Matt Cardona, formerly known as Zack Ryder, made a surprise return to WWE SmackDown on the New Year's episode. He defeated Kit Wilson with his signature Rough Ryder move, marking his first victory in over six years. General Manager Nick Aldis has reportedly signed Cardona to the SmackDown roster. The titantron initially displayed his old name, Zack Ryder, before switching to Matt Cardona, signaling a potential new ring name for his return.