Matt Cardona Says He Knew Re-Joining WWE Would Be An 'Uphill Battle'

Matt Cardona's return to WWE hasn't yet resulted in a title win or a push to the top of the card, but he said he knew that would be the case.

Following an appearance on the main roster and "WWE NXT" last year, Cardona officially re-signed with the promotion in January but hasn't yet been pushed to the top like other wrestlers who have returned to WWE, such as CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, or his wife and WWE star Chelsea Green. Cardona, though, admitted in an interview with "The Sportster" that he knew he would have to wait to find his position on the card due to the depth of the WWE roster when asked when he would be in the running for a world title.

"You know, like, re-signing here, I knew it was going to be an uphill battle because the landscape, especially at the top, it's stacked. You know, the roster, there's no weak spots. The top guys, Cody, Punk, Seth, Roman, the list goes on and on. And then the young up-and-comers, Je'Von, you know, Oba, Trick, Carmelo, but then everyone in between is talented, too. So, I got to figure out a way. And I've done it before, and I intend on doing it again," declared Cardona.

Cardona, after being released by WWE in 2020, had a phenomenal run in the indies, becoming one of the most sought-after stars there. Success in the indies, as well as in TNA Wrestling, eventually led to a return to WWE after nearly five years away. 

Since his return, Cardona has mostly been in the midcard, with his only title shot coming against Carmelo Hayes for the United States Championship, a title he held way back in 2011. He also had a notable moment when he came face-to-face with GUNTHER on "WWE SmackDown," ultimately falling short again.