Matt Cardona Leaves IMPACT Wrestling After Years Working on Handshake Agreement

Matt Cardona's time with IMPACT Wrestling has come to an end, after years of working for the promotion without an official contract.

Following his release from WWE in April 2020, the former Zack Ryder would debut for AEW, but would only have a handful of appearances for the promotion. The biggest match of his AEW run came as part of AEW All Out, where he was victorious in an eight-man tag team match. Following his AEW run, Cardona debuted for IMPACT Wrestling in January 2021.

Fightful Select reports that Cardona's tenure with IMPACT has come to an end and that the former Digital Media Champion had been working without a contract for years. Instead, the two sides had been working on a handshake deal.

Officials from IMPACT were hopeful that Cardona would be willing to continue working together and sign him to a contract with guaranteed dates. While Cadona was happy with the idea of confirmed dates, he wanted to continue on the handshake deal, something IMPACT was no longer interested in. Both sides remain open to working with each other in the future. IMPACT has been adamant about signing talents to deals in recent months, with prominent names including Nick Aldis and Trinity being signed to contracts upon their arrival.

When Triple H began rehiring names in July 2022, Cardona was one of the first wrestlers to tease a return to WWE. Cardona teased returning as part of this year's Men's Royal Rumble match, but the event concluded without the former U.S. Champion.

The 2023 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event did however see Cardona's wife (and fellow IMPACT alum) Chelsea Green make her return to WWE. Cardona has said that he believes a WWE return is possible, and that he'll find his way back to the company.