It’s been an interesting year for Matt Cardona. The former Indy God returned to WWE under one condition. Matt Cardona wanted Zack Ryder dead. After WWE released the ex-Intercontinental Champion, he reinvented himself as Alwayz Ready Matt Cardona. However, Chelsea Green’s husband has struggled as his new persona on the main roster. Now that he was electrocuted by Danhausen, Matt Cardona teases the return of Zack Ryder with a throwback relic in a recent social media snap.
Matt Cardona Teases Zack Ryder After Danhausen Electrocution
It seems like everyone who enters Danhausen’s lab finds the experience a bit shocking. The Miz and Kit Wilson are currently entranced, stuck repeating their catchphrases after being electrocuted weeks ago.
After Matt Cardona thanked Danhausen for uncursing the Knicks, the Long Island native touched The Miz, resulting in a scared Woo, Woo, Woo. When asked if he was okay, Matt Cardona stated, “You know it.”
As we reported here, the WWE locker room is upset with how the SmackDown Tag Team Division is being booked. There are many comedy acts vying for Tag Team supremacy at the moment. Danhausen’s universe just adds to the comedy.
Danhausen wrestled The Miz in Europe, and The A-Lister was showing signs of being a zombie. Meanwhile, Matt Cardona is gearing up for SmackDown, which was taped on Tuesday. If you don’t want spoilers, don’t read further. However, Matt Cardona added anticipation to the Friday airing by sharing a mistake he made while packing.
Matt Cardona Almost Packs Zack Ryder’s Internet Wrestling Championship
While SmackDown was taped days ago, Matt Cardona is promoting the event today as it airs tomorrow in the United States.
The former IC Champ shared a pic of his luggage with the Internet Wrestling Championship:
It turns out that Matt Cardona came to his senses and left the gold behind. However, this further teases Matt Cardona’s potential transformation back into Zack Ryder.
As we reported, initial thoughts were to team Danhausen with a returning Zack Ryder against Los Garza at Saturday Night’s Main Event at MSG. Danahusen is certain to be a part of the event, as he is the poster boy. However, Matt Cardona and Danhausen face Los Garza on SmackDown tomorrow instead.
Now, rumors are that The Miz and Kit Wilson might face a returning Zack Ryder and Danhausen at the World’s Most Famous Arena. Although Zack Ryder didn’t return to SmackDown (airing tomorrow), he still fanned those flames with his social media post today.
Matt Cardona and The Internet Wrestling Championship
In 2011, Matt Cardona was floundering in WWE as Zack Ryder. So, he created his own YouTube show called Z! True Long Island Story. This show was an epic success, garnering millions of views. The WWE Universe fell in love with Zack Ryder, yet WWE still failed to push him. So, Zack took it upon himself to make himself the Internet Wrestling Champion.
The Title was rarely featured in WWE storylines. Eventually, WWE took over production of Zack Ryder’s YouTube show, tanking viewership. The Long Island native lost his love for the production and decided to end the show in 2013.
He would have brief moments of success in WWE, including winning the WWE Tag Team Titles with Curt Hawkins and winning the WWE Intercontinental Title in a Ladder Match at WrestleMania. However, Zack Ryder never reached the next level, and he was released in 2020.
Zack Ryder would reinvent himself as The Complete Matt Cardona. Matt Cardona even defended the Internet Wrestling Championship for a year before retiring it in 2021, following a loss to Effy.
When Matt Cardona returned to WWE, he did so as Zack Ryder for the John Cena: The Last Time Is Now Tournament. After impressing officials, WWE and Matt Cardona worked out a deal allowing him to return under his own name. Now, it looks like Matt Cardona is already transitioning back to the character who brought him ot the dance.
Matt Cardona’s slow transition into Zack Ryder wasn’t the only big story to come out of the SmackDown tapings. See which NXT Superstar made her WWE debut in the Main Event!