Matt Riddle is an American former mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, with his most notable recognition stemming from his tenure in WWE.Matt Riddle was born on January 14, 1986, in Allentown, Pennsylvania.Subsequently, he relocated to Saratoga Springs, New York, where he enrolled at Saratoga Springs High School and achieved the distinction of becoming a New York state wrestling champion in 2004. During his high school wrestling career, Riddle had the opportunity to compete against and defeat future UFC champion Jon Jones on two occasions.
Bio/Wiki
Age-37 years
Height-1.88 m
Weight-77 kg
Born-14 January 1986
Birthplace- Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States
Full name: Matthew Fredrick Riddle
Spouse- Lisa Rennie (m. 2011; div. 2022)
Children: 3
Profession-Professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist
Nationality- American
Family
Information about Matt Riddle’s parents is not available.
Relationship
Wife
In 2011, Matt Riddle entered matrimony with Lisa Rennie Riddle, beginning a journey filled with love, passion, and the joy of raising three wonderful children together. Unfortunately, in 2022, they went their separate ways.
Girlfriend
Matt Riddle and his current girlfriend, Misha Montana, recently announced their pregnancy via social media. They joyfully shared that their baby is due in December.
Career
Early Career
In his amateur MMA career, Riddle boasted an undefeated record of 1–0. During this phase of his life, he supported himself as a roofer while dedicating his evenings to training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Riddle attributes much of his early MMA knowledge and development to B.J. Penn’s book, “Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge.
Riddle’s path to The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) house involved a bout against Dan Simmler, who trained under Matt Serra. In a dramatic turn of events, Riddle knocked out Simmler in the opening seconds of the second round and continued to strike him three times in the jaw after Simmler had lost consciousness, resulting in Simmler’s jaw breaking in two places. Riddle was selected as the second overall pick for Team Rampage during his time on the show, and it was during this period that he earned the nickname “Chipper” from Rampage, who noticed his constant smiling demeanor.
In his second TUF match, Riddle faced off against Tim Credeur, ultimately succumbing to defeat in the second round and consequently being eliminated from the tournament.In a display of sportsmanship after the fight, Credeur used his earnings to purchase an Xbox 360 for Riddle.
Professional Career
Matthew Fredrick Riddle, a former professional MMA fighter from 2008 to 2014, gained recognition by participating in SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter 7 and achieved a notable four-fight winning streak in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). However, his UFC career took a turn when he was terminated after testing positive for marijuana use in February 2013. Riddle also competed in Titan FC, amassing a career record of 8–3 (2).
In 2014, Riddle embarked on a transition to professional wrestling, undergoing training at the Monster Factory. His wrestling debut took place in February 2015. His efforts in the wrestling world were acknowledged by readers of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, who honored him as Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Wrestler in 2016. From 2015 to 2018, he made his mark on the independent wrestling circuit, showcasing his skills in promotions like Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, World Wrestling Network/Evolve, and others. During this time, he achieved titles such as Evolve Champion, WWN Champion, PWG World Tag Team Champion (alongside Jeff Cobb), and two-time Progress Atlas Champion.
In 2018, Riddle signed with WWE, where he adopted a persona resembling a carefree, barefoot surfer valley boy. Initially assigned to the NXT brand, he became a one-time NXT Tag Team Champion alongside Pete Dunne as ‘The BroserWeights’ after winning the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament. Subsequently, he was promoted to the main roster, where he clinched the United States Championship in February 2021. In April, Riddle formed a successful partnership with Randy Orton as RK-Bro, securing the Raw Tag Team Championship in August 2021 and March 2022. However, his journey with WWE came to an end as he was released in September 2023.
Matt Riddle UFC Record
- At UFC on FUEL TV: Barao vs McDonald on Feb. 16, 2013, his win was later overturned.
- At UFC 154: St-Pierre vs Condit on Nov. 17, 2012, he had a no contest (NC) fight against Chris Clements.
- At UFC 149: Faber vs Barao on Jul. 21, 2012, he won, but the result was later overturned.
- At UFC 143: Diaz vs Condit on Feb. 04, 2012, he suffered a loss against Lance Benoist.
- At UFC Fight Night: Shields vs Ellenberger on Sep. 17, 2011, he lost a unanimous decision (U-DEC) fight against Sean Pierson.
- At UFC 124: St-Pierre vs Koscheck 2 on Dec. 11, 2010, he won by unanimous decision (U-DEC) against DaMarques Johnson.
- At UFC Live: Jones vs Matyushenko on Aug. 01, 2010, he won by KO/TKO with punches against Greg Soto.
- At UFC 111: St-Pierre vs Hardy on Mar. 27, 2010, he lost by disqualification (DQ) against Nick Osipczak.
- At UFC 105: Couture vs Vera on Nov. 14, 2009, he won by KO/TKO with punches against Dan Cramer.
- At UFC 101: Declaration on Aug. 08, 2009, he won by unanimous decision (U-DEC) against Steve Bruno.
- At UFC Fight Night: Lauzon vs Stephens on Feb. 07, 2009, he won by unanimous decision (U-DEC) against Dante Rivera.
- He also participated in The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs Team Forrest Finale on Jun. 21, 2008, winning by unanimous decision (U-DEC).
Sexual Assault Allegation
During the summer of 2020, Matt Riddle faced allegations of sexual assault made by female independent wrestler Candy Cartwright. According to Cartwright, after an independent wrestling event in May 2018, Riddle propositioned her for sexual intercourse. When she declined, Cartwright claims that Riddle choked her and compelled her into performing oral sex on him. WWE issued a statement indicating that they were investigating the matter, while Riddle promptly refuted the allegations in a video posted on his Twitter page, asserting that he had engaged in a consensual affair with Cartwright, refuting any claims of non-consensual activity.
Subsequently, Riddle sought a restraining order against Cartwright, citing her alleged harassment, stalking, and threats to his safety in person and online. However, in September 2020, Riddle withdrew his request for a restraining order.On October 8, 2020 Cartwright initiated a lawsuit against Riddle, WWE, and Evolve president Gabe Sapolsky in connection with the incident. In March 2021, the court dismissed WWE and Sapolsky as defendants in the lawsuit, citing a lack of evidence connecting them to the allegations. Ultimately, Cartwright dropped the lawsuit on July 13, 2021.
Net Worth 2023
As of 2023, Matt Riddle’s net worth stands at $3 million, with an annual salary of $400,000.
Matt Riddle Released by WWE amid Talent Cuts and Controversy
Matt Riddle’s WWE career has come to an end as he was released by the company.
“Just wanted to inform everyone that I’m no longer with WWE,” Riddle wrong in a tweet. “Thank you for the memories and opportunities also thank you to all the fans for the support and love you give me every time I go out to the ring. See you all soon.”
Despite his quirky and carefree persona, Riddle had the potential to become a top WWE star, similar to previous irreverent world champions like Daniel Bryan and Rob Van Dam. One of his notable moments was his WWE Championship match against Roman Reigns on the June 17, 2022, episode of SmackDown, which garnered over 2.5 million viewers during its quarter-hour segment, surpassing other high-profile segments.
Riddle’s character often played the perfect foil for a variety of tough guys, including Butch (known as Pete Dunne in NXT), Timothy Thatcher, Drew McIntyre, and notably Randy Orton in the popular tag team RK-Bro. Together, they held the WWE tag team championship twice. However, Riddle’s disappearance from television was due to issues both inside and outside the wrestling ring.
While Riddle’s reported illness contributed to his absence, he also faced controversy at JFK Airport, where he claimed to have been sexually assaulted by an officer while allegedly heavily intoxicated. This incident appears to have been a significant factor in his release from WWE, as the company looks to implement substantial cost-cutting measures as part of TKO Group Holdings’ financial restructuring.
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