"I'm the x-WWE guy" - Former superstar makes bold claim ahead of RAW

A former WWE Superstar has made a bold claim about his career after departing the company.

Matt Cardona, formerly known as Zack Ryder in WWE, departed the company in 2020. He made a name for himself in WWE but has become an even bigger star since being let go by the promotion.

Cardona made a couple of appearances in All Elite Wrestling in 2020 but did not sign with the promotion. Instead, he remains one of the biggest stars on the independent wrestling scene and recently gave some advice to his peers.

Speaking with AEW star Swerve Strickland on the Swerve City podcast, Matt Cardona stated that many talents are too focused on putting together a great match, rather than making money.

"My goal, every single show, it doesn't happen, of course, I want to walk out of there with more merch money than I do getting paid. That is my goal. Because I'm shooting for the stars. This is not the wrestling friendship, this is the wrestling business. You've got to make money. So when I see these guys and girls, like, going over their high spots, and listen, I understand that you need that. I'm not saying don't have a great match, have a great match. But you need to make f***ing money!", he said. [From 00:01 - 00:32]

Cardona added on his X account that most fans no longer see Zack Ryder when they see him and suggested that independent wrestlers start trying to make their own money.

"I’m sure these comments are going to piss some Indy wrestlers off. I don’t care. MAKE. YOUR. OWN. MONEY. I get it. I’m the x-WWE guy. But I’d argue the majority of people aren’t coming to see Zack Ryder. They’re coming to see Matt Cardona…the INDY GOD. I did that. So can you", he posted.

You can check out the clip from the podcast and Cardona's post below:

Matt Cardona names Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns as Male Wrestler of the Year

Matt Cardona recently named Roman Reigns as the best male wrestler from 2021-2022.

Speaking with legendary wrestling journalist Bill Apter on the Sportskeeda Wrestling Awards, Matt Cardona selected Roman Reigns as the best wrestler due to his lengthy title reign. He noted that Reigns has become the face of the company and it is impossible not to pick him for the award.

"How could you not pick Roman Reigns? He's the modern face of the WWE, undefeated for so long, and has been the champion for, oh my god, I can't even count for how many days," Cardona mentioned. [01:26 - 1:38]

You can check out the full interview below:

Zack Ryder was a very popular character in WWE, but Matt Cardona recently claimed that his former persona is dead. Only time will tell if the veteran ever does return to the company or continues to perform on the independent scene for the rest of his career.

Would you like to see Matt Cardona return to WWE? Let us know in the comments section below.

If you use the quote from the first half of the article, please credit Swerve City podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.