Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown brought fans a familiar face, as a former champion returned for a surprising appearance on the blue brand. The episode featured two more matches from the 16-man John Cena “The Last Time is Now Tournament” with The Miz vs. Jey Uso and LA Knight vs. a mystery opponent.
Early in the show, fans saw Jey defeat The Miz to move on in the tournament, giving him a shot to become Cena’s final opponent at “Saturday Night’s Main Event” next month. Later in the show, it was time for LA Knight to face an opponent whom general manager Nick Aldis wouldn’t announce on the previous episode.
The surprise arrival was none other than independent professional wrestling star Matt Cardona, who formerly appeared with WWE under the ring name Zack Ryder. While in WWE, he was an Intercontinental Champion, United States Champion, and Tag Team Champion twice with Curt Hawkins.
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Ryder, who has recently appeared with TNA and returned last month to WWE on NXT, went to battle with Knight for a chance to move on in the 16-man tournament.
The surprise SmackDown arrival drew a bit of a pop as some fans recognized the former WWE star, who returned with a “Woo Woo Woo” intro and a remixed Zack Ryder theme song and graphics.
Various social media accounts shared a clip of Ryder’s significant return to the blue brand, where he was part of Edge’s La Familia crew years ago with Hawkins.
There were plenty of comments about his appearance online, as many fans reacted to seeing Cardona back on a WWE show other than NXT or to learning who Knight’s mystery opponent was.
“What???? Zack Ryder was never coming back I thought….,” a fan commented on WrestleOps X clip of Ryder’s entrance.
“I MISSED HIS THEME SOO MUCHHH,” another fan wrote on X.
“Returning as Zack Ryder and not Matt Cardona is insane, makes this moment 10 times better,” a fan commented.
“Lmao so much for Matt doing all that ‘Zack Ryder is dead if I return it’ll be as Matt Cardona,'” someone noted on X.
“Hooray a lifelong jobber returned! What an absolute waste and let down man. I would’ve been pissed being at this show,” another fan said.
“if he returned at the rumble he would’ve had the loudest pop of the year,” someone else wrote in an X comment.
“You guys have the opportunity to do the funniest thing and have the other mystery opponent be Matt cardona,” a fan hilariously suggested to WWE.
Before the surprise arrival on WWE SmackDown, there had been speculation that Knight’s mystery opponent could be Joe Henry, who recently signed a deal to become a member of WWE. Additionally, some fans believed that the SmackDown GM might enter the tournament to face Knight.
It’s unclear whether Ryder’s return on WWE SmackDown means more WWE appearances are on the way. His real-life wife, Chelsea Green, is currently signed with WWE, where she’s a double champion. Ryder ultimately lost his tournament match to LA Knight, who will move on to the next round.
More matches take place on “Monday Night Raw,” on Monday, Nov. 17, which also features John Cena’s final appearance in Madison Square Garden. NXT’s Je’Von Evans battles Gunther, and Solo Sikoa battles a mystery opponent.
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