Ex-WWE name crashes AEW Rampage to confront Chris Jericho

A former WWE Superstar recently made his return to AEW on the latest episode of Rampage as he confronted Chris Jericho. Both men have history with one another and even made nods to their past.

Matt Cardona, formerly known as Zack Ryder, has made a name for himself after departing from WWE. He made the move to becoming an active name on the independent circuit, as he was the self-proclaimed "Indy God."

Cardona has made sporadic appearances for AEW, with his most recent one being back in March as he faced Adam Copeland, formerly known as Edge, in an open challenge for the TNT Championship.

Earlier this week, Matt revealed that he would be Chris Jericho's next challenger for the ROH World Championship. The following bout is set for Final Battle on December 20, 2024, at the Hammerstein Ballroom. This would be their first singles match since March 2016 during an episode of RAW.

Both men had an exchange of words moments ago. Cardona mentioned how much he had changed in the past 15 years, and he was not the person Jericho knew him as. The 54-year-old legend responded and acknowledged that Matt indeed made some changes, but despite all of this he was still just "Zack."

This led to a brawl between the two men, but with the help of Bryan Keith, Chris Jericho took the upper hand, leaving Cardona lying down in the center of the ring.