Matt Cardona Says WWE Fought Him Over Trademark Claim

WWE’s top brass are still giving Matt Cardona headaches long after the two sides parted ways.

Cardona wrestled for WWE for about fifteen years and under two names: Brett Major and Zack Ryder.

He achieved much more fame and success under that latter name, to the point that he wanted to use it after leaving the company and after the trademark lapsed.

Back in January, Cardona tried to obtain all the rights to the Zack Ryder name so that he could use it for pro wrestling-related business going forward.

However, he wasn’t able to do so because the name was still technically considered WWE’s intellectual property.

Speaking on Jason Powell’s Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast, Matt Cardona explained that taking WWE to court over the trademark would’ve been a pointless endeavor, even though WWE let the trademark lapse willingly.

“I applied for it knowing there’s a chance they could fight it and they have so that’s it, I’m letting it go. It would’ve been cool to do a cinematic Matt Cardona versus Zack Ryder match. It’s not gonna happen.

I’m not gonna fight — because at the end of the day, it’s their intellectual property. They would win if we ever went to court over it so I tried, they fought it so that’s it, I’m backing down.”

Despite his attachment to the Zack Ryder character, Matt Cardona has moved on and achieved more success wrestling elsewhere under his own name.

Among his two biggest post-WWE accomplishments were winning the GCW World Championship and the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.

h/t Post Wrestling for the transcription