Matt Riddle finds himself in hot water once again, this time over a controversial no-show situation involving a UK charity wrestling event that has spiraled into a public war of words and personal attacks on fellow wrestlers.
The Initial Incident: A Charity Event Gone Wrong
The drama began when Matt Riddle was scheduled to appear at Global Wrestling Kingdom\'s charity event \"A New Kingdom Rises\" in Barnsley, England, on August 31. The event was organized to support important causes—specifically charities helping homeless veterans and survivors of bereavement by suicide.
When showtime arrived, Riddle was nowhere to be found. Global Wrestling Kingdom publicly stated that the former WWE star had \"no-showed\" the event, keeping his deposit in the process. The promotion revealed they had been left waiting at the airport for Riddle\'s arrival and were forced to issue refunds for meet-and-greet packages that disappointed fans had purchased.
Adding insult to injury, reports surfaced that Riddle was actually wrestling in Florida that same weekend instead of honoring his UK commitment. SEScoops originally reported on this story here.
Riddle Fires Back: A Profanity-Laced Defense
Never one to stay quiet when controversy strikes, Matt Riddle responded with a heated video on social media that raised eyebrows for multiple reasons. In the expletive-filled rant, Riddle vehemently denied that he had no-showed the event.
According to Riddle\'s version of events, Global Wrestling Kingdom failed to meet his travel and booking requirements. He claimed the promotion didn\'t initially present the show as a charity event and criticized the flight arrangements they had made. Riddle also complained about being scheduled to stay in a Barnsley hotel for two days with minimal activity planned, suggesting the booking was poorly organized from the start.
This directly contradicts Global Wrestling Kingdom\'s claim that the charity aspect was announced in July, with Riddle maintaining the charitable branding was a last-minute addition.
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Riddle Speaks Out: The TMZ Sports Interview
On Wednesday, Matt Riddle sat down with TMZ Sports for an extensive interview where he provided much more detail about his side of the controversy, revealing the personal and professional pressures behind his decision.
Death Threats and Timeline Disputes
Riddle revealed the serious personal consequences he\'s faced from the backlash: \"I woke up this morning to a bunch of death threats… How dare you scam a charity? I\'m like, dog, four months ago, this wasn\'t a charity event. Three months ago, it wasn\'t a charity event. This week was the first time I got a message saying, \'What? You\'re going to do this to a charity event?\'\"
Riddle Takes Aim at CM Punk and AJ Lee
What started as a dispute over a booking quickly spiraled into something much more controversial. Riddle called CM Punk \"fake and a creep,\" alleging that the WWE Champion spends too much time around younger female talent.
He then crossed a major line by making disparaging comments about AJ Lee, implying she \"got around\" during her wrestling career—though he added \"no disrespect\" as if that somehow softened the blow. These comments about Punk and Lee appeared completely unrelated to the UK booking situation, raising questions about Riddle\'s judgment and professionalism.
Defending His Charity Credentials
Riddle pushed back against suggestions he\'s anti-charity. \"I do multiple charity events where I don\'t get paid a dime… But I\'ll tell you this, I\'m not flying to London in a middle seat with no meal with no check bag.\" He made clear he\'s willing to work for charity but not under what he considers unreasonable conditions.
Communication Breakdown and Promoter Issues
The interview revealed deeper issues with the promotion\'s organization. Riddle explained: \"The biggest concern was they flew me out Thursday… I hit this guy up two, three weeks ago. I\'m like, \'Hey, what\'s up with Friday and Saturday?\' And they go, \'Oh, they haven\'t got back to us.\'\"
He also criticized the promoter\'s overall approach: \"You can look at the promoting and booking. It\'s just one of those trashy… I\'m not trying to bury \'em, I wish them the best, but I hope this is a good learning lesson not to throw the King of Bros under the bus.\"
Additionally, Riddle accused the promotion of deceptive marketing practices: \"They kept promoting me like I was still coming… even after they knew I wasn\'t coming, which—it\'s a scumbag move. I\'ve had other promoters do this.\"
Personal and Financial Motivations
Riddle opened up about the personal pressures driving his decisions: \"I have five kids. I have an ex-wife who\'s a real [expletive]. Plus, I take care of my girlfriend\'s kid who has special needs… I need to make money.\"
He explained his choice to stay in the US: \"I stayed in the US and I made that paper. I can pay my bills. I can even pay these guys back.\"
Broader Industry Commentary
The interview also touched on wider issues in international wrestling economics. Riddle was blunt about overseas pay: \"They don\'t pay enough. Their economy\'s in the tanker… I get paid about 10 times what they want to pay me everywhere else. That\'s why I don\'t wrestle in Japan.\"
Combative Response to Critics
Riddle ended the interview with a defiant message to his detractors: \"If you\'re bashing me, you can go [expletive] yourself, you know. Why don\'t you go subscribe to my OF and see what a real man looks like?\"
He also added: \"At the end of the day, I know what I gotta do to keep my head on a swivel and make the right choices…\"
Resolution and Aftermath
In a lengthy Facebook post, Global Wrestling Kingdom announced that the situation had been partially resolved. Riddle had repaid the deposit he initially kept and promised to reimburse other expenses related to his non-appearance. The promotion emphasized this update was meant to \"set the record clear\" and allow everyone to move past the controversy.
While the financial aspects appear to be settled, the TMZ interview reveals this controversy touches on much larger issues within the wrestling industry, from international pay disparities to communication failures between wrestlers and promoters.
The Bigger Picture
The TMZ interview paints a more complex picture than the initial social media outburst suggested. However, Riddle\'s unprovoked attacks on CM Punk and AJ Lee remain indefensible, and he risks significant damage to his reputation.
The wrestling community will likely be watching closely to see if Riddle can learn from this situation or if similar controversies will continue to follow him on the independent scene. His TMZ comments suggest he\'s unlikely to change his approach, which could prove problematic for future bookings and professional relationships.
