10 Most Punchable Faces In Wrestling Today
5. Matt Cardona
The evolution is complete. From squeaky clean Long Island bro Zack Ryder to arch provocateur Matt Cardona, the former Intercontinental Champ and action figure enthusiast has been on one hell of a journey in 2021.
It was one of the year’s greatest moments: following a Nick Gage title defence in hardcore division GCW, a hooded figure emerged. He hit the champ with the Paradigm Shift, leading the crowd to believe Jon Moxley was in the building. They went wild - then went even wilder when the robe was dropped to reveal the grinning mug of Matt Cardona.
To these fans, he was the antithesis of their brutal promotion. This guy had a daft catchphrase and a headband. He played with toys and ran a web series. He was as un-GCW as you can get. Cardona knew this, and he milked it to perfection. When he ultimately won the strap from Gage? Well, it was pandemonium.
Most neutral wrestling fans thought this was simply a great piece of business, superbly worked by Cardona, who’d gone from cartoonish ex-WWE guy to the biggest heat magnet on the indies. Had the GCW fans got their hands on him, though, there’s no telling what might have happened.