SmackDown star reacts to Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens’ comments mocking WWE comeback
Matt Cardona recalled Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes’ comments about his journey on the independent circuit but still pursuing his path back to WWE.
Cardona told Chris Van Vliet on the Insight Podcast that he was ‘pissed’ about Rhodes and Owens’ comments ahead of his WWE return. Last year in June, during his guest appearance on Cody Rhodes’ What Do You Wanna Talk About? Podcast, the two WWE stars remarked on Cardona’s positioning as the self-titled ‘Indy God’ but often teased and was hopeful for a WWE comeback.
“Oh boy. Honestly, I was pissed! Because they made it seem that all I would say is I want to be back in WWE. Blah blah. I’d only talk about it when I’d be doing things like this, and you ask me a question. So it bothered me, but I’m over it now.”
Cardona further added that the comments were not taken lightly but he did not clarify his side of things until re-signing last year.
“Yes, it wasn’t malicious. I just did not appreciate that I didn’t get a chance to come on and tell my version until I got re-signed.”
Cardona returned as a surprise entrant in John Cena’s Last Time Is Now Tournament in November 2025. Prior to this he competed on NXT given their association with TNA Wrestling. Cardona was officially added to the SmackDown brand earlier this year.
He rebranded himself as the Indy God after his initial WWE release in 2020 where his Zack Ryder persona was at its peak popularity.
Rosanne Raphael is a wrestling writer with over three and a half years of experience covering all things related to the industry. From a kindergarten teacher to PR Associate to turning her lifelong passion for the industry into a career, Rosanne is currently writing for F4W Online where she focuses on wrestling news, analysis, and storytelling.
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When not consumed by wrestling, Rosanne is a musician and an aspiring artist.