The biggest surprise in recent WWE NXT memory was Matt Cardona's return, who was previously known as Zack Ryder from 2005 to 2020.

Now, Cardona has made his intentions clear. He is not here to be part of WWE; he is “Team TNA” during the ongoing invasion storyline.

He took to X, formerly Twitter, to talk about his plans. Cardona has a “lot in common” with TNA, and they are here to reclaim their world championship.

“Last night I invaded [WWE NXT] with [TNA]!” his post began. “TNA and Matt Cardona have a lot in common… 20+ years of highs and lows… Constantly getting counted out… But always coming back… And now we are both BETTER THAN EVER!

“I'm Team TNA!” he concluded.

Matt Cardona's shocking return to WWE NXT

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On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Cardona made his return to WWE during an episode of NXT. He appeared during the match between Oba Femi and Trick Williams, who currently holds the TNA World Championship while being a WWE star.

So, it sounds like TNA is invading WWE to reclaim their top championship. WWE and TNA have an ongoing partnership, so this storyline should come as no surprise to fans.

This may open the door for Cardona to make a full-fledged comeback to WWE someday. He has been on the indies since his release in April 2020, and he has teased a return over the years. His wife, Chelsea Green, is currently signed to WWE.

Cardona, who went by Zack Ryder during his first WWE stint, is a former Intercontinental and United States Champion. He also won the RAW Tag Team Championship twice with Curt Hawkins.

Since his release, Cardona has had the run of a lifetime on the indies. He has had stints in AEW, Impact Wrestling/TNA, Major League Wrestling, and more.