Matt Cardona recently addressed remarks made by fellow professional wrestlers Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes regarding his independent circuit branding and his long-running pursuit of a return to WWE. According to an interview on the Insight Podcast with Chris Van Vliet, Cardona admitted he felt frustrated by how his career trajectory and public statements were characterized by his colleagues.
Matt Cardona Addresses Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens Comments
The friction stems from an appearance Cardona made in June 2024 on Cody Rhodes’ What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast. During that episode, Rhodes and Owens discussed Cardona’s self-styled persona as the “Indy God,” teasing his eventual comeback to WWE while poking fun at his frequent mentions of the company.
Reflecting on the exchange to Chris Van Vliet, Cardona stated that he was initially angered by the portrayal. “Oh boy. Honestly, I was pissed! Because they made it seem that all I would say is I want to be back in WWE. Blah blah. I’d only talk about it when I’d be doing things like this, and you ask me a question. So it bothered me, but I’m over it now,” Cardona said.
Despite his initial frustration, Cardona clarified that he does not believe the comments were delivered with malicious intent. However, he noted that he lacked an immediate platform to present his side of the story until he officially re-signed with the company.
“Yes, it wasn’t malicious. I just did not appreciate that I didn’t get a chance to come on and tell my version until I got re-signed,” Cardona added.
WWE Return and Indy God Rebrand
Cardona ultimately made his surprise return to WWE in November 2025 as an entrant in John Cena’s Last Time Is Now Tournament. Prior to his official re-signing, he competed on WWE NXT following that brand’s working relationship with TNA Wrestling. He was officially added to the SmackDown roster earlier this year.
The “Indy God” moniker became synonymous with Cardona following his initial WWE release in 2020, a departure that arrived at the peak popularity of his Zack Ryder persona. Establishing himself as a top fixture outside of mainstream television before finding his way back to the promotion.
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