Zack Ryder made a surprise return to WWE's SmackDown on November 14, 2025, as the mystery opponent in LA Knight's 'Last Time is Now' tournament match. This was a highly anticipated comeback, as it was Ryder's first appearance on the main roster since 2020. The match was intense, with Knight ultimately securing the victory with a BFT (presumably a unique finishing move).
The return comes after Matt Cardona, the man behind the Zack Ryder persona, expressed his interest in a potential comeback. In a 2022 interview, Cardona stated, 'I would love to come back as me, Matt Cardona, but I think realistically, the WWE has that IP and they’ve invested a lot in that name, so I would have no problem [doing it], even if it was a one-off at the Royal Rumble or something like that. I think it’d be interesting. If I were to come out, I don’t know if the people would boo. I think I’d get a huge pop! I think I’d be a babyface again.'
The tweet announcing the return went viral, with the caption 'NO WAY!!!' and the image of Ryder as the mystery opponent. The WWE Twitter account (@WWE) confirmed the identity of the opponent, who was none other than Zack Ryder, now known as LA Knight. This unexpected reunion sparked excitement among fans, who were eager to see the reaction of the crowd and the potential impact on the storyline.
