Matt Cardona admits there is one reason that trumps all others regarding future WWE return

Matt Cardona's days as Zack Ryder in WWE are long gone. He has no interest in reverting to his previous persona because the 39-year-old is self-admittedly at the height of his career right now.

Wrestling Adam 'Edge' Copeland on AEW Collision in March 2024 reminded Cardona that he is still skilled at performing on television, something he has not done for a while.

Speaking to Inside The Ropes recently, he revealed that a WrestleMania moment is still something he desires after all this time. It's either that or performing at AEW All In at Wembley Stadium, which is designed as a counterpart to WWE's Grandest Stage of Them All.

"The new regime has been fantastic. Just look at the shows and those numbers, right? WWE is clicking on all cylinders. I would go back; I don’t care who’s in charge; it doesn’t matter to me as long as I’m on the show (laughs). But I don’t want to go back just to be a guy on the roster," Matt Cardona said.

He clarified that there is nothing wrong with staying employed and earning, but he does not want to do that anymore because it's a 'been there, done that' deal. Moreover, Matt feels that things have changed in his career in the last four years. He added:

"Whether you define success by accolades, money, happiness, I don’t care however you define it; this is the most successful time in my career. I don’t want to end my career wrestling in high school gyms or changing in alleys; I want a WrestleMania moment, or I want Madison Square Garden or AEW All In at Wembley Stadium. Even just walking down that aisle on Collision, I felt like I belonged. Even though I haven’t had a “TV match” in years, I just went right back into that. You know, pose into the hard cam. It’s just a skill that I never forgot and a skill that I missed."

Matt Cardona is no stranger to WrestleMania moments, as in his previous run with WWE, he won the Intercontinental Championship in the opening contest of WrestleMania 32. The show was the highest-grossing event at the time.

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Matt Cardona wants to face John Cena during his 2025 WWE retirement tour

John Cena announcing his retirement from in-ring competition at Money in the Bank was not unexpected. But him being the WWE Superstar who stands apart in terms of how much he contributed to the business and fans, it was an emotional moment for many.

Among many of Cena's former rivals was Matt Cardona, who expressed a desire to face him in his retirement tour next year. He even suggested an intriguing angle that the company could go with should these two lock horns.

It's not out of the realm of possibility at this point. Cardona's wife, Chelsea Green, remains one of the most promising talents in the women's division. She recently commented on his potential return to the company.