Former Intercontinental Champion returns to WWE SmackDown after a year

This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown saw a former Intercontinental Champion return to television. The 38-year-old was down with an injury, and while he didn’t enter the 2026 Royal Rumble, Apollo Crews is back.

Crews was seen in a backstage segment with Matt Cardona when Kit Wilson approached. The English wrestler said the whole problem of toxic masculinity was revived in WWE because of Cardona, who returned to the company looking like a protein bar, which made Crews laugh. An angry Wilson asked the former Intercontinental and United States Champion not to laugh.

Apollo Crews made his last televised appearance in January 2025 and was sidelined after he tore his pectoral muscle in February. While Crews didn’t say anything to Wilson, Matt Cardona asked the former Pretty Deadly member to get in the ring with him anytime he wanted.

Matt Cardona belittles Kit Wilson on WWE SmackDown

While Kit Wilson has always been the first aggressor against Matt Cardona, this week’s episode of SmackDown saw the former Zack Ryder taking an unprovoked jab at Wilson. Cardona clicked a selfie with the English wrestler crouching in pain in the background.

Cardona was seen with a big, mocking smile on his face, with his finger pointed at Wilson. He posted the image on his official X account, tweeting that the former Pretty Deadly member is a real crybaby.

Kit Wilson was Matt Cardona’s first opponent after his WWE return on January 2, 2026. The English wrestler lost his match against Cardona and developed a grudge against him. He sent the 40-year-old star into steel steps in an unprovoked attack two weeks after his loss.

Wilson has since targeted Cardona multiple times for his “toxic masculinity.” Moreover, he even said that WWE didn’t put him in the Royal Rumble because the contest featured 30 toxic men competing to see who is the alpha.

Thinking he was better than everyone in the Rumble, Wilson challenged anybody from the event to face him. However, this resulted in him suffering a squash defeat at the hands of Oba Femi, who, like Cardona, defeated him in his first match on SmackDown. It would be interesting to see what lies ahead for Wilson.