Overview
- Michael Cole announced on air that Matt Cardona is an official member of the SmackDown roster.
- Cardona defeated Pretty Deadly’s Kit Wilson on the Jan. 2 episode, earning his first WWE main-roster win in over six years.
- His entrance opened with Zack Ryder styling before he pivoted into the “Alwayz Ready” Matt Cardona presentation.
- Commentary called his finisher the Rough Ryder and graphics briefly referenced Ryder, though the move has been known as Radio Silence on the independent scene.
- The comeback follows a 2020 WWE exit, recent NXT and tournament appearances, and a run across AEW, Impact/TNA, GCW, and ROH.