John Cena Addresses Zack Ryder’s WWE Return

Matt Cardona’s return to WWE under the Zack Ryder name caught everyone off guard—but it clearly didn’t disappoint John Cena.

Appearing on WWE Raw Recap, Cena spoke openly about seeing Cardona back in the WWE ring for the first time since 2020. As someone who shared plenty of locker room space with Cardona in the past, Cena admitted the moment hit personally.

“I was very, very glad to see Zack Ryder come back,” Cena said. “Matt is a personal friend of mine. I can speak candidly like that, and I’ve seen his mind grow.”

Cardona has built a reputation as one of the hardest-working performers on the independent scene since his WWE release. He’s won championships in GCW, TNA, and even captured the NWA World’s Heavyweight Title. Cena didn’t hold back in praising how much Cardona has grown—both in and out of the ring.

“You wanna talk about always being curious and the quest for growth, the Zack Ryder I knew from a long time ago has accrued so much sports entertainment wisdom,” Cena explained. “It’s amazing when we have interactions. He’ll tell me about his journey and be like ‘this is what you were trying to talk about before and I wasn’t ready to understand it.’”

Cena also showed respect to Chelsea Green, Cardona’s wife, for their shared drive to make the most of their screen time.

“I like rooting for people who are humble enough to admit when they’re wrong, and always want to grow, and are doing things for the greater good of the business,” Cena added. “Matt is certainly one of those guys. His wife Chelsea is one of those folks, who take an opportunity and get the absolute best out of it. I was really happy to see Zack Ryder back.”

Ryder’s WWE comeback happened on the November 14 episode of SmackDown, where he appeared as the surprise mystery opponent for LA Knight in the “Last Time Is Now” tournament. Though he hasn’t signed a full-time WWE contract, the return of the Zack Ryder character marked a full-circle moment after a prolific run away from the company.

Cena’s endorsement just adds even more weight to Cardona’s moment, reinforcing that his comeback isn’t just nostalgia—it’s recognition of the work he’s put in since.

Do you want to see Zack Ryder back in WWE full-time, or should Matt Cardona continue his run as a free agent across multiple promotions? Drop your thoughts in the comments.