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ZACK RYDER COMEBACK SPARKS WWE EXCITEMENT AS CENA MATCHUP LOOMS

Matt Cardona returned to WWE as Zack Ryder on SmackDown, facing LA Knight in a tournament match. In a backstage interview, the "Indy God" expressed his joy at returning but is unsure if it's a one-off.

Zack Ryder comeback sparks WWE excitement as Cena matchup looms
Matt Cardona has brought Zack Ryder back from the dead -COURTESY/PHOTO

To identify John Cena's opponent for Saturday Night's Main Event on December 13th in Washington, D.C., Cardona made a comeback this week on SmackDown as Zack Ryder, LA Knight's mystery opponent for The Last Time is Now Tournament. From 2011 to 2012, he had a history with Cena through backstage interactions and even a tag fight in which they were defeated by R-Truth and The Miz. By striking the Megastar with his trademark Rough Ryder during the bout, the Long Island Iced-Z came dangerously close to losing. Knight ultimately advanced to the next round of the tournament by flawlessly executing a Blunt Force Trauma and a powerbomb.

Nevertheless, Knight was pushed to the limit by Cardona's relentless attempt. The 40-year-old expressed his gratitude for being permitted to don the Zack Ryder boots once more in an exclusive backstage video that was uploaded to WWE's YouTube channel. He acknowledged that he was not sure about his future in WWE, but he made it plain that he will always be prepared.

Five years. I have not worn Zack Ryder boots in five years. I always ask myself, "How can I get back here?" before I even open my d*mn eyes in the morning. How can I return to this place? I spent the last five years busting my ass. King of Deathmatch. God Indy. All for this moment, the Complete. This could be a one-time event. Since I am Zack Ryder and always prepared, it does not matter if I get the call tomorrow. I suppose I may say, "hoo hoo woo, you know it," Cardona revealed.

Chelsea Green Talks About Matt Zack Ryder's WWE Comeback


While the WWE Universe was pleased to see Matt Cardona return to his Zack Ryder persona, his wife, Chelsea Green, was the most thrilled.

Taking to X, the reigning Women's United States Champion thanked her husband and declared that she was honoured to be Zack Ryder's wife.

It will be intriguing to observe whether Cardona's SmackDown debut will be a one-time event or if it will mark her permanent comeback and her formal return as a WWE Superstar.

THE SHIELD FACTOR: WHY SETH ROLLINS BELIEVES SPLITTING THE TEAM SAVED THREE LEGENDARY CAREERS

Is the Shield reuniting? Seth Rollins shuts down fans as Roman Reigns prepares to battle CM Punk at WrestleMania 2026.

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Rollins reflects on the 2014 chair shot that redefined modern professional wrestling

Seth Rollins has always been a lightning rod in wrestling, and he still feels the fallout from breaking up The Shield. Back in June 2014, he took everyone by surprise; he just turned on Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose with a steel chair, siding with Triple H and The Authority. That moment didn’t just shake up The Shield. It changed wrestling for good.

He talked about it on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe not long ago, saying that one decision flipped the whole industry on its head. The three of them, Rollins, Reigns, and Ambrose, had found their groove as a team. But splitting up was the push they all needed. If they’d stayed together, no way would they have become the stars they are now. Still, after all these years, Rollins gets grilled by grown adults! asking him why he did it.

“I still get asked about that. Seriously, it’s been 12 years, and people come up to me and say, ‘Why’d you break up The Shield?’ These are adults! They watched it as teens, sure, but come on. You know it’s not real. Does it really hurt that much? Wow,” he said. He just can’t believe a scripted moment from so long ago still hits people so hard.

No one can argue with what The Shield did for wrestling. All three guys are either holding or chasing world titles in WWE and AEW. Right now, Rollins has his own battles. He’s heading toward WrestleMania 42, but he’s coming off emergency surgery for a hernia, and that’s thrown his plans into chaos. Wrestling Observer Radio even reported that his big match against a returning rival might be off the table.

Roman Reigns, on the other hand, is gearing up for a huge showdown with CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. And with Elimination Chamber coming up in Chicago on February 28, 2026, everyone’s watching the top stars. On the February 16 episode of Raw, Je’Von Evans punched his ticket to the Men’s Elimination Chamber by beating GUNTHER and Dominik Mysterio. Now he’s in there with Randy Orton, LA Knight, and Cody Rhodes.

For the women, Asuka, Rhea Ripley, Tiffany Stratton, and Alexa Bliss have already made it in. WWE is feeling the heat about ticket sales for WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium, so they’re leaning hard on the stories and history of their biggest names to pump up excitement for the two-night event in April.

INSIDE LIV MORGAN’S CALCULATED PLAN TO CHOOSE HER WRESTLEMANIA 42 CHAMPIONSHIP OPPONENT

Liv Morgan claims a dream match with AJ Lee would "solve world hunger" as she weighs her WrestleMania 42 title shot options.

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Liv Morgan eyeing WrestleMania 42 title shot

Liv Morgan has a wild sense of humour—she actually said that a match between her and AJ Lee would do more than just entertain fans. According to her, it’d solve world hunger. Seriously. In a recent chat with GQ Sports, Liv read a fan comment that said, “Her vs. AJ Lee would feed families,” and she took it even further: “We’d feed more than families. Like, world hunger would not be a thing.” When they asked how she pictured the match ending, Liv didn’t hesitate. “With me winning, obviously. But she’s a feisty one. Still, I’m putting my money on me.”

Fans have been dying to see Liv Morgan vs. AJ Lee ever since AJ returned to WWE last year. There’s a catch, though—rumour has it AJ Lee’s got a different WrestleMania 42 opponent lined up. And Liv? She’ll still be challenging for a Women’s Championship at the big event, but this dream match probably needs a little more time.

Liv’s still weighing her options for WrestleMania 42.

After she won the 2026 Women’s Royal Rumble, Liv told everyone at the PLE post-show that she’s not in a rush to choose her opponent. “I can pick any champion I want, and I don’t want to make some quick decision I regret. I’m taking my time. I’ll decide when it feels right and when I know who’s right.” She doubled down on that on RAW this week, saying she’s even planning to scope out SmackDown to see if she wants to go after Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship.

But if you’re looking for clues, Liv might’ve already dropped one—she ambushed Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer right after Stephanie defended her title against Raquel Rodriguez on RAW. Looks like Liv’s keeping her cards close, but she’s not shy about making a statement.

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