Matt Cardona says pulling out of his indie bookings after returning to WWE wasnt just controversialit was unavoidable.
After making his surprise return on the January 2, 2026 episode of SmackDown, Cardonas schedule instantly shifted, starting with his removal from the February 1 Superpower Slam benefit show in New York City. The GCW and Orange Crushco-promoted event had Cardona originally slated to face Billie Starkz in a title match. Organizers cited unforeseen (but very exciting) circumstances for his absenceclearly pointing to his WWE status.
Now, in a new interview with Sam Roberts, Cardona is addressing the backlashclarifying why he had no choice but to cancel. Cardona revealed he was already booked nearly every weekend through the summer, meaning he couldnt realistically appear on SmackDown while still honoring those indie commitments.
Matt Cardona also made it clear that promoters who paid deposits have already been reimbursed or accommodated, and not a single promoter said anything negative to him at all.
At the end of the day, Cardona is making big-league movesand not everyones going to like it. But if you ask him, his loyalty to WWE isnt betrayal; its business.
What do you thinkwas Matt Cardona justified in canceling his indie run to make room for WWE? Or did he leave loyal fans in the dust? Drop your take in the comments below.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
