Matt Cardona Considered Leaving WWE Before 2020 Exit: 'They Made The Decision For Me'

Former WWE star Zack Ryder returned to WWE under his real name, Matt Cardona, in November 2025, joining "WWE SmackDown. Cardona, as Ryder, previously worked for WWE from 2006, when he signed his developmental contract, through his pandemic era release in 2020. Cardona, formerly known as the "Indie God" prior to coming back to WWE, sat down with Cody Rhodes on an episode of "What Do You Want To Talk About?" and revealed that his release was a relief, as he had been contemplating leaving the company already.

"When I got released, it was the very beginning of the pandemic," Cardona explained. "There was nowhere else to really work. There were no independents to work. The world was shut down. Also, the year prior, I don't want to say everybody in WWE, but everyone I knew got offered five year new deals, and I didn't take it because I didn't know if I wanted to stay or go... I wasn't sure. The anxiety for that whole year, like, 'Am I going to stay? Am I going to go? Am I gonna stay?' When I got fired, it was like they made the decision for me. It was like this instant weight off my shoulders and like, I needed to get fired. I needed to go out there and find who was Matt Cardona?'

Cardona shed his "Long Island Iced Z" persona on the independent scene as the world began to reopen. He worked for promotions like GCW and NWA, where he held both companies' top titles. He returned to TNA in March 2024, which seemingly helped lead him back to WWE, through the company's partnership with "WWE NXT."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "What Do You Want to Talk About" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.