Former WWE star Matt Cardona (Zack Ryder) was a recent guest on Busted Open Radio to hype up his AEW in-ring debut on tonight’s episode of Dynamite on TNT. Cardona will be teaming with long-time friend Cody Rhodes to battle The Dark Order.
During the interview, Cardona explains why he ended up choosing AEW has a place he’d like to before revealing that he still has to prove himself to earn a spot on their talented roster. He also claims this is the first match he’s cared about in over a year.
Well, my 90 days was up [laughs]. AEW is the place to be, there’s no denying that. At the end of the day, I’m still a fan, so I was watching AEW on TV at home. Now that I can go somewhere, it was my number one spot. I was so hungry to wrestle and perform. I love this business so much and the past three months went by so fast. Once that 90 days was over, I had to get started,” he said. “There’s no surprise, I’m very good friends with Cody. In this business, there are very few people I consider friends, Cody is one of them. Does it help that he has a little stroke in AEW? Absolutely. I’m coming into AEW and I have to prove myself for myself. ‘I’m Cody’s friend, I’m the WWE guy that got released,’ I know all of that. I know at the end of the day I belong there and AEW is going to give me an opportunity. I’ve proven that I’ve made a whole career out of making the most out of opportunities.
It’s my first match in five months but it’s my first match in over a year that I’ve cared about and has meant something to me.