Matt Cardona Pulled from Charity Show After WWE Return

Matt Cardona’s surprise return to WWE is already causing ripple effects across the wrestling world—and now it’s cost him another high-profile booking.

Cardona has officially been pulled from the February 1 Superpower Slam event at the Melrose Ballroom in New York City, where he was scheduled to face Billie Starkz in a title match. The event, organized as a benefit show for the Little Oaks Center for Neurodevelopment, is being co-promoted by GCW and Orange Crush.

Organizers confirmed Cardona’s absence on Wednesday, citing “unforeseen (but very exciting) circumstances”. That statement came just days after Cardona made his official WWE return on SmackDown, where he defeated Kit Wilson and was announced as a full-time member of the blue brand roster.

While Cardona won’t be in the building, the storyline will continue—promoters are now teasing that Cardona has put a bounty on Starkz, offering a reward to anyone who can take out the reigning JCW champ. The new opponent for Starkz has yet to be revealed.

“Due to unforeseen (but very exciting) circumstances, Matt Cardona will no longer appear at Superpower Slam. A new opponent for Billie Starkz will be announced soon.”

Cardona’s withdrawal from this charity show follows a similar move just days earlier, when he pulled out of a planned match against Mike Santana for ACW—also due to his WWE contract. He has since relinquished the ACW World Championship and is no longer expected to appear at any upcoming JCW events either, despite recently capturing the JCW World Title under the “Mysterious Carnival of Carnage” persona.

JCW head of creative Vince Russo already addressed the situation on January 4, acknowledging that Cardona’s WWE return forced last-minute creative rewrites, but wished him nothing but the best.

“Now as a writer are there going to have to be rewrites? Of course there are, but there are ALWAYS rewrites, and to a REAL writer—that's a challenge that is ALWAYS welcomed.”

The Superpower Slam event is still on, with scheduled appearances by AEW’s Willow Nightingale, Megan Bayne, JetSpeed, TNA’s Bear Bronson, Mance Warner, and MLW’s Paul Walter Hauser, among others.

But one thing’s clear: Matt Cardona’s indie run is over. WWE is now in control of his calendar—and that means the independent scene is left reshuffling in his wake.

Are you disappointed Cardona was pulled from the benefit show? And who do you want to see answer the bounty against Billie Starkz? Let us know in the comments below.