Matt Riddle has no hard feelings towards WWE for release

[Chris]

Despite being released by the company, Matt Riddle says he has no hard feelings toward WWE.

Riddle was interviewed by Fox News ahead of returning to MLW at Kings of Colosseum this Saturday night. During the interview, Riddle was asked if he holds any hard feelings toward WWE after being fired by the promotion in September 2023.

Riddle responded:

For me, at the WWE, not at all. I loved every second of it. I was a multiple-time tag-team champion with Randy [Orton], I was an NXT tag-team champion, I won the Dusty Cup Classic, I beat Bobby Lashley for the United States Championship, I wrestled multiple WrestleManias, Royal Rumbles.
No, I have no hard feelings. And I would just say, with WWE, they run a ship, they run it a certain way, and when you work for WWE, everything you do is under a magnifying glass. It doesn’t matter if you did anything wrong, if you did something right, if it was in between, it’s perception. And the WWE, unfortunately, if a situation happens, and they don’t like the perception, they make their decision. But I’m not going to argue with them. That’s their company. I don’t run it. I just worked there. I’m thankful that they gave me the time that they did and that’s all I can say.
I have zero hard feelings. I don’t know if I can say that for them. They might have some hard feelings, but I feel like they’re pretty professional. They’re more about that paper, that money. So, I don’t think there’s any hard feelings. I mean, they did have to pay me for three months when I didn’t work. That was on them. They fired me.

Riddle was released by WWE shortly after he was involved in an incident at JFK Airport in New York City. His release also came during a round of cuts after WWE was officially acquired by Endeavor.

Riddle is facing Jacob Fatu at Saturday's MLW Kings of Colosseum. The show is taking place from Philadelphia and will air live on TrillerTV+.

It appears that a Riddle vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi match will be happening in NJPW soon. At NJPW New Year Dash, a video aired where Riddle issued a challenge to Tanahashi. Tanahashi is the current NJPW World Television Champion.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/other-wrestling/matt-riddle-has-zero-hard-feelings-toward-wwe-after-release

 

[Cwalker]

I have a feeling if he stays outta trouble, he’ll be back in a year or so

 

[Fuji Vice]

I have a feeling if he stays outta trouble, he’ll be back in a year or so

I’d say more likely a couple of years, just because they’re pretty loaded roster-wise atm, but it does seem likely he’ll be back at some point. I still want a Randy/Riddle feud before the former retires.


“It’s all in the reflexes”

 

[Kross Rhodes]

I wasn’t the biggest fan of his character in the WWE so hopefully he can win me over in MLW. There’s one thing court knows how to do. It’s hard to create interesting characters and television.

It’s reassuring, though, that Riddle is taking the mature approach and he’s not doing the burn the bridge with WWE right after I leave approach.

 

[Fuji Vice]

I wasn’t the biggest fan of his character in the WWE so hopefully he can win me over in MLW. There’s one thing court knows how to do. It’s hard to create interesting characters and television.

It’s reassuring, though, that Riddle is taking the mature approach and he’s not doing the burn the bridge with WWE right after I leave approach.

At least part of that has to come from him wanting to be sure that there will always be a door open for his return, but it’s a definite positive to see someone not fed badding after they’re gone. You have to wonder if it would be the same thing if he had signed with AEW, if only because it sometimes seems like these guys are contractually obligated to hate on WWE.


“It’s all in the reflexes”

 

[Cwalker]

I wasn’t the biggest fan of his character in the WWE so hopefully he can win me over in MLW. There’s one thing court knows how to do. It’s hard to create interesting characters and television.

It’s reassuring, though, that Riddle is taking the mature approach and he’s not doing the burn the bridge with WWE right after I leave approach.

I enjoyed him much more in NXT than I did on the main roster but I can admit that the RK-Bro shit got more over than it had any right to.

As to your second point, I think a lot of guys aren’t taking it as personal anymore and looking at it from a business standpoint.

Plus guys like Cody, Drew and Cardona all got fired and showed it wasn’t a death sentence.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

At least part of that has to come from him wanting to be sure that there will always be a door open for his return, but it’s a definite positive to see someone not fed badding after they’re gone. You have to wonder if it would be the same thing if he had signed with AEW, if only because it sometimes seems like these guys are contractually obligated to hate on WWE.


“It’s all in the reflexes”

There might be a feeling of obligation if you’re going straight to the main competitor. A lot of these guys grew up during the Monday Night War when it was common to disparage WWE if you jumped to WCW and Vice versa.

I will say if anyone made it compulsory, though, it would be Court and MLW. They hate WWE. Sued them for unfair business practices and everything. Even have a kayfabe federation called WTF mocking the fed and WBF combined. It’s funny stuff, actually.

 

[Fuji Vice]

There might be a feeling of obligation if you’re going straight to the main competitor. A lot of these guys grew up during the Monday Night War when it was common to disparage WWE if you jumped to WCW and Vice versa.

I will say if anyone made it compulsory, though, it would be Court and MLW. They hate WWE. Sued them for unfair business practices and everything. Even have a kayfabe federation called WTF mocking the fed and WBF combined. It’s funny stuff, actually.

Oh for sure. I’m not knocking it so much as saying it seems like it’s just a known thing that happens. I loved when Danielson got booed after his debut for saying he “liked it over there” and felt it could be used for an amazing heel character that constantly talks about how much greener the grass was on the other side.


“It’s all in the reflexes”

 

[Canadian Dragon]

He will do really well in NJPW on US soil where he can utilize his full moveset from the old days. If he keeps his nose clean for a while I think he could even be catering offers from both major US companies in 2-3 years (or sooner you never know). Time will tell and I hope he gets right

 

[Kross Rhodes]

He will do really well in NJPW on US soil where he can utilize his full moveset from the old days. If he keeps his nose clean for a while I think he could even be catering offers from both major US companies in 2-3 years (or sooner you never know). Time will tell and I hope he gets right

Yeah new Japan would probably be really good for him and showing off his actual matches. I would probably have put Riddle near the bottom of my list of people I couldn’t stand when he was in the WWE but I’m gonna do my best to give them a shot.

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Yeah new Japan would probably be really good for him and showing off his actual matches. I would probably have put Riddle near the bottom of my list of people I couldn’t stand when he was in the WWE but I’m gonna do my best to give them a shot.

Yeah I'm with you I am also in the minority that hated that character. If he leans into being an aloof martial artist instead of a beach bum stoner I'd be down.

 

[Fuji Vice]

The only thing good about the stoner character was how he said “Rannnndy”. A more aloof but deadly martial artist character would be much better, kind of like the drunken monk in lots of kung fu movies.


“It’s all in the reflexes”

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Gedo gonna do some lines in America with him and have him join House of Torture instead just to fuck with us

 

[Fuji Vice]

I mean, I don’t do them anymore, but lines with Gedo and Riddle does sound kinda intriguing.


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[Kross Rhodes]

Gedo gonna do some lines in America with him and have him join House of Torture instead just to fuck with us

If he really wanted to fuck with us, he’d join the War Dogs and team with Owens and Fale so they can chase the six-man tags.