Maven Praises Two Former WWE Stars For Helping Him Through Dark Times

During an appearance on the "Hall of Fame" podcast, former WWE star Maven revealed that Matt Cardona, formerly known as Zack Ryder in WWE, and Brian Myers, previously known as Curt Hawkins in WWE, helped him through a difficult time in his life.

"They really helped me just get my foot back in this business," the co-winner of the inaugural "WWE Tough Enough" season said. "Like, I'd literally lost everything, and I was working in a bar bouncing, and they just so happened to come in. Literally, my lowest point and at the time of my life when, you know, somebody recognizing me for wrestling, like, I dreaded that because I didn't want people to correlate where I'd been to where I was at the time. Literally, they got me some work [and] put me on their stuff."

Maven, who recently opened up about steroid use during his in-ring career, faced Cardona at Figure Wrestling Federation's FWF Live 4! event on October 9, 2022. The three-time WWE Hardcore Champion defeated "The Indy God" in a street fight to win the FWF Tough Enough Trophy. Maven returned to the ring again this past summer, winning a 26-man battle royal at Dropkick Diabetes 7.

Maven's most recent appearance for WWE came on the June 26, 2005, broadcast of "WWE Sunday Night Heat," where he and The Heart Throbs (Antonio and Romeo) were defeated by Val Venis, The Hurricane, and the late Rosey. He was released by WWE the following month.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Hall of Fame" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.