Matt Cardona On If WWE Fans Would Know Him By His Real Name

When Shakespeare wrote the words "What's in a name?", he could not have imagined the moniker mayhem that often permeates professional wrestling as athletes switch names among promotions. Matt Cardona is no stranger to this struggle. 

Cardona's recent talk about a possible return to WWE has raised speculation on how he would be identified if he rejoins the promotion.

In an interview with "WrestlingNewsCo," Cardona was asked if the WWE audience would be confused if he returned as Matt Cardona when the promotion highlighted him as Zach Ryder.

"No," he said. "Maybe for some people, but I think the whole wrestling community is smarter. I mean, look at it this way: when Scott Hall came back as Scott Hall in 2002, they got it. And if they didn't know, they'll find out real soon."

Cardona referenced the wrestler who was a WCW attraction as Diamond Studd and a WWF superstar as Razor Ramon before working under his birth name. Still, the point might be moot since Cardona recently told Notsam Wrestling that Zach Ryder has permanently left the ring.

"I think Zack Ryder's dead," said. "Would it be cool, would a Woo, Woo, Woo, get a bigger pop maybe for one night? Maybe. But if I were to go back, I think it would have to be as Matt Cardona."

Cardona – whose real name is Matthew Brett Cardona – wrestled as Brett Matthews and Brett Major before coming into the WWE spotlight as Zach Ryder. Since leaving WWE in 2019, he has been known as Matt Cardona.