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Matt Cardona has thrived outside WWE, establishing himself as a major star on the independent wrestling scene. His success spans multiple promotions, including appearances in ROH and GCW.
Cardona is set for a high-profile match against Chris Jericho for the ROH World Heavyweight Title at Final Battle on December 20th, followed by another marquee bout at The People vs. GCW about a month later on January 19th. Both events are slated to take place at the Hammerstein Ballroom, a venue synonymous with iconic wrestling moments.
In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed an idea was pitched for a mixed tag match featuring Cardona and Chelsea Green against Joey Janela and Megan Bayne at the January 19th GCW show. However, WWE reportedly rejected the proposal. The reason behind WWE’s decision is unclear, especially since WWE stars have previously competed at GCW Bloodsport events.
Cardona has also made a few appearances on AEW programming in the lead-up to his clash with Jericho. This comes amidst AEW pulling Ricky Starks from upcoming GCW events, including a scheduled match with Cardona, after comments made by Effy regarding AEW President Tony Khan and his father, Shad Khan.
The current lineup for GCW’s January 19th event, featuring Cardona, promises to be an exciting night for independent wrestling fans.
The current lineup for the January 19th GCW show can be seen below:
Singles Match:
Masato Tanaka vs. Joey Janela
Six Man Tag Team Match:
Little Guido, Super Crazy & Tajiri vs. Los Desperados (Arez, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel)
Bloodsport Match:
Josh Barnett vs. TBA
GCW Ultraviolent Title DLC Match (vacant):
Matthew Justice vs. John Wayne Murdoch vs. Matt Tremont vs. Brandon Kirk vs. Drew Parker vs. TBA
Singles Match:
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Sidney Akeem
GCW Tag Team Title Match:
Violence Is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku) (c) vs. Gahbage Daddies (Alec Price & Cole Radrick)
GCW World Title #1 Contendership Match:
Effy vs. Allie Katch
GCW World Title Match:
Mance Warner (c) vs. TBA
