Former WWE Superstar potential surprise entrant for Royal Rumble?
WWE Royal Rumble is where one can expect to be caught off guard by the return of old superstars. Whilst the company has messed up in recent times, they have also nailed the surprise factor on many occasions in the past, including Chris Jericho's shocking return in 2013.
Several superstars (both men and women) have already made their intentions clear to win tickets to headline WrestleMania's main event, including the returning Cody Rhodes, who officially announced his entry in the 30-Man titular bout.
Matt Cardona (fka Zack Ryder) was awarded the 2022 Independent Wrestler of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated and has filed a trademark for his former name, by which he is best known. This could mean a potential surprise entry is due to the Royal Rumble event happening at the Alamodome. Matt has also mentioned in the not-too-distant past that he wishes to return to the Stamford-based promotion at some point in the future.
I’M THE INDEPENDENT WRESTLER OF THE YEAR!
I try to give back and elevate anybody I’m in the ring with on the indies…teach them something, get them more exposure, etc.
But I’m not here to pass the torch…I’m here to light a new one!
#AlwayzReady #StillHere @OfficialPWI https://t.co/wB4cMwDrN2
Matt Cardona still dreams of becoming WWE Champion
#Rhodes2Rumble twitter.com/wwe/status/161…
Matt Cardona has mentioned in the recent past that he still dreams of being WWE Champion, and that is always the end game.
Whether he returns on the road to WrestleMania 39 as soon as the Royal Rumble remains to be seen. However, Cardona's return to the Stamford-based promotion is a large possibility at some point down the line.
He has been a successful superstar in WWE, having won several championships and being involved in some stellar storylines. Perhaps the most notable title victory came in 2011 when he defeated Dolph Ziggler at the TLC pay-per-view to capture the United States Championship.
Formerly known as Zack Ryder, he was also associated with WWE Hall of Famer Edge, who is still active today, albeit 2023 may be the latter's last.
As WrestleMania 39 already is looking to be a very exciting one considering it is the first under Triple H's leadership, with numerous names expected to return, Matt Cardona could be a worthy addition to the roster.