The "King of the Indies" Matt Cardona had a great fifteen-year career with WWE as "Zack Ryder" where he was a world title away from being a Grand Slam Champion. Cardona got to have a WrestleMania moment in 2016 by winning the Intercontinental Championship Ladder match but while never officially being in the closing match, Cardona was involved in the WrestleMania 24 main event between Edge and The Undertaker. While joining "Daniel Menna," Cardona looked back on what was one of the biggest nights of his life.
"[Curt] Hawkins and Ryder, we do a run-in. I was so nervous leading up to 'Mania because the week before or maybe two weeks before, Undertaker lays us out on television. I'm thinking 'oh no, are we not gonna get involved in this match?' But luckily, we do a little run-in, make a little cameo," Cardona recalled. "It would've been cool to be responsible for breaking his streak, that didn't happen, but it was an honor to be out there.
Ryder and Hawkins made a shocking appearance at Armageddon 2007 in the World Heavyweight Championship main event between Edge, Batista, and The Undertaker, dressed exactly like Edge, to help the "Rated-R Superstar" win the title. The Edgeheads, as they named, interfered again in Edge's World Heavyweight Championship defense against Undertaker at WrestleMania but were taken out by "The Phenom." This was Ryder's first appearance at WrestleMania which he remembers in high regard.
"Our first WrestleMania is technically the main event; it was the main event. I guess I'm a WrestleMania main eventer... that's not quite true, but.." Cardona joked before going into what he wanted to do the following year. "I thought it could've been, should've been, would've been Edge vs. Hawkins vs. Ryder in this three-way 'Edgeheads Explode' match but instead Hawkins and Ryder were lumberjacks in the pre-show tag team match. We weren't even in the tag team match; we were the lumberjacks. So, things can change for better or for worse in pro wrestling."
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Daniel Menna" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
