StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

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.

PENTA’S SURPRISE RETURN SAVES REY MYSTERIO! LUCHA BROTHERS REUNION COMING SOON

Penta is back! After aiding Rey Mysterio on Raw, the stage is set for a massive Lucha Brothers reunion to tackle The Vision.

top-news
Penta returns from injury

Why Penta’s WWE Return Should Lead to a Lucha Brothers Reunion

Penta and Rey Fenix, known for years as the Lucha Brothers, have wrestled all over, winning a bunch of tag team titles and becoming a legendary team. But in WWE, they've been doing their own thing.

They were supposed to get back together at AAA’s Guerra de Titanes on December 20, 2025, but Penta got hurt, so it didn't happen.

He came back on the December 29 episode of Monday Night Raw, helping Rey Mysterio when The Vision attacked him. The plan could be a match between them against Austin Theory and Logan Paul. But if Bron Breakker might become WWE Champion, Bronson Reed will not have an opponent. A three-on-three fight would be a cool way for the Lucha Brothers to team up again.

Rey Fenix Would Help Even the Odds for Penta and Mysterio

Penta and Mysterio are amazing luchadors. They’re respected everywhere for a reason. But when the other team has more people, things get tough.

The Vision has four members, and Penta only has Mysterio. If Breakker takes the WWE Championship from CM Punk, he’ll be dealing with lots of contenders, leaving it three-on-two. This would be a great time for Fenix to jump into the fight. He's Penta's real-life brother and respects Mysterio.

He’d want to protect them, just like they'd do for him. Plus, he knows fans were bummed when Penta couldn’t make it to Guerra de Titanes. Making it up to the fans while standing up for his brother and friend would be awesome for everybody.

It Would Beef Up the Tag Team Division

When WWE signed Penta and Fenix, fans were stoked to see them as a tag team. But the company split them up. It might have seemed weird then, but it makes sense now.

Putting them together as the Lucha Brothers right away would have been cool. But having them wrestle alone and then reunite would get a huge pop from the crowd. When they were named as the opponents of Dominik Mysterio and El Grande Americano, people went nuts because they knew how good they were together.

Unfortunately, Penta’s injury meant the reunion was delayed. Getting the Lucha Brothers back together would give the men’s tag team division more star power. With the Usos winning the World Tag Team Championships again, they need challengers. The Lucha Brothers vs. the Usos, which many fans have wanted to see for years, could finally happen.

Penta and Fenix Would Become Bigger Stars

Penta and Fenix have both shown how awesome they are in the ring. But, just like the Usos, they’re even better as a team. WWE is waiting for the right time to bring them back together.

The injury messed up their reunion last month, but Penta’s current fight is perfect timing for him to team up with his brother again. He and Mysterio are outnumbered in their fight with the Vision. If they want a chance to win, someone needs to help them out. Fenix is the obvious choice for a bunch of reasons.

Helping them would also add another great team to the tag team division. The Usos will need people to fight, and fans have talked about this match for years. Fenix helping Penta and Mysterio is the best thing for their fight with the Vision.

SHAYNA BASZLER EXPLAINS WHY BROCK LESNAR COMPARISONS ARE "LAZY" THINKING

Shayna Baszler calls Brock Lesnar comparisons "lazy." She reveals how Triple H fought to make her #30 in the 2020 Royal Rumble.

top-news
Shayna Baszler slams "lazy" Brock Lesnar labels

So, this former WWE Superstar has something to say about people comparing how she was booked to Brock Lesnar.

Shayna Baszler was a force to be reckoned with back in 2019. She held the NXT Women’s Title for over 500 days, beating wrestlers like Kairi Sane and Ember Moon (also known as Athena).

Baszler showed pure dominance in the 2020 Women’s Royal Rumble, where she took out eight other wrestlers. At the time, that tied Bianca Belair's record. Later, Nia Jax broke that record at the 2025 Royal Rumble when she got rid of nine wrestlers.

Shayna Baszler was recently on Chris Van Vliet's INSIGHT show, and the host brought up how she was booked similarly to Brock Lesnar.

She replied, “Yeah, I had a problem with that because I don’t think even back in NXT, I was ever like a female Brock Lesnar. I think it’s a lazy thought, because, oh, she’s a badass, and she does MMA.

Shayna Baszler says Triple H fought for her to be in the 2020 Royal Rumble at No. 30. Earlier in the interview, Shayna Baszler talked about how well she did in the 2020 Women’s Royal Rumble. She said that WWE kept swapping around what number she’d come out as until Triple H pushed for her to be the last one.

“I think there was some talk because Santino was going to be in the women’s Rumble, and I think at first he was supposed to be number 30, but I guess people thought that was a bad idea. It’s funny, but as number 30, it was getting late, and the fans were going to hate it.

“So then they switched me to number 30, and I think Hunter helped me out there. I think he was like, if Shayna isn’t in the Rumble and we put Santino at number 30, everyone’s going to expect the NXT champ to show up, and if it’s Santino, it’s going to be awful. So I think he went to bat for me to get me back in the Rumble.”

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News