It's safe to say that Matt Cardona/Zack Ryder is happy to have made his return to WWE on Friday Night SmackDown, now as a full member of the roster.

During the Jan. 2, 2026, edition of SmackDown, Cardona made his return to WWE. Initially, it appeared was coming out with his Zack Ryder WWE gimmick, but he was then introduced as Matt Cardona instead.

He would then defeat Kit Wilson in a little over four minutes in his return match. Cardona took to Instagram to reflect on his nearly six-year journey back to WWE since his release in April 2020.

“April 15, 2020…Zack Ryder was released from [WWE]. It had to happen,” he acknowledged. “Being a WWE Superstar was my lifelong dream. I had been signed for 14 years…on TV for 13. I traveled all over the world, had action figures, won championships, and experienced everything else that came with living the dream. I experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. While it was a heartbreaking day, I was grateful for my time in WWE.

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“I knew I had 3 options. I could feel sorry for myself, become bitter, and fade into obscurity. I could coast off my WWE name and make some money for the rest of my life playing the greatest hits. OR I could reinvent myself, work my ass off, try to outwork every motherfucker out there, and create my own path. I chose option 3,” he continued.

Matt Cardona's WWE return has been a long time coming

He called the last few years on the independent circuit the “greatest time of my career,” and he thanked all of the promotions he worked for.

When he got released, Cardona set out to prove himself and his fans “right,” and he thinks he accomplished that. Ultimately, his goal was to go back to WWE, and he has accomplished that. So, “don't quit,” as he said, even if times get tough.

He first made his return on NXT in October 2025. Cardona was part of the TNA invasion storyline in TNA. The following month, he returned as Zack Ryder to compete in the “Last Time is Now” tournament to determine John Cena's last opponent. He lost to LA Knight. Now, back as Cardona, he started the year on the right foot by beating Wilson.