Since launching in January 2019, AEW has quickly risen to become the main contender to WWE in the sports entertainment world. One Superstar who has experience in both companies has been speaking out recently to reveal that he is pleased he is no longer with Tony Khan’s outfit.
Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Matt Cardona pleased he isn’t in AEW
Matt Cardona signed with WWE in 2006 where he initially appeared in developmental territories Deep South Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling. Alongside his long-time tag team partner Brian Myers the pair arrived on SmackDown and were given the names Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins respectively.
Both men remained with the company until being released in April 2020. During his time as Zack Ryder, Cardona won tag team gold twice while also capturing the Intercontinental and United States Titles.
Cardona has been one of the most high-profile ex-WWE wrestlers on the independent scene over the last few years since his WWE release. He has won singles gold in Impact, GCW, and the NWA. And while his tenure in AEW, which ran for a few weeks in July 2020, was short and largely uneventful, he did claim responsibility for AEW’s reaction.
Speaking in a recent interview with The Wrestling Classic podcast, Cardona has revealed how his arrival in the company came to be:
“Cody [Rhodes], right away put me in contact with his agent, gave me some great advice. But, like in the wrestling business, if a producer or agent is giving you feedback on a match, sometimes that advice doesn’t work for you. I realized I didn’t need an agent. I wanted to be that guy in the trenches. I wanted to be that guy doing the numbers and negotiating,”
Cardona, husband of current WWE Superstar Chelsea Green, went on to state that whilst he was greatful for the opportunity to appear on AEW television, he feels we would not be being utilised correctly if he were still with the company:
Cody set me up for sure, got me that AEW cup of coffee run. I am grateful for that. Didn’t work out at the time, I’ll admit I was bummed out. I was like, ‘Oh sh** now what.’ Looking back, a blessing in disguise. If I had signed with AEW then, I’d be on f***ing Dark. No offense to those guys, but that’s not what I want. I was already that guy in WWE.”
H/T” Sportskeeda for the above transcription