Matt Cardona has had an incredible run with Game Changer Wrestling so far; he’s reached new heights during his time with the company, like when he won the company’s World Championship by defeating Nick Gage. He has also faced new lows, such as his crushing loss to Effy at GCW’s “Get Lost Alot” event last month, a defeat that brought his run with the Internet Championship to an end after more than a decade.
On Saturday, Matt Cardona will challenge Effy for the title at GCW Fight Club. In an interview with WrestleZone, which was recorded shortly before the official announcement of this rematch, the former champion recalled how he got “screwed” out of both the GCW World Championship and his own Internet Championship, but he’ll finally get what’s rightfully his when he defeats Effy. In doing so, he promised that history will repeat itself, as Fight Club will be held in Atlantic City, the same place where he dethroned Gage.
“First of all, it was the Chicago Screwjob, I was screwed out of the GCW World Title,” said Cardona. “The New York Screwjob, I was screwed out of the Internet Championship, and there be no rematch clause for the GCW World Title, but the Internet Title’s mine. You know, so there is a rematch clause, and I will get my rematch.
“And I think it will be in Atlantic City against Effy, the place where I won the GCW World Title, I will repeat history and I will win back my Internet Championship.”
In the days leading up to the official announcement of Cardona’s title rematch with Effy, the former champion used Twitter as a platform to state his case for the bout. In one tweet, he wrote that the Internet Championship will “die” because of Effy. In the interview, Cardona elaborated by noting that Effy represents everything that’s “wrong” with the title. He then briefly reflected on his days as the star of ‘Z! True Long Island Story’, a show that remains strongly linked with the legacy of the Internet Championship.
“Effy is just, he’s everything that is wrong with that title,” said Cardona. “He stole it. I earned that title. Like you said before we went on-air, you were a fan of ‘The Broski’ in 2011, you know all about ‘Z! True Long Island Story.’ I made that title because I earned it. I didn’t make it because I just wanted another prop. I was the Internet Champion, I am the Internet Champion, I will forever be the Internet Champion.”
When presented with the possibility of simply commissioning another Internet Championship, like he had a custom GCW Universal Championship made for himself, Cardona stressed the importance of the title that’s currently in Effy’s hands before he vowed to win it back. In doing so, he predicted that the GCW fans will be quite upset when he regains the gold.
“I want my title back. I want everything that it represents back. And for some reason, the GCW Universe, they don’t like me too much, and they’re gonna hate me even more when I win the Internet Championship in Atlantic City.”
To drive the point home, Cardona made it clear that he needs to get his title back, and it’s his top priority in GCW right now. That’s why he wound up putting his GCW career on the line for the chance to bring his championship home; as much as he loves GCW, he’ll do whatever it takes to be the Internet Championship again.
“I need to get that title back. This is my number one goal in GCW is to get it back. And if I have to, you know, put my career on the line, my GCW career on the line, I’ll do whatever it takes to get my title back.”
I refuse to sell gimmicks to the GCW Universe in person.
They legit tried to murder me by throwing bottles and pizza cutters at me.
I also don’t want to touch their dirty cash and credit cards. Who am I kidding? They probably only have spare change anyway. GROSS! https://t.co/Z32e9CnOEy
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) October 8, 2021
Given Matt Cardona’s self-proclaimed status as a victim of two “Screwjobs” in GCW, it’s fair to wonder whether promoter Brett Lauderdale is out to get him. After all, both of Cardona’s championship losses were controversial, as he was blindsided by Jon Moxley and later shocked in an impromptu match with Effy. When asked, Cardona shared his belief that Brett is trying to be “cool”, though everyone knows the truth — the former Internet Champion has lived up to the expectations that title brings. His GCW World Championship victory at the Homecoming event in July caused the company to trend number one on Twitter, something that, in his words, never happened before and hasn’t happened since for GCW.
“I think Brett is trying to act cool for his GCW fans,” said Cardona. “I think we all know that I have done wonders for GCW. I mean, when I won the world title, GCW, Zack Ryder, and Matt Cardona were all trending above the UFC, above the Olympics. I can’t recall GCW trending number one before me or after I won the title. So you’re welcome, Brett. And people pay money to see me get my ass kicked at these shows. People want to see me lose, and unfortunately, they have, in screwjob fashion. But nobody has been able to beat me fair and square.”
Looking back on his run with GCW, Cardona doubled down on his previous comments that he has retired from deathmatch wrestling, as his unforgettable victory over “the king” Nick Gage will allow him to go out on top in this regard. That being said, a king’s work is never done, and Cardona learned this lesson when he crossed paths with Effy. He pointed out that, while he initially dismissed his new challenger, Effy and GCW have only benefitted from Cardona’s reach, thanks in large part to his impressive social media following.
“I am the deathmatch king, and that’s it,” said Cardona. “I beat the king, I dethroned the king, that’s it. But after you beat the king, what next, right? So it just so happens that Effy comes in, and Effy’s a smart dude, right? He sees, if he starts something with me, he gets the attention. I have 2-point-something million Twitter followers, now I’m tagging him, now they know who he is. This is good for everybody.”
Watch our full interview with Matt Cardona at the top of this post; GCW Fight Club airs on Saturday, October 9 on FITE.
