4-time champion questions WWE re-signing released stars: "When all those people got rehired, I was thinking, not me?"

The returns of many WWE talents have been a major feature of the Triple H regime. However, Matt Cardona feels he deserves the opportunity as well, seemingly over other recently returned talents.

Formerly known as Zack Ryder, Matt Cardona was let go by WWE in 2020 when the company began its dreaded budget-cut routine. While the promotion has continued to release talents at regular intervals ever since, it has also rehired many people, especially since Triple H took control of the main roster's booking team.

Matt Cardona spoke about WWE returns on Insight with Chris Van Vliet and was pretty honest about the recent trend. Cardona said that barring his wife, Chelsea Green, The Good Brothers, and a few others, he couldn't understand why Triple H's team would get certain names back.

The former Intercontinental Champion felt he, too, had done enough to earn another spot on the World Wrestling Entertainment roster:

"I mean, I'll be honest, when all those people got rehired, I was thinking, not me? The guy who has been doing everything. What was the prerequisite to getting re-signed, not doing anything? Besides, like Chelsea and like The Good Brothers, and a handful of others, most people didn't do anything. But that's fine." (H/T Insight with Chris Van Vliet)

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"It's about proving myself right, my fans right" - Former WWE star Matt Cardona on his pro wrestling journey

The two-time WWE Tag Team Champion has wholly reinvented himself since the end of his long stint in the Stamford-based company. Matt Cardona has thrived on the indies as his former Zack Ryder character is well and truly dead.

Matt Cardona's name has often come up regarding talents who deserve a WWE return due to their work outside the company.

As reported earlier, Cardona was open to a surprise return but also spoke about the motivating factors behind wrestlers returning. For Cardona, converting a bunch of his haters into fans would be the most rewarding feeling for him personally, as he added below:

"Everyone has a different path, a different story. Do you have a chip on my shoulder about that? I wouldn't say a chip, like a little crumb. But listen, this isn't about proving people wrong. It's about proving myself right. My fans right. If I can convert some doubters and get some new fans along the way, so be it. You know, but I can't have this goal of being the absolute best with like negativity driving it, if that makes sense."

Would Matt Cardona like to be AEW's Devil? You can check out what he thought about the idea right here.