The 2024 WWE Draft is poised to kick off on tonight’s episode of SmackDown and is set to conclude on the following Monday’s RAW. It’s a time of anticipation and uncertainty for many WWE Superstars, as only a select few are informed of their Draft status in advance. Recently, a seasoned wrestler shed light on yet another instance of internal miscommunication within the organization.
Reflecting on the past, the fifth WWE Draft, which occurred in 2007, marked a significant milestone as it was the first to involve three brands, with ECW joining the mix. The initial 10 picks were announced on RAW, followed by an additional 14 selections made during the Supplemental Draft, which took place on the WWE’s official website six days later. During this draft, SmackDown made its 18th pick, choosing The Major Brothers from ECW. These two wrestlers would later become well-known as Zack Ryder, now Matt Cardona, and Curt Hawkins, now Brian Myers.
Matt Cardona recently took to social media to share a throwback to the 2007 Draft, revealing the moment he discovered his move to SmackDown. He nostalgically recalled using his Motorola Razr phone to check the WWE website, where he learned of his trade. His tweet read: “In 2007 I found out I was drafted to SmackDown by going to WWE.com on my Razr phone.”
Cardona’s tenure with the Stamford-based company came to an end on April 15, 2020, when he was released alongside Hawkins and more than 50 other talents and employees as part of budget cuts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this setback, Cardona has since carved out a successful path as a free agent, competing in TNA, NWA, GCW, and various top independent wrestling promotions. He has amassed a collection of titles since his departure from WWE.
His wrestling career with WWE spanned over a thousand matches, with his final bout taking place on March 9, 2020. In this match, Bobby Lashley defeated him in just over a minute on RAW. Cardona, a three-time Slammy Award winner, humorously commented on his last WWE match in light of Sting’s retirement at AEW Revolution, joking about the lack of attention his own final match received. His tweet included a photo from the match and read: “Damn… I wonder why Zack Ryder’s last match didn’t get much attention,” accompanied by a loudly crying face emoji. Cardona left WWE with a legacy that included an Intercontinental Championship, a United States Championship, and two Tag Team Championships.
