Zack Ryder Confirms Signing Agreement With WWE

Over the last few days, Zack Ryder’s contract with WWE has been a subject of speculation.

The former Intercontinental Champion entered as a surprise participant in the ‘Last Time Is Now’ tournament against LA Knight on the November 14 episode of SmackDown.

His return to the main roster after five years was widely celebrated by fans and even the active wrestlers in the company, with John Cena even dedicating a post to him on his social media account.

The 40-year-old has now revealed that he has signed a deal with WWE, but not to return as a full-time wrestler, but rather something related to merchandise.

Fans might remember that after Ryder’s match on the blue brand, his merch became available on WWEShop, sparking discussions about his return to the company.

He revealed the details on the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast, claiming both parties had signed a short-term agreement for his merchandise sales.

I did sign something to let them do merch temporarily. Could there be a Mattel figure? Could there be a Topps card? It’s really up to them. I’ve given them the rights temporarily.

After Ryder, another mystery opponent was revealed on RAW this week, when Solo Sikoa faced Nic Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler) in his tournament match.

John Cena Discusses Zack Ryder’s Return To WWE

John Cena appeared on the latest RAW Recap episode, where he spoke about his final days in wrestling, the Last Time Is Now tournament, and more.

He also discussed Zack Ryder’s return on SmackDown, explaining his delight at seeing his former peer.

I was very, very glad to see Zack Ryder come back. Matt is a personal friend of mine, I can speak candidly like that, and I’ve seen his mind grow.

You wanna talk about always being curious and the quest for growth, the Zack Ryder I knew from a long time ago has accrued so much sports entertainment wisdom. It’s amazing when we have interactions, he’ll tell me about his journey and be like ‘this is what you were trying to talk about before and I wasn’t ready to understand it.’

I like rooting for people who are humble enough to admit when they’re wrong, and always want to grow, and are doing things for the greater good of the business. Matt is certainly one of those guys, his wife, Chelsea (Green), is one of those folks, who take an opportunity and get the absolute best out of it.

I was really happy to see Zack Ryder back.

Also read: Zack Ryder Speaks On WWE Return, What LA Knight Said Post Match