Former WWE star Zack Ryder returned to WWE under his real name, Matt Cardona, in November 2025, joining “WWE SmackDown. Cardona, as Ryder, previously worked for WWE from 2006, when he signed his developmental contract, through his pandemic era release in 2020. Cardona, formerly known as the “Indie God” prior to coming back to WWE, sat down with Cody Rhodes on an episode of “What Do You Want To Talk About?” and revealed that his release was a relief, as he had been contemplating leaving the company already.

“When I got released, it was the very beginning of the pandemic,” Cardona explained. “There was nowhere else to really work. There were no independents to work. The world was shut down. Also, the year prior, I don’t want to say everybody in WWE, but everyone I knew got offered five year new deals, and I didn’t take it because I didn’t know if I wanted to stay or go… I wasn’t sure. The anxiety for that whole year, like, ‘Am I going to stay? Am I going to go? Am I gonna stay?’ When I got fired, it was like they made the decision for me. It was like this instant weight off my shoulders and like, I needed to get fired. I needed to go out there and find who was Matt Cardona?’

Cardona shed his “Long Island Iced Z” persona on the independent scene as the world began to reopen. He worked for promotions like GCW and NWA, where he held both companies’ top titles. He returned to TNA in March 2024, which seemingly helped lead him back to WWE, through the company’s partnership with “WWE NXT.”

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In what may come as a surprise to many fans, “The Man” Becky Lynch and “The Queen” Charlotte Flair, one half of the Four Horsewomen of “WWE NXT,” have never face one another in singles competition at WrestleMania, despite the many titles and accolades between them. They shared the ring at WrestleMania 32, the first time at ‘Mania for both women, in a triple threat involving Sasha Banks.

At WrestleMania 35, the women were reportedly meant to go one-on-one, but the match ended up involving Ronda Rousey, a historic match that saw the first-ever women’s main event of WrestleMania. Lynch said on an episode of “Cheap Heat” on Rosenberg Wrestling that she thinks they’ll face off, just the two of them, in the future.

“I don’t see why not,” Lynch said. “I would say it’s always on the docket. Anytime we come back to fight each other, there’s always… interest and there’s always intrigue. People always want to see us beat the bejesus out of each other. And isn’t that a fun place to see, because I love beating the bejesus out of her.”

This year at WrestleMania 42, Lynch will challenge AJ Lee for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship, the gold that Lee won from her at Elimination Chamber. Flair will not fight for singles gold this year, but will team up with partner Alexa Bliss in a four-way match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships to take on champions Lash Legend and Nia Jax, as well as The Bella Twins and Bayley and Lyra Valkyria.

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Last October, Jacob Fatu seemed on track for a promotion to the Undisputed WWE Championship scene. Instead, Fatu found himself abruptly written off of WWE television so he could reportedly recover from a dental procedure.

During an interview with CBS Sports, Fatu opened up about the mixed emotions that arose in the midst of his on-screen absence, which spanned nearly three months. “I probably missed out on a lot of opportunities, but it is what it is,” Fatu said. “They say in this business, ‘Things happen, and the show must go on.’ I missed out, but what was I going to do? I couldn’t sit there and dwell. No, none of that. I felt that way the first month, but after that, you must learn to keep moving and keep pushing. Instead of the past, you must manifest for the future. I really had to double back and tap in with myself, mentally and physically. I had to remember who ‘The Samoan Werewolf’ Jacob Fatu was at the end of the day.”

Fatu eventually returned to WWE screens when he interfered in the Three Stages of Hell Match between Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes on the January 9 edition of “WWE SmackDown.” “The Samoan Werewolf” beat down both men, though his brawl with Rhodes allowed McIntyre to escape the steel cage and reclaim the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Currently, Fatu is set to clash with McIntyre in an Unsanctioned Match at WWE WrestleMania 42. This comes after Fatu prevented McIntyre from retaining the title in a rematch against Rhodes on March 6.

Hollywood and WWE have slowly grown a working relationship over the past few years, and while the likes of John Cena and Batista have moved past their wrestling careers, others like Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, and CM Punk still dip their feet in the Hollywood water before returning to WWE.

Unfortunately, back in Rob Van Dam’s day, movie roles weren’t something that wrestlers were easily allowed, especially if it wasn’t a WWE production. 

“One time I did an audition for a Will Ferrell movie and got the part, and then WWE turned it down and said I couldn’t do it,” RVD recalled during a livestream on his “1 Of A Kind” podcast, adding that he doesn’t remember which one of Will Ferrell’s movies it was for. “I do remember the scene: it was something where Will comes into a vitamin store, and I’m a salesman there, trying to sell him some product that is – wink-wink – obviously steroids, and I’m like jacked up, and you know, like really over the top and screaming stuff.”

Van Dam later added that it was likely because the scene associated him – and WWE by proxy – with steroids, which WWE took a hard stance against in the late 2000s, following the death of Chris Benoit, which caused extra scrutiny on the company’s wellness policy.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the “1 Of A Kind” podcast, and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.