Matt Cardona: WWE Was My Developmental

Matt Cardona has thrived since being released by WWE in April 2020.

The self-proclaimed Deathmatch King has established himself as a big draw for Game Changer Wrestling over the last year, he will challenge for the IMPACT World Championship at Hard To Kill on January 8 and he recently laid out NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Trevor Murdoch at Hard Times II.

Prior to Cardona popping up in several different promotions, the 36-year-old spent 15 years with WWE, and the former Intercontinental Champion called the company his developmental during an appearance on Rasslin'.

"WWE was my developmental. I don't mean that as a shot to them. I've loved my time in WWE. I lived my dream. You know, I made a lot of money there. The Intercontinental, Tag Team Title, US Title. I had WrestleMania moments. It was a dream come true. But it ended. So what am I gonna do about it? Am I gonna cry? Am I gonna f*cking b*tch on the internet? No, I use the tools that I learned from Vince and the whole company and I'm taking it to the independents," Cardona said.

"I'm f*cking thriving. So in that sense, WWE was my developmental. That's not a shot at the company. It created me, not only the wrestler, but the man I am today. I grew up in WWE. I was signed when I was 20-years-old.

"Even in this year, I have grown as a man as a performer. That's why it's been so fun. Because I'm like, you know, I'm a very creative person and it's been so much fun just going out there. I'm a big toy guy, right? I'm wrestling these new toys. I'm getting new toys to play with, except I'm getting to wrestle these new people in front of different audiences. Sometimes they love me, sometimes they hate me. It's just been a blast."

H/T to Fightful