"He's dead" - Former IC Champion's response to fans who wish to see him back in WWE
A former multi-time WWE champion recently gave a blunt response to fans online who wish to see him back in the global juggernaut.
From 2007 to 2020, Matt Cardona, fka Zack Ryder, was part of some notable storylines that got viewers hooked. Prior to his rise in popularity in the early 2010s, he had a successful run in Edge's La Familia faction.
As his career in WWE was dwindling down, Cardona created a memorable moment at WrestleMania 32 when he pulled off a shocker by winning the Intercontinental Championship in the opening ladder match. His ability to bring "fun" and "good energy" to the table was brought up on Twitter/X, but the man formerly known as Zack Ryder had an amusing reaction to it:
"He's dead," Matt Cardona posted on Twitter/X.
Since moving on from the confines that kept him in a box at the Stamford-based promotion, Matt Cardona made a name for himself in the independent scene. He is arguably the most popular wrestler today who is not affiliated with any major company.
Matt Cardona pitched the idea of pairing up with Edge to the WWE Hall of Famer via email
After freeing himself from WWE, Matt Cardona opened up on many things he learned while signed to the company. Some things he picked up a little too late, even. While appearing on the Headlocked Panel at C2E2, among the stories he disclosed, one of them was that he had originally pitched the Edgeheads angle.
"I have pitched literally hundreds of ideas, but I will say some of them have gone through and some of the ones that have changed my career. For instance, like the Edgehead story was our idea, where we would be Edge's Edgeheads. So two guys that looked like Edge and we would be hidden under the ring," he said.
In late 2007, Edge returned from injury and insterted himself into the Undertaker-Batista rivalry, culminating in him winning the World Heavyweight Championship. Cardona noted how, from being unknown, both he and Brian Myers, fka Curt Hawkins, began regularly appearing on television with top stars:
"But if he didn't take a chance on us, we were doing the Major Brothers thing, we would probably have gotten fired in six months because we were doing nothing. Sitting in catering every day and then Edge took us under his wing, and the next day we were going on this six-month run beating up The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels or Batista. But if Edge didn't say yes, it wouldn't have happened." (H/T Wrestling Inc.)
Cardona emphasized how Edge could have said no, but the latter gave them a shot. He has often cited The Rated-R Superstar in the recent past as his biggest dream match.
Do you think Matt Cardona show up in WWE or AEW eventually, and does a matchup between him and Edge intrigue you? Share your thoughts below!