Some members of the WWE technical team were looking forward to Zack Ryder's return

Matt Cardona made his return to WWE in 2025 to be part of the "The Last Time Is Now" tournament, which would determine John Cena's final opponent in his career. At that time, Cardona was introduced as Zack Ryder, the name he had used for over a decade as a superstar in the company.

However, when the wrestler signed the contract for his permanent return, he did so with his current name. Nevertheless, there were those who hoped he would resume his previous and beloved character in this new stage in the company, as revealed in a recent report by WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select.

"WrestleVotes Radio has learned that, when Matt Cardona returned to WWE earlier this year, some members of the technical team were hoping that, ultimately, he would be presented as Zack Ryder. As we have been told, the idea was that the Zack Ryder character was already a well-established presence in WWE's television programming and was highly familiar to the audience, rather than fully capitalizing on the success Cardona had built for himself on the independent circuit," the outlet wrote.

WresteVotes made it clear that they have not been aware of anything indicating that WWE is currently planning the return of the Ryder character, although it is an idea that, undoubtedly, the company could carry out at some point if the appropriate situation arises.

Cardona officially returned to WWE last January as part of the SmackDown roster, thus certifying his comeback to the company after five years competing in the independent scene. During this period, Cardona managed to reinvent himself, gaining great popularity in the indies, where he won nearly thirty championships.

Prior to his signing with WWE, the former Intercontinental champion participated in some NXT shows as part of the TNA Wrestling roster. Appearances in which he maintained his name and character. After his return to the company, Cardona made it clear his intention to win a world championship. However, the wrestler has been relegated to the midcard. In recent weeks, he has been helping Danhausen with his issues with Los Garza.