Former WWE star willing to make his return after nearly 4 years in the Royal Rumble: "I do believe the place will go nuts"
The annual WWE Royal Rumble is fast approaching, and the surprise return element possibly excites fans the most. During a recent interview, Matt Cardona (fka Zack Ryder) addressed a potential WWE comeback at the upcoming PLE and didn't rule out it happening.
Matt Cardona has arguably done some of his best work since being released from the company in April 2020. The self-proclaimed "Indy God" is one of the most sought-after names on the independent circuit currently, and rumors of his WWE return have been circulating for a while now.
Cardona appeared on Insight with Chris Van Vliet and was asked whether fans should expect to see him at the Royal Rumble.
As of this writing, Matt Cardona admitted he wasn't booked for the Men's Rumble match but claimed he was "always ready" if the opportunity came by. The former Intercontinental Champion also believed that his return would get one of the loudest pops of the night:
"No (laughs)! Maybe! I don't know! Who knows? Listen, I'm always ready, right, and I really believe that if number whatever and my music hit, whether it would be Matt Cardona or Zack Ryder, I do believe the place will go nuts. I honestly believe that. So, we will see. I'm always ready, but currently, I'm booked for the Jericho Cruise. So, they've got to decide quickly." [From 49:03 onwards]
Matt Cardona talks about his transformation since leaving WWE
As he spent almost 15 years in World Wrestling Entertainment as Zack Ryder, the veteran star knew at the back of his mind that he needed to repackage himself after getting released.
The 38-year-old has been competing for various companies over the past few years and has established himself as one of the biggest heels that aren't in AEW or WWE.
Matt Cardona gets an insane amount of heat at indie shows, and he briefly spoke about his gimmick transformation, crediting his deathmatch with Nick Gage as the moment that changed how fans perceived him:
"Now everything was in my control. You can't just turn heel on the Indies; you can't just be a different character. One day, it's not going to work. So is that deathmatch with Nick Gage That really was the catalyst the snowball that I needed that changed not just my career, but changed my life," Cardona added. H/t Insight with Chris Van Vliet
Would you like to see Matt Cardona back in the WWE? Sound off in the comments section below.