Matt Cardona’s long journey back to WWE took a major step forward when he was unmasked as LA Knight’s mystery opponent in the Last Time is Now tournament on Friday’s SmackDown. The return brought an emotional response from Cardona, who reflected backstage on what the moment meant to him after years away from the company.

Cardona spoke about the drive that kept him working since his 2020 release, sharing how he pushed himself across multiple promotions in an effort to earn another chance on the stage he once called home. He said:

“Five years. It’s been five years since I put on Zack Ryder boots. Every single morning, the first thing I do before I even open my damn eyes, I say how can I get back here? What do I have to do to get back here? I busted my ass for the past five years, Death Match King, Indie God, The Complete, all for this moment.“

“This might be a one time shot, I might get the call tomorrow, but it doesn’t matter because I’m Zack Ryder and I’m always ready. And I guess I can say this: Woo woo woo, you know it.”

LA Knight stepped in to acknowledge the significance of the night, shaking Cardona’s hand and adding:

“I don’t know if this is a welcome back or if this is a see you later but all I can say is, Yeah!”

Cardona later shared his feelings on X, writing:

“I cannot express in words what last night meant to me, but if I had to try… Don’t Quit… Alwayz Ready… Thank You… WOO! WOO! WOO!”

Chelsea Green celebrated her husband’s moment online as well. Reacting to WWE’s clip, she wrote:

“Hehe I knew before you knew!” and later added, “What a day to be Zack Ryders wife!”

Cardona originally joined WWE in 2005 and went on to capture the Intercontinental title, the United States title, and two Raw Tag Team Championships with Curt Hawkins. Whether this appearance signals a full return or a standalone moment remains to be seen, but Friday’s show clearly meant the world to him.