Matt Cardona has revealed how a conversation with WWE President Nick Khan helped set the wheels in motion for his return to the company.
The former Zack Ryder officially rejoined WWE at the start of 2026 and is now part of the SmackDown roster, following a run on the independent scene and appearances across multiple promotions. Prior to re-signing, Matt Cardona competed in WWE’s Last Time is Now Tournament in 2025 and appeared on NXT as part of the TNA crossover storyline.
Speaking on Cody Rhodes’ What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast, Cardona explained that he was not under contract with TNA when he appeared on NXT in October 2025, which allowed him to take part in the angle.
“I’m working for TNA but not technically under contract… they asked to have me, and I’m like, I’m going to sneak in. Sure, I’ll do it,” Cardona said.
That appearance ultimately led to an unexpected connection. Cardona recalled how his wife, Chelsea Green, spoke to Nick Khan during a WWE media event shortly after the match.
“She said to Nick something like, ‘Did you see my husband wrestle on NXT?’ Nick said something like, ‘I’ve always wanted to meet your husband… give him my number.’”
Cardona wasted little time reaching out.
“She gave me Nick Khan’s number… I’m texting immediately. And then Nick called me right there, said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I want to come back.’ And the ball kind of got rolling from there.”
While Cardona noted there were challenges during the process, he credited that initial conversation as the turning point that led to his WWE return.
Matt Cardona’s Wants To Become WWE Champion
After his 2020 release, Matt Cardona rebuilt his career on the independent circuit, gaining momentum in promotions such as Game Changer Wrestling before returning to WWE. Now back on the roster, Cardona made it clear his long-term goal remains unchanged.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to be the WWE Champion,” he said. “That’s the goal ever since I was a little kid.”
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