Matt Cardona Reflects On Journey Back to WWE, Signed New Deal With GCW Title In His Lap

Matt Cardona is back in WWE after almost six years away, and he recently reflected on the wild ride that took him back to the company. Cardona made his official return to WWE on last week’s episode of WWE Smackdown and signed a new contract with the company. It comes nearly six years after he was released at the start of the pandemic

During that time away, Cardona reinvented himself as the Indy God, and he spoke about his journey back to WWE on the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast. Cardona noted that he always wanted to return but couldn’t think of it that way, discussing how he had to find his own path back. He also noted that he signed his new contract with his GCW World Championship in his lap, stating that if not for GCW he wouldn’t have made it back to WWE. You can see highlights below:

On His Journey Back to WWE:

“You know, we got fired [in] 2020. April 15th, 2020. And like, I guess the goal was always to get back. But it wasn’t like from day one, ‘What have I got to do to get back to WWE?’ I couldn’t think like that, you know? And I certainly couldn’t think like with negativity or bitterness. I just knew — and I’ve posted about this — I had three options. I could be bitter, be negative, feel sorry for myself and fade into obscurity. I could just coast off the WWE name and play the greatest hits, and make money for the rest of my life. Or I could reinvent myself, try to outwork every motherf**ker out there, and create my own path. And I chose option three. And it wasn’t easy. You know, it might seem like it was easy, but it wasn’t. It was a lot of ups and downs and a lot of hard work, but it all paid off.”

On Wanting To Return to WWE:

“The truth is, I didn’t grow up wanting to be a pro wrestler. I grew up wanting to be a WWE wrestler, a WWE superstar, right? And you know, you saw like Cody and Kevin Owens making fun of me a couple months ago, right? They said that I brought it up all the time? I only brought it up when I was asked, first of all. But of course that was my goal.

“Of course I wanted to work where my wife works; of course I wanted to work at the place I grew up wanting to work. Of course, I wanted a WrestleMania moment again, or wrestle at Madison Square Garden again, or walk to Target or Walmart and see my figure again. And now all that stuff is
possible. I’m very grateful for it.”

On Questioning Whether It Would Happen:

“And listen, there were certainly times I thought, ‘It’s never going to happen.’ Like I remember one time calling [Steph De Lander] up when we were together. I’m like, ‘You need to go your own way because I think I’m holding you back, because you’re never going to get there with me.’ I’m serious. There was a point a couple times where I’m like, ‘It’s not happening.’ Because like, ‘If not now, when is it going to happen? What do I have to do?’ That’s the thing. I just didn’t quit, I didn’t take no for an answer. I just kept working my ass off.”

On Being Grateful For His GCW Run:

“Yeah listen, it was a hell of a ride, and the five years on the indies, it’s for the book. Like, I couldn’t I couldn’t sum it up here. I couldn’t sum it up in a social media post. And I’ll say this. There’s some things I want to keep close to the vest. But I will say this: when I when I signed my WWE contract. Which now, everything’s — you’re not actually signing paper, it’s all on your phone, whatever. I signed it with my GCW Title on my lap. Because if it wasn’t for GCW, then I wouldn’t be the the Indy God. And if it wasn’t for the Indy God, I wouldn’t be back in WWE. I firmly believe that.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.