One could say this was the benchmarks of how WWE Creative would become what it is now.
You take someone, who actually used their gimmick to get over, get authentic buzz... but, wasn't viewed as someone as never a mid-card. While Cardona is wrestling in GCW now, there is still that fire in him to be authentic.
Triple H himself probably didn't like seeing Zack Ryder getting extremely over, seeing how Triple H himself could never do it by himself. In the end both go there separate ways, Cardona gets to be himself and have fun, while Triple H has to wait for Vince to die, and even then he probably will be stuck taking orders from Network Execs.
Personally, I would rather be in Cardona's spot. Because imagine having to deal with Khan's penny pinching, Kevin Dunn's producing, and WWE Creative spitballing stuff while Trips is handcuffed keeping the product PG.