Chelsea Green has opened up about experiencing the most nerve-wracking moment of her career when her husband Matt Cardona returned to WWE as Zack Ryder.
Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on INSIGHT, the Women's US Champion admitted she was overwhelmed watching Cardona's surprise appearance against LA Knight as part of the "Last Time Is Now" tournament on SmackDown.
I've never been that nervous in my whole career. It's been 12 years of a lot of crazy moments. I was like sweating. I was so nervous," Green revealed. "I've never really had a chance to just sit in the crowd and listen to everybody react to Zack Ryder.
Green expressed relief when Cardona made it through the match safely, noting how unpredictable WWE can be with their plans.
I felt relieved when he came back because we've got no broken bones. Nothing got f***ed up. Everyone cheered. And it went well, so I was happy. That's all you can ask for. It's wrestling, right? Like, crazy stuff happens all the time. As long as you come to the back and no one went, 'Ooh,' it's pretty good.
The champion also shared insight into WWE's unpredictable nature, explaining why she couldn't fully celebrate until the moment actually happened.
The crazy thing is that with WWE they can say something's going to happen and until you are—I want to say at the show—but even at the show things can change because it's live TV. So until I knew that LA Knight was walking to gorilla, I couldn't get excited because I have been on the receiving end of many 'oh you're going to get this, no maybe next week.'
Matt Cardona is Alwayz Ready
Green revealed that Cardona is always prepared for opportunities, keeping gear ready for years just in case WWE comes calling.
He's had gear ready for years. He really, seriously, he is always ready for a moment like that," she said. "He's got MC or ZR knee pads always available. Closet full of potential moments.
In a humorous aside, Green also shared that Cardona's pre-match nerves manifested in an unusual way, describing her husband as a "tanorexic" who applied layer after layer of tanner before his big return.
