Matt Cardona’s Zack Ryder revival ends in defeat on WWE SmackDown as LA Knight advances in 'Last Time is Now' Tournament

Matt Cardona made a surprise return to WWE SmackDown as LA Knight’s mystery opponent in the opening round of the Last Time is Now Tournament. Though the reveal generated plenty of excitement, his comeback was cut short when Knight scored the victory, eliminating Cardona from the competition. The moment was noteworthy not only for the surprise factor but also because Cardona appeared under his old WWE persona, Zack Ryder, despite recently returning to NXT under his real name.


Adding to the intrigue, John Cena pointed out that Cardona was the first non-contracted wrestler to compete in the tournament, making his appearance even more significant. While his run was brief, fans were thrilled to see him back on WWE television and took to social media to reminisce about his memorable PG Era storyline with Cena.



SmackDown also confirmed two additional tournament matchups: Bronson Reed vs Carmelo Hayes and Penta vs Finn Balor. Reed, who is set to compete in War Games, will clash with Hayes, who continues his rivalry with The Miz. Meanwhile, Penta will square off against Judgment Day’s Finn Balor in another high-stakes showdown.


Earlier in the week, Jey Uso and LA Knight secured wins over The Miz and Cardona respectively, earning their spots in the next round. They now join Sheamus and Rusev, who advanced on Raw after defeating Shinsuke Nakamura and Damian Priest.

With several major names in contention and surprising returns already unfolding, the Last Time is Now Tournament is shaping up to be one of WWE’s most unpredictable and entertaining competitions in recent memory.