Matt Cardona once had an idea for a storyline where he would have stalked Bobby Roode.
Cardona signed with WWE in 2005 and ultimately worked for the company for nearly 15 years before he was released in a wave of cuts in 2020. As Zack Ryder, he won the WWE United States Championship and the Intercontinental Championship. He was also a two-time tag team champion with Curt Hawkins. At different points during his time with the company, Ryder went stretches without being used prominently on WWE TV. Naturally, he pitched ideas to try and get an opportunity, but some of them never saw the light of day.
In a tweet on December 27, Cardona revealed an idea for a pitch, which centered around an angle where he would have stalked Roode and started a feud with him.
“Here’s an idea I had about my character stalking Bobby Roode,” Cardona wrote. “Zack’s stalking of Bobby Roode would start innocently. For example, wishing Bobby good luck backstage or congratulating him after a win. The next week, he could be complimenting Bobby’s physique and ask to compare workout strategies. Social media could come into play with Zack talking pictures or videos of Bobby in the gym, restaurants, backstage, etc.
“One week Bobby could be in need of a tag team partner and Zack could insist that Bobby chooses him. Or Zack could inadvertently cost Bobby a match while trying to help him. After a few weeks of things like this, Bobby could get frustrated with Zack and tell Zack to leave him alone. This would cause Zack to snap and eventually viciously attack Bobby.”
5/30/18 #ZackRyderPitches pic.twitter.com/NwW93JAsUX
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) December 27, 2022
Since his release, Cardona has reinvented himself on the independent scene. He currently works for IMPACT Wrestling, NWA, GCW, and other promotions. Among other highlights, he has won the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, the IMPACT Digital Media Championship, and the GCW World Championship.
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