Matt Cardona recently opened up about his battle with cancer during his high school years, sharing a deeply personal story on the Hey! (EW) podcast with RJ City. The GCW star, who is set to face Chris Jericho for the ROH World Championship at Final Battle, discussed his experience with synovial sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Cardona revealed that the diagnosis came during his high school years, forcing him to miss an entire year of school while undergoing treatment. Despite the severity of his illness, Cardona emphasized how the experience shaped his outlook on life and fueled his determination to pursue his dreams, including his career in professional wrestling.
The emotional conversation delved into the challenges he faced during his battle with cancer, including the physical and emotional toll it took on him at such a young age. Cardona also spoke about the support he received from his family and how that helped him overcome the difficult period. As he prepares for his upcoming feud against Chris Jericho, Cardona reflected on how his past struggles have influenced his resilience in the ring. Below are some highlights from the candid discussion, as reported by Fightful.
Matt Cardona on his battle against cancer:
“That was a tough time, but… This is going to sound cliche, but I knew that I had to beat that to become a pro wrestler.”
Matt Cardona on why he doesn’t talk about it:
“I never wanted to be so, I just didn’t want to be like the cancer guy. I didn’t want to do that. I’m not ashamed of it by any means. But I didn’t want to be like, oh, that’s the cancer guy.”
