SUMMARY
- Matt Riddle was released from WWE in September 2023.
- The Original Bro recently made his return to the ring in MLW.
Former WWE star Matt Riddle has been. a well-recognized name in the combat sports world for more than a decade. Popularly known for his stint with the Triple H-led promotion, the 37-year-old has enjoyed a great amount of success in pro wrestling.
The Original Bro joined the organization back in 2018 and worked there for five years before getting released in late 2023. His departure was a decision nobody saw coming, but it was true, and Matt now had to move ahead in his professional journey.
Making a move in this direction, the 6’2 performer returned to the ring on January 6, 2024, in Major League Wrestling. In just his first match for the promotion, Riddle defeated Jacob Fatu, but another thing that grabbed everyone’s attention was the way the announcer blasted WWE for firing the RK-Bro star.
Matt Striker can’t believe WWE fired Matt Riddle 😭
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) January 7, 2024
Matt Striker, the MLW announcer, praised the former WWE star and expressed how he’s surprised at how the Triple H-led promotion released him. He said, “How do you let this go? This guy is a star—a mega-million-dollar star. I don’t care what he does; how can you let him go?”
These comments by Striker are a perfect example of how big of a shock Riddle’s exit from the Stamford-based promotion was. With the pro wrestler joining a brand new path now, it remains to be seen how well he can fare. Moreover, it remains to be seen if he can achieve the kind of success he enjoyed in WWE or not.
Why did Matt Riddle leave WWE?
When Matt Riddle announced his sudden departure from WWE, a lot of people were left absolutely shocked. The reason why pro wrestling fans were surprised by this decision was the way Riddle was booked in the Stamford-based promotion.
The 37-year-old was involved in important storylines throughout his time with the company and even had the privilege of having a tag team run with Randy Orton. Despite such strong handling, the 6-foot-2 was fired by the Triple H-led promotion, and the things that influenced this decision were probably things from outside the ring.
As revealed by a higher-up in the company back in September 2023, Matt had “burned through too many chances” in WWE, and it eventually led to his firing. Moreover, before his release from the organization, the “RK-Bro” star was involved in a heavily discussed airport controversy.
TMZ reports that Matt Riddle’s sexual assault claim at JFK airport has triggered the launch of an internal investigation.
Law enforcement sources say Port Authority officers got a call for a disorderly person who was deplaning, and they met him in the terminal. As it turns out,… pic.twitter.com/XFVSSTqNdf
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) September 10, 2023
The pro wrestler accused a Port Authority officer of touching him inappropriately, and this saga might have played a major role in his firing. Whatever the reason, it’s true that Riddle was on the rise in the company and would have probably reigned at the top in the future. But as he’s no longer a part of the Stamford-based promotion, this dream of Matt might never become a reality now.