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NWA star Matt Cardona is best known for the 15 years he spent with WWE as Zack Ryder. Throughout his tenure with the Stamford-based promotion, he shared the ring with numerous superstars and legends, including current AEW star Chris Jericho, whom he recently called the GOAT of reinvention.
Cardona was released from WWE in 2020 and set off on a tour of the independent circuit, where he reinvented himself as a deathmatch legend, championship belt collector, and all-around top star.
One of the masters of character reinvention is Chris Jericho, who has made it a point to stay on top of wrestling's shifting trends throughout his career. Matt Cardona recently met up with The Ocho at DDT Ultimate Party 2023 in Tokyo, Japan, where they each competed in a match. He posted a picture of himself with Jericho and referred to the WWE legend as the "GOAT of reinventing himself."
"I am trying to keep up with the GOAT of reinventing himself… @IAmJericho @ddtpro,"Cardona wrote.
Matt Cardona reacts sarcastically to AEW star's upcoming debut in GCW
Despite being on a limited appearance deal with All Elite Wrestling in 2020, Matt Cardona didn't stick with the Jacksonville-based promotion, choosing instead to embark on his journey through the independent scene.
Some fans were convinced that The Long Island Iced-Z would skate by on his status as a former WWE Superstar, but Cardona shocked everyone when he joined Game Changer Wrestling in July 2021 and wrestled in a brutal deathmatch with hardcore icon Nick Gage.
Despite his self-appointed title of 'Deathmatch King,' it seems that some within GCW were unhappy with how much the company paid him to compete. In response to the recent announcement that AEW's Andrade El Idolo would be wrestling for the promotion, The Ultimate Broski sarcastically implied that GCW's talent would be even less happy about the news:
"If the GCW locker room is mad at how much I get paid……" Cardona wrote.
Do you think Matt Cardona will ever return to WWE, or will he carry his legacy as King of the Indies until he retires? Let us know your predictions in the comments section below!
