It’s hard to believe that it was the better part of a year ago that Matt Cardona defeated Nick Gage in a deathmatch at GCW Homecoming to become the promotion’s world champion.
The brutal match transformed Cardona’s perception as an “ex-WWE guy”. Instead, he left Zack Ryder behind and became “The Deathmatch King.” Since then, he has continued to reach new heights, as he currently holds the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship and the IMPACT Digital Media World Championship, among seven total titles. But as it turns out, Cardona’s remarkable run in GCW wasn’t the original plan.
During an appearance on the Wrestling with Freddie podcast, Cardona explained that his GCW deal was supposed to be a three-show appearance, but because the match with Gage generated so much buzz, he became a member of the roster that appears on many of the company’s shows.
“When I signed up to this GCW thing, when I did that Nick Gage match, it was gonna be, it was a three-appearance deal,” said Cardona. “I come in, lay ‘em out, have the match and then lose the title. That was the plan, right. But we had so much buzz, like that night when I beat Nick Gage for the title, we were competing against Olympics and UFC, and we were trending number one over both of those things, which is pretty crazy for an independent wrestling show. So I became a member of the roster. I don’t do every single show, but I do a lot of the shows.”
I LOVE THE GCW UNIVERSE!!! @GCWrestling_
The Champ Is STILL Here! pic.twitter.com/7A9LcyCrJ0
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) July 28, 2021
Cardona went on to discuss how GCW has continued to gain even more momentum since he arrived. A few months after he won the title, the promotion sold out the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom with “The WRLD on GCW.” Looking back on this event, where he faced Joey Janela, Cardona called it one of the favorite matches of his career.
“I would have never imagined, when was that match, July, that in January, we’d be selling out the Hammerstein Ballroom, which is incredible, with no matches announced and I don’t want to take 100% of the credit, I do want some of it, but it’s the whole roster and it’s the diehard fans that support that roster. And then of course, we have to deliver, right? Hammerstein Ballroom, sold-out, and man, you talk about art, like I was planning this entrance, I was planning who I would have run in, I was planning every little detail, and it just worked perfectly and it was like, I don’t want to say my favorite match I’ve ever had, but it has to be in the top three. And even now just thinking about it, I have goosebumps.”
In a general sense, Cardona emphasized that he’s having fun, and he plans to continue running with the opportunity that he’s been given.
“It’s been so much fun,” said Cardona. “Like not everything I do is gonna be a success, of course not, I’m gonna fail, and that’s how you learn and how you grow. It’s just so much fun having this opportunity to create. Because all I’ve ever wanted is opportunity. And I’m gonna run with it. I’m gonna try to make this as big as possible.”
Cardona has been advertised for GCW Downward Spiral on May 28.
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