Friday night on SmackDown, Matt Cardona returned and defeated Kit Wilson in a singles match in Buffalo, New York. During the match, Michael Cole announced that Cardona is officially a member of the SmackDown roster. Cardona competed in WWE under the character “Zack Ryder” from 2005 to 2020, where he became a two-time Tag Team Champion, Intercontinental Champion, and United States Champion.
Below, we break down Cardona’s path back to WWE and list potential opponents for him.
Matt Cardona’s journey back to WWE
After leaving WWE in 2020, Matt Cardona left the Zack Ryder persona behind and established a new character on the independent professional wrestling scene. Cardona competed in various promotions over the last five years, including GCW, NWA, and TNA. Some of his notable achievements after leaving WWE included winning the GCW World Championship and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Cardona nicknamed himself The Indy God, The Deathmatch King, and The Complete. He became one of the biggest superstars not signed to a major company, and Pro Wrestling Illustrated named Cardona Indie Wrestler of the Year in 2022 and 2023. Along with having a busy schedule in the ring, Cardona also hosts the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast while being a contributor on Busted Open Radio.
In October 2025, Cardona made his first appearance on WWE television in five years when he faced Josh Briggs on NXT. Also, in November, Cardona was a mystery opponent in John Cena’s Last Time Is Now Tournament when he wrestled LA Knight.
