cardona spoke candidly on the matter and confirmed he's attempted to gauge the company's interest on numerous occasions, only to be left hanging.
"Honestly? Yeah [I'm surprised]. But obviously I'm missing something, I don't know what it is. Listen, people say to me all the time, especially since we just had WrestleMania, WrestleCon. Thousands of people, probably every other fan, if not every fan. 'When are you coming back?' Well, it's not up to me. Or at the WrestleMania Hotel. Thanks, Chelsea for letting me stay in a hotel room for free. Saved me some money. Great hotel. Great Steakhouse, too.
But so many people from the office or other wrestling, 'Hey, man, when are you coming back?' It's like, I don't know. I've reached out many times. I shouldn't say many, a few times, every couple months when something cool happens or I have something to say, hey, look what I'm doing. There's been no offer. Everything's very nice, professional, but there's no offer. And you know what, it is what it is, I'm gonna keep working my ass off."
That's really all Cardona can do. However, if WWE does call (and it is surprising that they haven't), then there's at least one thing he'd likely turn down: the opportunity to go by the "Zack Ryder" name again.
"It's not my first choice. I think Zack Ryder is dead, and I don't mean that in a negative way. Zack Ryder set me up for Matt Cardona. But I mean, obviously WWE thought Zack Ryder was dead. They fired me five years ago. And my Matt Cardona name. I feel like I've done these interviews for five years. And again, this is like how many times have I said this? But I don't care how you define success, money, accolades, happiness, this is the most successful I've ever been in my career as Matt Cardona, but it's because Zack Ryder and WWE set me up for that."
You can hear much more from the former WWE Superstar in the player below.