Matt Cardona, or Zack Ryder, as most wrestling fans would know him as, had a 15-year run in WWE. During that period he would enjoy a fair bit of success as well, winning the Intercontinental Championship, the United States Championship, and a couple of runs with the Tag Team Championships as well.
Thus, it would be a massive mistake to call his time in WWE a failure. At the same time though, one has to admit that he never really reached his full potential, as it appeared that there was a glass ceiling over his head that he could not, or was not allowed, to break through, no matter what he did.
After being released from WWE a few years back, Cardona has enjoyed quite a revitalization on the independent circuit and proven what he is truly capable of. He is one of the biggest names in the business today who is not working for either WWE or AEW.
As a result, a return to WWE does not only make sense but could be great for everyone involved as well.
Zack Ryder Was A Pioneer In Wrestling Social Media
Social media might be a huge part of our every day life today, but that was not exactly the case in the late 2000s and early 2010s. While still very much present, it had not yet become the juggernaut that it would ultimately go on to be.
For wrestlers, it was still a gray area as well, with whether to stay in kayfabe or not. Cardona, then known as Zack Ryder in WWE, would go to on absolutely change the game in this aspect though, becoming the first wrestler to get over using the power of social media.
Amidst being underutilized on the main roster, he would go on to start a YouTube Show called Z! True Long Island Story. It managed to capture the imagination of the fans, as it was something that stood out in wrestling at that time. Soon, Ryder's merchandise started to sell out and fans chanted his name during shows, even when he was not involved. Ultimately, it became impossible for WWE to ignore, and he would get his best singles run ever in the company in 2011.
Without Ryder's success with social media, other wrestlers might have taken much longer to warm up to the idea.
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Matt Cardona Has Proven Himself On The Independent Circuit
Since being released from the WWE, Cardona has absolutely thrived on the indepedent circuit and shown that he can be a top of the card star in the right environment.
While never going full time with AEW, he has made some appearances for the company. His biggest success has come in GCW, producing some of the best character work that we have seen in a long time.
The whole premise of his character in the company was that he was trying to fix the 'hardcore' GCW by bringing sports entertainment elements to it. It is hard not to draw comparisons with Cactus Jack turning his back on the hardcore fans of ECW in the 90s. Chris Jericho has tried to do something similar in AEW as well but to much less success.
It is also worth mentioning that Cardona is also the reigning NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, showing his versatility as a wrestler to perform in different styles of companies.
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Can Matt Cardona Be The Next Drew McIntyre Or Cody Rhodes?
Drew McIntyre had been brought into the WWE as 'The Chosen One' but by the time he was released by the company, he had become nothing more than a comedic gimmick as part of 3MB with Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal. McIntyre would go to the independent circuit and prove himself as a world-class talent though, return to WWE a few years later. He has been a top of the card performer ever since.
Cody Rhodes had a pretty similar rise as well. When he left WWE, he was playing role of Stardust. He would go on to become one of the biggest stars in wrestling and play a big role in starting AEW during his six years away. Now, he is back and the top babyface in the company,
While many believe that WWE doesn't want wrestlers who get over by themselves, that simply is not true. Thus, there is no reason that Cardona cannot return to the company one day and enjoy huge success.
