Update on Matt Cardona’s Status With Impact Wrestling

Matt Cardona, formerly known as Zack Ryder, made his surprise debut for Impact Wrestling at the Hard to Kill pay-per-view on Saturday night, showing up as a surprise opponent for Ace Austin and winning via disqualification. Cardona took to Twitter after Saturday’s victory to confirm his appearance with Impact wasn’t a one-time thing.

The former Intercontinental Champion wrote, “I needed tonight. Thanks @ScottDAmore for the opportunity. Thanks @IMPACTWRESTLING. Thanks to all my fans! I’m #AlwayzReady…I’m #HardToKill…and I’m NOT DONE with @The_Ace_Austin & @FultonWorld!”

However, according to Fightful Select, this will be a short-term deal. He reportedly does not have a full-time contract with the company, but will appear at the next set of television tapings at the very least. If nothing else, expect him to team up with his former tag partner and podcast co-host Brian Myers (fka Curt Hawkins).

Months after he was released by WWE, Cardona arrived on AEW Dynamite to assist Cody Rhodes during his feud with The Dark Order. This led to two matches on AEW programming — a tag match with Rhodes on an episode of Dynamite and an eight-man tag match at the 2020 All Out pay-per-view. He revealed weeks later that his AEW deal was merely short-term and had already expired.

It’s also possible Cardona has unfinished business in AEW. During an interview with ComicBook last year he talked about his excitement over the possibility of wrestling Darby Allin, who now holds the TNT Championship.

“Darby Allin is one of those guys who, I’ll be honest, I never really knew anything about him until AEW,” he said “And then, you see this guy and he comes out on the skateboard. He’s got that cool face paint and he’s just got this look about him and this aura and all the pre-tapes and the vignettes. You’re invested in this guy. I could definitely have some kick ass matches with him. I’d love to have some good storytelling matches in there because this guy could do some stuff.”

“Hey, and I want to say Darby Allin, if you’re reading this, I have lost to a skateboarder before,” he continued. “So I’m prepared. If you can find the footage on YouTube, it’s me and Tyson Kidd. We took on Rob Dyrdek. We took on him and ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper at (WrestleMania) Axxess and I believe that aired on his show that was on MTV. The finish of the match was Rob Dyrdek coming down a skate ramp on a skateboard and beating me with a cross body off the skateboard off a skate ramp. So I’m prepared, all right. I’ve been in the ring with skateboarders before. So Darby Allin, if you’re listening, if you’re reading, I’m always ready, baby.”