Matt Cardona Shuts Down Potential WWE Return As Zack Ryder

Under the direction of Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque, a myriad of talents have returned to World Wrestling Entertainment in recent months. Most recently, Australian Superstar Emma returned to "SmackDown," answering Ronda Rousey's open challenge for the WWE "SmackDown" Women's Title.

Amidst the rush of returns, professional wrestling fans have begun to stir up their own theories of possible returns to WWE. One of those theories included former Intercontinental Champion, Zack Ryder. Ryder –- now performing under his real name of Matt Cardona –- recently responded to a fan who asked if people would be interested in his return to the company.

"Zack Ryder is dead. Long live Matt Cardona!" he wrote via Twitter.

Ryder was initially released from WWE in April 2020 following WrestleMania 36. Upon his release, Ryder transitioned to compete in many independent companies under his real name. Since then, Cardona has captured the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship and GCW World Championship, and finds himself as a regular on IMPACT Wrestling as well.

Earlier this year, Cardona expressed interest in potentially returning to the company, even as a one-off appearance. "I would love to come back as me, Matt Cardona," he told Bleacher Report. "But I think realistically, the WWE has that IP, and they've invested a lot in that name, so I would have no problem [doing it], even if it was a one-off at the Royal Rumble or something like that. I think it'd be interesting."

Although Cardona has now seemingly shut down a potential return to the company, his real-life wife, Chelsea Green, is reportedly set to return to WWE programming soon.