Steve Carrier on January 4, 2026
Matt Cardona’s shocking WWE return didn’t just change his own career path — it appears to have forced a major creative shift inside JCW.
Just days after Cardona revealed himself as the masked “Mysterious Carnival of Carnage” and captured the JCW World Championship on the January 1, 2026 episode of JCW Lunacy, his sudden move back to WWE has created ripple effects across multiple promotions. Cardona has already relinquished the ACW World Championship due to his WWE contract, and now it looks increasingly unlikely that he’ll continue with JCW either.
On January 4, 2026, JCW head of creative Vince Russo addressed the situation directly on social media, strongly suggesting that Cardona’s WWE return has forced last-minute changes behind the scenes. Russo first made it clear that there’s no animosity toward Cardona, instead framing the situation as a personal win for him. Russo also acknowledged that Cardona’s appearance in JCW was always brief, but meaningful to him personally.
“I am 100% THRILLED for @TheMattCardona. I know this was Matt's goal, and the opportunity to be able to be on the road and travel with the lovely @ImChelseaGreen once again is a BEAUTIFUL THING! I LOVE both these guys—TRULY!!!”
“I'm also glad that I got to meet Matt even if it was for only ONE NIGHT. Quite frankly—that was one of MY goals!”
Then came the part that raised eyebrows across the indie wrestling world. Russo openly admitted that Cardona’s WWE signing has forced JCW to go back to the drawing board creatively.
“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.”
Russo framed the situation as bigger than any one performer, invoking advice he once received from Vince McMahon decades ago.
“Vince McMahon told me almost 30 years ago, ‘No one talent is bigger than the company,’ and he was 100% correct. It takes a whole roster.”
He ended his statement by shifting the focus away from Cardona entirely and toward the rest of the JCW locker room.
“At @jcwlunacy I am literally IN LOVE with the men and women that I work with. Every one of them plays a HUGE part of the process and the success of JCW. So—onward and upward!!! Now the question—WHO WILL STEP UP?!!!”
Cardona’s title win at JCW Lunacy now feels like a lightning strike moment — impactful, controversial, and short-lived. With WWE once again in the picture, JCW appears ready to pivot quickly and see who emerges next in the wake of his departure.
Do you think JCW should vacate the title or build a new story around Cardona’s sudden exit? And who do you see stepping up now that he’s back in WWE? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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