Matt Cardona Reflects On WWE Wheelchair Segment With Kane

Current GCW General Manager Matt Cardona has opened up about his infamous segment with Kane on "WWE RAW" when the "Big Red Machine" pushed him off the stage while sitting in a wheelchair. 

Ryder was written off WWE television after the shocking wheelchair angle and never seemed to be inserted back into the storyline, with many believing WWE "buried" the former United States Champion after that night. However, when speaking on "The Wrestling Matt" podcast, Cardona revealed that he still thinks fondly of the wheelchair stunt with Kane but feels his character and hard work diminished afterward.

"I thought the wheelchair thing is great. I mean it still pops up all the time, you know, and at the time, I thought it was part of the process. I could see why people thought it was a burial and, yes, it did end up storyline-wise leading to me not being featured on TV anymore and at the time it did feel like my hard work was being erased. But, like I said, I didn't knock on Vince's door, I wasn't man enough back then to ask what was going on, I blame myself for that."

In 2012, Cardona's WWE persona Zack Ryder developed a friendship with John Cena, however, that quickly soured when former WWE Divas Champion Eve Torres kissed Cena, who was Ryder's love interest. Ryder was targeted by Kane who was feuding with Cena leading up to WrestleMania 28, where Kane wanted the 16-time World Champion to "embrace the hate" and turn heel. This ultimately led to the wheelchair incident, where Kane pushed an already injured Ryder off the stage.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Wrestling Matt" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.