Welcome back to WWE News Roundup, and as always, we've got some huge stories to cover that have been making waves in professional wrestling.
A common trend in Triple H's regime has been the return of many former talents. A 15-year WWE veteran, who was released a couple of years ago, recently revealed his desire to return and compete for the world championship.
Liv Morgan also opened up about her current relationship with one of her former rivals. We wrapped up the news roundup with a popular star being called out for her alleged unprofessionalism.
On that note, let's look at the day's top stories:
#3. Matt Cardona is willing to return to fulfill world title aspirations
The man formerly known as Zack Ryder has done admirably well since his WWE release in 2020. Matt Cardona has transformed his career with an incredible run on the independent circuit, and he wouldn't mind working for his former company again.
Cardona spoke to Chris Van Vliet and confirmed that he would be ready to make a return as he still aims to capture the world championship, which Roman Reigns currently holds.
Matt Cardona spent 15 years working under Vince McMahon before he was let go during budget cuts. Mr. McMahon's retirement has changed the wrestling landscape, as Triple H has been re-signing talent almost every other week.
Cardona, too, is eyeing the prospect of joining the Triple H-led promotion, as he noted below:
"I'll put it out there, one goal that I've been saying for a long time is to win that WWE championship. That's not a lie. I'd be lying to you right now. Listen, when I got released, the goal was not to get back to WWE. It wasn't like, oh, what can I do to make them notice me? What can I do to get back to WWE? You can't think like that. I certainly can't."
The former Intercontinental Champion has wrestled for several companies since leaving WWE, including AEW, IMPACT Wrestling, NWA, and GCW. While Cardona has greatly expanded his resume, the superstar still believes WWE is the best wrestling company in the world.
"But I would be lying if I said I never want to wrestle at Madison Square Garden again, or I never want to have a Wrestlemania match. Of course, I do because WWE is number one." [H/T - Chris Van Vliet]
One can't argue that Cardona deserves another WWE run due to his impressive resurgence on the independent scene. The rumors doing the rounds also strongly hint towards Zack Ryder's eventual return, but we're not sure when that might happen.
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#2. Liv Morgan comments on her relationship with Ronda Rousey
Astonishingly, Liv Morgan is the only superstar on the roster who can boast about beating Ronda Rousey twice. Morgan's greatest career moment happened courtesy of Rousey as she successfully cashed in the Money in the Bank contract on the former UFC star to win her first women's title.
While Rousey won the championship back at Extreme Rules, Liv Morgan elevated her game during her program with the Rowdy One. During their feud, the former SmackDown Women's Champion also developed a fairly close relationship with Ronda Rousey.
Liv Morgan spoke about her backstage equation with Ronda on Twin Talk with Haley & Hanna Cavinder. She confirmed that the duo "had steered away from each other" since wrapping up their on-screen rivalry.
Despite being one of Rousey's first friends in the company, Liv Morgan, who drifted in and out of character, claimed that she had stopped liking her former rival after their matches.
Here's what Morgan revealed about her relationship with Ronda Rousey:
"Since our title feud, we've steered pretty far away from each other," Morgan said. "But beforehand, I think I was one of her first friends here in WWE. That's why when I won the title, she respected what I did, and she was actually happy for me. But yeah now, no I don't like her anymore." [H/T WrestlingInc]
Liv Morgan might not have a title around her waist anymore, but she remains one of the most beloved female babyfaces on the roster.
#3. Dutch Mantell opens up on Sasha Banks' reported WWE release
Former women's champion Sasha Banks may not return to WWE after all! The latest rumors suggest that the company couldn't match The Legit Boss' financial expectations and agree upon a new contract.
Banks is a ten-time champion, and many fans instantly criticized Triple H and co. for potentially making a mistake by letting the superstar leave. However, Dutch Mantell explained that WWE might be better off without Banks as he wasn't a fan of how she "embarrassed" the organization by staging a walk-out.
The former manager said Banks didn't deserve to be rewarded with a better deal as she was at the center of multiple backstage problems over the years.
Here's what Mantell said on this week's Smack Talk:
"She approached her employment in a bad way by just walking out and embarrassing the company. Now they are not inclined to work with her and, damn sure, not inclined to reward her because what that does is tell the other people, hey, if you've got a point, just walk out, make them chase you." [34:18 - 34:46]
Mantell even claimed that releasing Banks wasn't a mistake as she nears the end of her days as a top star. You can read more on that right here.