After a few years on the independent circuit, it seems that the WWE has decided to bring in ex-UFC welterweight Matt Riddle.
It has been expected for a long time and rumored seemingly since he decided to leave MMA for pro wrestling, but it seems that Matt Riddle has finally signed with WWE. According to multiple reports, including ones from Ringside News and Bodyslam.net, The King of Bros will be taking his talents to WWE’s NXT brand, possibly as soon as next month.
It was noted that he has been canceling his upcoming independent bookings and removing things for sale from his online store, which increased speculation of the move.
The 32-year-old Riddle was a TUF and UFC competitor from 2008-14, compiling an 8-3 record with two No Contests. Both of those NCs were due to drug test failures for marijuana, and it had been rumored heavily that his continued marijuana use was what kept him off the WWE’s radar for as long as it did.
Riddle has quickly climbed the ranks of top prospects in pro wrestling since his in-ring debut in February 2015, plying his trade in independent promotions around the country (and world), but arguably making the most impact in PWG and Evolve. He received a WWE tryout not long after his debut, but they decided to steer him to work with Evolve at that point.
It remains to be seen how he will be used by WWE, but a fairly long NXT run is pretty standard before a call-up. Also it will be interesting to see if they let him keep a variation of his King of Bros gimmick, or even his real name, if indeed he does make his debut soon.