Matt Cardona thanks WWE fans, "You caused the Ryder Resurrection"

WWE SmackDown brought out a PG-era favorite last week. In the Last Time Is Now Tournament, LA Knight faced a mystery opponent, who wound up being Long Island Iced Z himself, Zack Ryder.

The former United States Champion, unfortunately, failed to advance to the next round of the tournament. But fans were just happy to hear "Radio" play out in the arena and see Zack Ryder in a WWE setting again, something Matt Cardona isn't taking for granted.

Cardona took to Instagram today to thank everyone for not just making it a memorable night, but reviving Zack Ryder, a gimmick Cardona never expected to return to.

"It's been 1 week since I showed up on SmackDown. I think I have milked the appearance as much as I can...haha. This business moves so fast. It doesn't care what you did last week. What are you doin now...what are you doing NEXT?! I'm very grateful for the opportunity I was given last week. Thank you WWE. But most importantly, I have to thank the fans. You all caused the Ryder Revolution in 2011. In 2025, you caused the Ryder Resurrection!"

Cardona is not a signed member of the roster after his SmackDown return, though they have worked out a merchandise deal, which he also mentioned in his post. This also wasn't Cardona's WWE return, as he joined the TNA Wrestling roster in the NXT-TNA war earlier this year.

As for what's next for Cardona, he's got a huge grudge match coming up.

What's next for Matt Cardona after his latest WWE return?

While Cardona isn't a Superstar again, he's working WWE adjacent. The Deathmatch King is in his second TNA Wrestling run since first debuting with the promotion back in 2021. For years, both in TNA and on the indies, Cardona worked alongside Steph De Lander.

Back in 2024, their relationship became strained as Matt Cardona began targeting Steph's kayfabe husband, PCO. The former Quebecer would leave TNA Wrestling in strange fashion, leading to De Lander taking his Digital Media Title and siding with her now real-life husband, Mance Warner. Cardona and Warner have been feuding through multiple promotions, including a brutal war that took place in MLW.

Now, after De Lander repeatedly interfered in a match between Cardona and Warner this week, a rematch has been confirmed. And this time, it's gonna be bloody. Cardona challenged Warner to a Street Fight, encouraging him to bring his former ally along. The three will meet at TNA Final Resolution on December 5, which can be seen on TNA+.

Edited by Greg Bush