Matt Riddle Gets Candid About WWE Release

Despite finding some measure of success in WWE, Matt Riddle was released from the promotion in September 2023 and has since gone on to compete in MLW and NJPW, where he is currently the reigning NJPW World Television Champion. In a recent interview on the "MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani," Riddle said his WWE release happened at the right time (since he recently had another child) and the WWE schedule was already something he struggled to keep up with.

"With the WWE schedule, it's a lot," he said. "It's four days a week, non-stop traveling, and you're never home. It's very rough."

Riddle notably commented on the notorious incident involving a police officr at the JFK airport that proved to be the catalyst for his release. While Riddle explained that he was working himself too hard at the time, he also took responsibility for his own role in the controversy.

"I talked to Internal Affairs, I talked to the FBI, I'm not in trouble," he said. "I'm not gonna go into details with the situation because they asked me not to unless I wanted to press charges. If I wouldn't have had a couple of drinks I wouldn't have put myself in that situation and I wouldn't have been there."

Additionally, Riddle shot down any speculation that the WWE/UFC merger had anything to do with his firing and noted that he believes he simply lost value.

"It was a complete business move," he said. " think for the most part it was a money thing. I think maybe my value went down, and for the amount they were still paying me? I honestly think that played [the] bigger factor in anything."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.