Matt Riddle has reflected on his recent WWE struggles.
After performing as one-half of the popular tag team RK-Bro with Randy Orton, Riddle set out on his own after The Viper was forced to take some time off due to injury. The star enjoyed some success and feuded with Seth Rollins, but went on hiatus in December 2022, amidst speculation of a failed drugs test.
Riddle didn’t return to television until the night after WrestleMania when he attacked The Miz. However, success has been hard to find for the Original Bro since. On the July 31st episode of Raw, Riddle lost to Ludwig Kaiser in a little over 11 minutes. The loss has sparked questions over how WWE sees Riddle and whether he’ll ever progress beyond the mid-card.
For perspective, Riddle has only won three televised singles matches since returning on April 3rd. A fact that seemingly hasn’t gone unnoticed by the man himself who said that it’s easier to win “real fights in UFC” than it is in WWE.
“Damn it’s easier to win real fights in the @ufc than win a match in WWE”
When Did Matt Riddle Fight In UFC?
Long before landing in WWE Matt Riddle found a level of success in MMA after taking part in The Ultimate Fighter reality TV series where he secured a contract with UFC. The star spent five years fighting under the UFC banner before being released in 2013 after failing two drug tests. Riddle subsequently had short stints with Bellator and Titan FC before launching a career in professional wrestling in 2014.
After competing regularly on the independent scene, Riddle signed with WWE in 2018 and joined NXT.