Former NWA Champion Matt Cardona Assesses Promotion, Wants EC3 Match

Matt Cardona has been a man on a mission since his 2020 WWE release, appearing in just about every notable wrestling promotion in North America, as well as plenty beyond the continent. That has included several stints in Billy Corgan's NWA, which is currently in the midst of attempting to revive wrestling's classic territory system. Speaking on "Battleground Podcast," Cardona gave his assessment of Corgan's aspiration.

"I certainly think [the territory model] can work," Cardona said. "Billy's a very, very smart guy. He's said it before — so many people counted him out with Smashing Pumpkins. ... Now they're selling out jam-packed arenas and stadiums. I feel like the NWA could do the same thing."

The former WWE star believes NWA could succeed by emphasizing its differences from mainstream wrestling. The promotion has an "old school" feel to it, and Cardona stated that the retro aesthetic is popular once again. As a result, Cardona believes the NWA could wind up putting on shows in stadiums.

Despite being injured at the moment, Cardona is set to make his return to NWA in the coming weeks. He teased that his appearance would be "impactful," stating that Corgan is too smart to pay Cardona to come and wave at the fans. Though it's unclear when he'll be ready to wrestle once again, Cardona already has his sights set on an opponent within the NWA.

"I would like to have one last match with EC3 just to see who is the better man," Cardona continued.

Cardona previously held the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship but was forced to relinquish the belt due to injury in June 2022. He later went on to challenge EC3 for the title this past January, but EC3 was successful, leading to Cardona's call for the rematch.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Battleground Podcast" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.