Matt Cardona confirms temporary WWE merch deal
He’s not back with WWE, but Matt Cardona has signed a deal to temporarily allow the company to sell Zack Ryder merchandise.
On SmackDown last Friday, Cardona made his surprise return to WWE as an entrant in the Last Time is Now Tournament. He wrestled using his old Zack Ryder name, losing a first-round match against LA Knight. WWE Shop released some new Ryder merch to go along with the appearance, which led to speculation that Cardona was back with WWE on a regular basis. He confirmed on his Major Wrestling Figure podcast that, for now, the match was a one-off and we’ll see what happens from here.
“I did sign something to let them do merch, temporarily,” Cardona said. “Could there be a Mattel figure? Could there be a Topps card? It’s really up to them. I’ve given them the rights, temporarily.”
Cardona noted that he flew into New York City instead of Albany (where SmackDown was taking place) to avoid being seen. His wife Chelsea Green was doing a media appearance in NYC, so he went to that appearance with her and then drove up to Albany. At SmackDown, he was hidden away so his return wouldn’t be spoiled.
For the match, Cardona had to get new Zack Ryder gear made at the last minute because he had sold all of his old gear except for items that have significant meaning to him like WrestleMania outfits.
“Great experience, great night. You know, five years — it’s been over five years, Cardona said about his return. “I had to, with 24 hours notice, get Zack Ryder gear made. Because all the gear that I had wasn’t something I’d want to wear. But I did use my old boots, and they were, like, ripped. The straps were ripped. I had to get Shotzi’s husband Jesus to fix them.”
Last night’s Raw saw Dolph Ziggler (Nic Nemeth) return to WWE for a one-off tournament match. Like with Cardona, WWE Shop released a new T-shirt for him.
The Last Time is Now tournament will determine John Cena’s final opponent for Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13. Gunther and Solo Sikoa earned their spots in the next round with victories last night.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.