Used sparingly by WWE in the late 2000s, Matt Cardona - who was then known as Zack Ryder - developed a huge fan following while social media was still in its infancy and subsequently became one of WWE's most popular Superstars.
After finding a huge level of success on YouTube at a time when WWE had yet to embrace the benefits of that platform, he was rewarded with the Intercontinental and United States titles. Unfortunately, WWE never pushed him as a top star.
In fact, he ended up being buried in an angle with Kane which saw him pushed off the stage in a wheelchair. Despite the odd memorable moment - like winning the Intercontinental title at WrestleMania - it was mostly all downhill from there, with that clash perhaps meant to put the young upstart back in his place.
That would, after all, be a very Vince McMahon thing to do.
Talking to Chris Van Vliet, reflected on the angle and admitted he knew it meant his push was over. "It was painful for my career. It was painful for my wallet, my self-esteem, but physically it wasn't painful," he recalls. "They did put a little padding under that carpet, but that's about it, the room for error was very, very high! Kane, big Glenn, thank you very much!"
"That was the end of that YouTube run. That run that started from nothing, because even then I knew I didn't like my spot on the card, and I had to do something about it."
"I didn't have a master plan, the goal wasn't to be a YouTube sensation, the goal was to get noticed," Cardona added. "I wanted to get noticed or get fired - I didn't want to get fired but I knew I needed buzz! Starting the year as an absolute nobody, ending it winning the US title, teaming with John Cena! I thought, if you asked me then, I thought oh, I'll be in the world title picture next year!"
Sadly, he wasn't, but since his WWE release in 2020, Cardona has appeared on TV for companies like All Elite Wrestling, Impact Wrestling, and the National Wrestling Alliance, not to mention a whole host of independent wrestling companies where he's been dubbed the "Indy God."
Heck, Cardona has found enough success to be named Indie Wrestler of the Year in 2022 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, so he's not doing too bad without WWE!