Popular Reviews of MC! True Long Island Story

MC! True Long Island Story is Matt Cardona and Smart Mark Sterling’s behind-the-scenes look back at WWE Superstar Zack Ryder’s historic YouTube show from 2011. It’s a must-listen for anyone who followed Ryder back then or follows Cardona today. Z True Long Island Story holds a special place in my wrestling fandom. I got back into WWE in 2011 after one of my best friends, Kevin “Mister” Tibbs, started wrestling in the Long Island Indies and told me to watch CM Punk’s pipe bomb. From then on, I was back. Punk was my guy but as a then-27-year-old, Queens native who also loved pop music—I was immediately drawn to Zack Ryder and Z True Long Island Story. (My favorite segments were the AreYouSiriusBro Satellite Radios) Ryder felt like someone I would know—like one of my friends who made it to the big time. It also helped that I had a small degree of separation from him as I was friends with Brian Myers in college. From the YouTube show, my fandom grew. At Survivor Series 2011, I was among the thousands screaming “WE WANT RYDER” at MSG. The original Broski shirt was the first wrestling shirt (of way too many) I bought after rebecoming a fan. I was at Cowboys Stadium when Matt won the IC title and I was cheering him and Brian on as they won the tag titles at MetLife Stadium. I even got to meet Broski at Axxess with my ex-hoeski at WM31.I was never the Broski of the Week in 2011 but hopefully I can win it in 2021.Five Stars for MC! True Long Island Story *****P.S. I got to catch up with Myers for the first time since college at a Create-A-Pro show in Hicksville in 2018. Coincidentally, my buddy Tibbs beat Smart Mark in a tag match that night. Small world.

Without question Matt Cardona's trials and tribulations in the strange and depraved world of professional wrestling has been fascinating and thankfully this journey is well documented. Matt's continued willingness to pull back the curtain, finding comfort in being vulnerable and letting his supports in on the journey is unmatched. "MC! True Long Island Story" on the surface appears to be an extention of what Matt Cardona has become known for, which is "entertaining" his audience with humour and honesty. However, after watching each episode it is clear that this bravely transcends the initial concept and sheds light on the creative process but what he was striving to achieve. There is a profound effort made by Mark "Silver Ball's" Sterling to take us back to a period of time that so many remember so fondly. Using historical points of reference, Mark Sterling successfully recreates the landscape of a particular time period in professional wrestling, using Matt Cardona as the point of convergence. So grab some ice cold PBR and sit back and enjoy a trip with Matt Cardona down memory lane. #WWWYKI #BROSKIOFTHEWEEK

When I heard Matt Cardona was starting the MC! TRUE LONG ISLAND STORY podcast, I knew it would be a great listen. I remember watching Z!TLIS back in the day and telling all my friends to check it out - and it's the same case with MC!TLIS these days. The behind the scenes stories give great insight to Broski's life in 2011/12 and how he got himself over. I love the week to week format and Mark Sterling does a great job co-hosting, doing the research, and ensuring the show has a good flow. I got a chance to meet Matt last week at Warrior Wrestling in Chicago and tell him how much I appreciated the podcast and the Major Pod Network. It felt like I was talking to an old friend from high school, since I've followed his career for over a decade. The next night he just so happened to break the internet by showing up at GCW and taking out Nick Gage! Ten years later and he's still putting in the work and making wrestling fans pay attention... It's not just a catch phrase, win or lose he's #AlwaysReady... #AndStill Internet Champion... #AndNew GCW Champion?? We'll see soon!

If you love insight into the wrestling business and especially into the career of Matt Cardona fka Zack Ryder this is the podcast for you. Matt and Mark do an amazing job of not only going through each episode of Z True Long Island Story but also explaining on what was going on with Matt's career at the time during the show. For me this is the perfect podcast back in 2011 when ZTLIS was on I was a freshman in highschool trying to figure out who I am and how I would fit into this world 10 years later with MC I have grown up and figured it out. I believe this is much like the story of Matt Cardona who went from the woo woo woo guy to the DEATH MATCH KING. I also got married last November 2021 so there are defintley a lot of parrallels between the show my life and Matt's. Matt is an example of how if you bet on yourself it will all work out. Mark is also the perfect host when getting details from Matt. Like Mark my favorite part of MC and the MWFP is always the stories. Keep up the good work and I hope to be one of the final #BroskiofTheWeek

An Underdog Story for the Ages!As a young teenager, I was drawn into the character of Zack Ryder for two reasons. One, we had the same initials of ZR. Two, Zack was a goofy guy going for the gold. I was just a goofy kid trying to do my best in life. The show Z! True Long Island Story was a way for me to connect to this character even more and root for him even louder as weeks and weeks went on. Now ten years later, Matt Cardona and Smart Mark Sterling sit down and bring back memories for them and memories for me. I highly recommend this podcast as I each episode is extremely enticing and is an easy listen leaving you wanting more.Thank you to Matt and Mark for keeping the dreams alive for all the Broskis out there! WWWYKI

In 2011, I was 11 years old and I met Matt (Zack Ryder) before a live show. He couldn't have been nicer and I instantly became a fan of his for life. Every week I would get jittery waiting for the new episode of ZTLIS to come out. Trying every week to be the Broski of the week. Fast forward to 2021 and I have that exact same feeling for the MC! True Long Island Story. This pod is fantastic. The nostalgia it brings back really helps me push through hard times and motivates me to be better each day. Matt and Mark are so damn entertaining and have become a special part of my week. Matt has definitely done his job and has motivated me to take a chance on myself whenever possible. I enjoy Major Land and the MWFP but if I had to pick one, this is the podcast to listen too! Keep up the great work guys!!! WWWYKI

10 years ago the wrestling world learnt an invaluable lesson, through a positive attitude, hard work and self belief you can achieve your dreams. Today Matt Cardona aka Zak Ryder with the help of Smart Mark, discuss the series that redefined the wrestling landscape and share some positive vibes at a time when there most needed. Wether you were there at the begin or just discovering the MC True Long Island story, this snackable podcast will inspire you to back yourself or at least just take care and spike your hair.

I can't wait to relive and unearth some behind the scenes details of z True long Island story

When I was younger (Now 27), I would watch wrestling but never really got into it. It was thanks to Z! True Long Island Story that I became a fan of wrestling and in particular a fan of Matt. Matt's personality, passion and charisma was everything I enjoy about wrestling. Watching Matt work his way from being under utilized to main eventing Raw was a feel good story that I felt apart of, as he made his journey feel like it was also mine. Now getting to relive these moments from when I was younger, gives me the same smiles, laughs and goosebumps as it did the first time around while also providing me with some extra behind the scenes insights to Matt's actual experiences and feelings. Having Mark there is a bonus experiance as he provides further information regarding house shows, loops, TV tapings and tweets from the week. I am glad that MC! True Long Island Story is here for my Major Mark listening pleasure. Matt and Mark together never cease to entertain. It's a pleasure just to listen to this podcast. Thank you guys for everything. #WWWYKI

Hearing Matt reflect on and go in depth on such an important time in his career and wrestling in general is definitely worth listening too. I was a fan of his from his WWE debut and still am. Z-TLIS was a must watch every week, and this show is a great companion piece. Keep up the great work.

2011: I had to no idea who Zack Ryder was or that Z! True Long Island Story existed. I was a "98er" and had stopped watching wrestling regularly around the end of the attitude era making the occasional exception for a Royal Rumble or WrestleMania.2021: Back into wrestling in a big way and specifically a fan of Matt from his exploits with the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast and after binge watching all of Z! True Long Island Story in 2020. MC! True Long Island Story is a great behind the scenes look at an important wrestling movement I missed out on at the time but can still enjoy through Matt reliving it each week and giving us all the juicy info on he made it happen. 24 year old me from 2011 who was living a more Broski lifestyle can never be Broski of the week, but 34 year old me still has a shot at putting on the headband, fist-pumping to some backstreet boys, and tuning into this sick podcast every week.

When I first heard that Matt and Mark were starting this podcast, I wasn’t initially interested. I had watched all of the original Z! True Long Island Story episodes when they originally came out 10 years ago and I didn’t think I’d be interested in going through a rehash week-by-week, but I was completely wrong. Hearing Matt’s perspective, anecdotes, inside knowledge, inspirations, and fun stories has been an amazing watch and an amazing listen. I find myself eagerly waiting each new episode to drop each week just as I did 10 years ago when Z! True Long Island Story originally debuted to hear Matt’s story. I’ve also found that it has been just as fun to go back and re-watch all of the original episodes to prepare for each new episode and remember why I bought that Broski head-band that I still have.As with so many of Cardona’s fans, his inspirational journey from the bottom to the top to the bottom and back to the top again and inspired me and encouraged to get off my butt and change the trajectory of my life. I’ve been at a job that I haven’t loved for years only because it was comfortable and stable. While I recognized that I was fortunate to have that, I realized that I needed more and I could do more with my life. It is because of Matt and his journey that has encouraged me to seek a new path and a new career that I may otherwise never would have done. Even during contract and salary negotiations at my new position I was initially nervous about being too aggressive or asking for too much, but during the negotiation I swear that I suddenly thought about this podcast and Matt always saying that you have to believe in yourself. Because of that, I was able to secure a position that I truly love and received a salary that I probably wouldn’t have received without that mentality.