Matt Cardona Says He’s His Own Man Now in WWE, Reveals What He Told Triple H Before He Re-Signed

During a recent interview with Insight with Chris Van Vliet, WWE Superstar Matt Cardona discussed his current WWE run and how he feels like his own man now. Below are some highlights:

Matt Cardona on How His Current WWE Run Feels Different From His First One

“Because I feel like I’m my own man now. I’m not portraying some gimmick. And Zack Ryder, when I was 26 doing the woo, that was me, right? But I’ve grown up as a man, as a wrestler, as a performer. I owe everything. The whole Matt Cardona run couldn’t have happened without Zack Ryder. The reason I was successful in the indies is because of everything I learned as Zack Ryder in WWE, like how to make merchandise, how to market yourself, how to do interviews like this, how to use social media. All that came from WWE. When I came to the Indies, I was just going to use it all.”

You’re on those graphics that people put out often of like they’re one championship away from being the Grand Slam champion. Do you feel like it’s within your grasp?
“I feel like I’m the closest I’ve ever been, especially now being back in WWE. I certainly felt on the Indies that I was closer to being the WWE champion as Matt Cardona on the Indies than I ever was as Zack Ryder previously. This is what I said to Triple H. I said before I got re-signed, ‘I can’t hit a home run if I’m not in the game.’ I honestly believe that. You look at my win-loss record, okay, I lose a lot, but when I win, I win big. It just takes one win, and I’ve been counted out so many times throughout my career by the office, by the fans, by myself, and I just always come back. I always find a way to come back. I’m like a cockroach; you cannot kill me.”

Matt Cardona officially returned to WWE in January, beating Kit Wilson on Friday Night SmackDown.