In Matt Cardona's 19-year career, one title triumph of the Intercontinental Champion stands out above the many others.
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In 2007, Matt Cardona and Curt Hawkins joined Edge’s La Familia faction as the Major Brothers team, launching their respective careers in the WWE. Cardona would later become a singles sensation, spending the majority of his career playing on the midcard and winning a number of events and titles along the way. Matt Cardona has emerged as one of the top American freelance talents since leaving WWE in 2020.
Cardona has won a number of titles, ranging from the memorable GCW Championship triumph over Nick Gage in 2021 to most recently being the first-ever Jericho Cruise Oceanic Champion. In Cardona’s 19-year career, one title triumph stands out above the others. Cardona discussed his Intercontinental Championship encounter at WrestleMania 32 and why it meant so much to him in a recent episode of “The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy.”
“I had been in WWE so long, the YouTube show had come and gone, I was kind of doing nothing,” Cardona talked about his experience as Zack Ryder in the later years. The first WWE Internet Champion recounts that Ryder was unexpectedly added to the main roster by Vince McMahon. “Vince was sitting in his office eating his steak and he looked up and I was on [Superstars] and he went, ‘How come we’re not doing something with this guy?'”
Although this, before the lineup for the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match at WrestleMania 32 was decided, Cardona was only briefly addressed. But when PAC (AKA Neville) hurt his ankle and had to leave the fight, Cardona approached Road Dogg about taking his place. Cardona remembered, “I don’t remember what I said, but he said I had never heard my music play at WrestleMania and it remained with him.
Road Dogg lobbied the booking crew on behalf of Matt Cardona, who was then substituted for PAC in the match. “Just being in that match was a win for me. Just to have a WrestleMania entrance and to see my name in a WrestleMania program … it was cool,” Cardona explained, “Then days before [the show], they told me I was gonna win.”
Cardona then recounted his concern that the preparations might be altered as a result of learning that he would win the championship just five days before the presentation. “That’s way too many hours out, it’s a miracle that it didn’t change,” Hardy added. Cardona won the Intercontinental Title for the initial and only time in his career as the contest proceeded as scheduled.
He discussed the impact of the moment he received the title. “I ended up winning the Intercontinental title. My dad genuinely jumped the guardrail and slid into the ring. It’s a moment I will never ever forget. That moment was very very special to me.” Cardona recalled.
