WWE may be the biggest show in town, but it is no longer the only option. The independent wrestling boom of the 2010s coupled with the western popularity of New Japan Pro Wrestling and the arrival of All Elite Wrestling have created the richest professional wrestling landscape in decades. Stars that achieved global heights in WWE willingly departed the company in favor of exploring the greater wrestling world. Stars like Cody Rhodes and Jon Moxley went on this hero’s journey and made themselves bigger stars as a result. While Rhodes retained his WWE monicker, Moxley took his inactive indie name and made it a bigger deal than Dean Ambrose ever was.
Another wrestler that has followed in Rhodes and Moxley’s footsteps is Matt Cardona. The former Zack Ryder left WWE in April 2020 and hit the independent circuit, using his real name and skyrocketing his star power along with it. Aside from a brief stint in AEW in Summer 2020, Cardona made Impact Wrestling and Game Changer Wrestling his homes, winning multiple championships and creating a number of top trending moments. While Cardona has been on the run of his career, there has always been speculation on a potential WWE return.
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To add fuel to those rumors, Cardona recently filed a trademark on the ring name of “Zack Ryder” for merchandise and wrestling purposes. Cardona wrestled as “Zack Ryder” for WWE from 2007 until 2020.
Cardona responded to the news on Twitter, simply writing, “I need a mirror and an office chair.”
It’s worth noting that Cardona recently said that if he were to go back to WWE, he would not use the name Zack Ryder. With that in mind, it’s possible that Cardona filed this trademark to prevent WWE from using it.
As for if he will return to WWE, Cardona has not been shy about the unturned stones he has left in his former employer.
“One goal that I’ve been saying for a long time is to win that WWE Championship. That’s not a lie,” Cardona said in a recent interview. “But I would be lying if I said I never want to wrestle at Madison Square Garden again, or I never want to have a WrestleMania match. Of course I do, because WWE is number one. Before I hang up the boots, I’d love to go back at least one time.”
Cardona’s wife, Chelsea Green, reportedly has signed a WWE contract and is expected to re-debut on WWE programming once creative has plans for her.
