Matt Riddle comments on potentially working with AEW or TNA.
WWE released former United States Champion Matt Riddle in September 2023. Since then, he has landed in NJPW and MLW. He defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to win the NJPW World TV Championship at NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo. Meanwhile, fans continue to wonder whether he could show up in TNA or AEW.
Speaking with Jamal Niaz for Monopoly Events, Matt Riddle commented on potentially working for AEW or TNA, as Niaz noted that he would like to see him wind up there eventually.
“Yeah, I’d like to see myself in AEW or TNA. I talked to TNA, and everything looks good there. It’s just that my schedule’s very packed. I got four kids. If somebody offers me a date that’s gonna pay my rate, I’m gonna show up and first come, first serve. But right now, I’m kind of focusing more on MLW and New Japan. Those are the guys that showed up first at my door, wanted to help me and believe in me. So I’m kind of giving them the ball first. But TNA, AEW, there’s always a possibility. But like we said earlier, with wrestling on TV, especially with live TV, it’s a, I don’t know if you can swear on this, but it’s a poop storm. It’s a poop storm. When you do live TV at any capacity, especially in pro wrestling, it’s a mess, it really is, unless you are very well-organized and perfect at it. Even WWE, even AEW, nobody is, and things happen, things change. I think j just wanted a break from that, and not only a break from that, but from the travel schedule. You know, WWE schedule, won’t say a bad thing about them, they’re great, they paid me, they treated me great. But the work schedule’s very tough. It’s hard, and then just the wear and tear of that and everything else and not just having the ability to go on vacation or do this or do that anytime ever. I just wanted to get away from that, I wanted to get away from the schedule, and then when I do work, I don’t want to be confined to time limits," Riddle said.
Later in the interview, as Riddle commented on potentially returning to WWE, he reiterated that he would like to work with AEW or TNA. He stated that he would want to do that so he could feel like he did it all before potentially returning to WWE.
“I would like to possibly hit AEW, TNA. I would like to hit as many [companies] as I could. So if I were to go back, I can at least be like, ‘At least I did it all before I came back.’ This might be my only opportunity, or maybe the next ten years will be an opportunity because they don’t take me back. Either way," Riddle said.
In a recent interview, Riddle noted that he has spoken with TNA.
Riddle previously discussed failing drug tests in WWE. Check out his comments here.
Click here to see what Riddle had to say after he won the NJPW World TV Championship.
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