Matt Cardona, formerly known as WWE’s Zack Ryder, shared that he only had 24 hours to prepare his wrestling gear before making his surprise return to WWE Smackdown. In an interview with "Nosam Wrestling," Cardona explained that after being released by WWE, he sold all his Zack Ryder gear and had to quickly order a new set once he was booked for the "Last Time Is Now" tournament. Despite being scheduled to appear, he remained uncertain if his comeback would actually be televised.
Cardona recalled, "I don’t believe anything until it happens. Around Tuesday or Wednesday, I had to order Zack Ryder gear within 24 hours since I was leaving on Thursday." Since he had sold all his previous gear, he didn’t want to show up in incomplete attire, such as WrestleMania-style gear. Upon arriving at MVP Arena in Albany, New York, he brought three different sets of gear, including a new, unused vest. He mentioned having both new Zack Ryder and Matt Cardona gear, plus backup makeshift gear, but ended up wearing none of it and instead performed in T-shirts after spending a few hundred dollars on a vest that he likely won’t use again.
Although Cardona’s WWE return was brief, official merchandise related to his character remained available for purchase at WWE’s online store.
Fan Take: This story highlights the unpredictable nature of the wrestling business, where even a returning star like Cardona has to stay ready on short notice. For WWE fans, it underscores the excitement and spontaneity behind surprise returns, which can energize the audience and keep the sport fresh and engaging.
