Former UFC Star Matt Riddle Reportedly Signs With WWE

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Today’s WWE is brimming with talent. Vince McMahon’s company features three sports entertainment brands and that means three rosters full of men and women that rank among some of the industry’s best.

Indeed, one of the complaints against WWE is that the company perhaps has too much talent. That talent typically comes from the independent wrestling scene as one by one, WWE signs them and brings them in.

That seems to be the case once again and this time, it really came as no surprise to many fans. Bloody Elbow is reporting that former UFC fighter and current indie wrestling star Matt Riddle has signed with WWE.

Riddle began canceling independent bookings in late July, which led many to believe he was indeed on his way to a major company. Now it appears that WWE has its hands on the hottest free agent in the business and is bringing him into NXT.

Riddle’s first claim to fame was on The Ultimate Fighter. He was red hot in the beginning and was considered by many to be a future champion in the sport.

Matt made his UFC debut in 2008 and spent the next several years with the promotion before being released in 2013 due to failing two drug tests. But Riddle rebounded and went to Bellator just months after leaving the UFC. However Riddle suffered an injury before his first fight and decided to retire from MMA altogether.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4l9qbyjQY4

Riddle did return after that retirement and was on his way to a Bellator fight but that fight did not happen. The promotion released him and he headed to the pro wrestling business soon after.

Matt Riddle kept his name after becoming a wrestler and worked in several different companies from 2014 to 2018. He built his pro wrestling career one match at a time and reached the point where WWE evidently took notice of his work.

If Riddle does join NXT, he will be surrounded by top talents that are all likely heading to main roster spots in WWE in the near future. Riddle will once again have to prove himself not only to the company, but to the fans as well.

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