In a fresh episode of the “Wrestling with Freddie” podcast, Matt Cardona recently spoke about how he incorporated social media into his wrestling narrative while still in WWE, paving the way for fellow modern-day wrestlers to do the same.
During his time in WWE, Cardona took advantage of platforms like Twitter and YouTube, where he ran a series. These mediums served to heighten his feuds as well as his wrestling character, contributing to his increased favorability in that era. He explained,
“Without a doubt, I wouldn’t say I pioneered the integration of social media into my wrestling storyline, but I was undoubtedly one of the prime figures who did so, thanks to my YouTube series back then. Dolph Ziggler and I breathed life into our ‘midcard story’ by adding extra layers via our tweet exchanges. He intercepted my girlfriend on my YouTube run, or he ambushed me in my hotel suite. Such ploys were unexplored terrain then, but presently they’re not confined to week-by-week occurrences. Just look at how Drew McIntyre and CM Punk have harnessed the power of social media to enhance their story. Their social media interactions have injected an air of intrigue that makes fans anticipate their matchup, far beyond their verbal jabs on Monday nights.”
It was in 2020 when Cardona’s WWE engagement came to a close after 15 years, a decision taken in light of budget reductions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.