Staying “always ready” clearly has its perks, as the mindset has helped Matt Cardona capture more championships with each passing month recently.
Cardona currently holds the IMPACT Digital Media World Championship and the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. He is also the reigning Absolute Champion and Intense Champion in AIW, and he remains the Internet Champion. The man once known as Zack Ryder recently added the NYWC Champion to his collection.
In addition to his reign as the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, Cardona is focused on elevating the IMPACT Digital Media Championshp. He won the gold on the February 3 episode of IMPACT Wrestling, and he has subsequently retained the title twice against former champion Jordynne Grace. Moving forward, Cardona hopes to take the title to new heights, as he explained in a recent interview with WrestleZone.
“I’m treating that title as if it’s a world title,” said Cardona. “I’ve been bringing it everywhere, I’ve been defending it, whether the promoters ask me to or not. That’s how confident I am, that I’m gonna win. And if IMPACT wants to use the footage, go ahead. Again, I’m trying to get that title out there. I’m trying to get more eyes on that title.
The champion stated that he hopes to make his title more “important” than the IMPACT World Championship, and he believes he can do that by bringing it wherever he goes.
“I want to make it more important than the IMPACT World Title, and I think I can do that,” said Cardona. “Every weekend, I bring it. I successfully defended it at No Surrender against Jordynne Grace…. And I’m gonna bring it to GCW, I bring it wherever I go. Now yes it does get a little exhausting. My bags are so damn heavy with all these titles. But that’s just the nature of the beast, baby.”
My bag is getting too damn heavy…@nwa @impactwrestling @aiwrestling @nywcwrestling #AlwayzReady #StillHere pic.twitter.com/1wkCuivMnc
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) February 27, 2022
As Cardona noted, traveling with so much gold is becoming a bit challenging because his bag is getting increasingly heavily, but he agreed with the idea that it’s a good problem to have. With each title win, Cardona continues to generate more buzz, and his crowning moment as the Digital Media Championship was particularly remarkable because he seemingly turned heel in order to emerge victorious. But when he was asked about the matter, the champion emphasized that he’s still a babyface. He defended his actions the fateful night of the turn, when he hit Grace with a chair, by describing how she “jumped” into it.
“I am a babyface, I’m a white meat babyface,” said Cardona. “I’m the biggest babyface in the business. Jordynne Grace, hell of a competitor, tough bitch. She has my respect, but she was diving at me, trying to attack me, I just happened to see the chair poking out from the ring. I just it to defend myself, and she jumped right into it? Can you believe that?”
Likewise, Cardona expressed his disappointment in the way fans have treated him since he won the gold in IMPACT. He called himself “the people’s champion” before he recalled how one young fan had the nerve to bite him while he was celebrating a victory over Grace. He then argued that he’s the same guy who continues to chase his dreams, but the fans are “hating” him for it now.
“The disrespect I felt was unbelievable,” said Cardona. “After I retained the title, I went to go celebrate with my people because I’m the people’s champion. Went to go celebrate with the fans, I wrapped my arms around a little kid, trying to get him on TV, you know, so they could show it to their kids one day. This little bastard bites me! Bit me, can you believe that?
“I just don’t understand the disrespect the fans are showing me now. I mean, I’m the same old white meat babyface. I’m fulfilling my dreams, and they’re hating on me for it.”
I am STILL the @impactwrestling Digital Media WORLD Champ!
?: @bobmulrenin pic.twitter.com/Ha9fHO8OPt
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) February 28, 2022
Wherever he falls on the face/heel divide, Cardona will continue to defend his titles in IMPACT and beyond. He’ll put the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship on the line against Nick Aldis at NWA Crockett Cup.
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