Matt Riddle, the former RK-Bro member left WWE following his disagreement with the company’s upper management. The former United States Champion joined hands with Major League Wrestling (MLW) and faced Jacob Fatu at MLW’s Kings of Colosseum on January 6.
Matt Striker, former wrestler and commentator for WWE who left the company in 2013, recently was seen as a broadcaster on Kings of Colosseum. Striker during the event on January 6 commented on Riddle as a wrestler, which caused him some backlash as the things he said were seen as offensive to fans.
Former WWE talent faces severe backlash after his comments on Matt Riddle
Matt Striker, also known as Matthew Kaye, is a former WWE talent who wrestled for the company from 2005 to 2006. Following his wrestling career, he transitioned into a role as a commentator and host for WWE, serving from 2008 to 2013. However, his recent comments during Matt Riddle’s match at the MLW Kings of Colosseum event sparked severe backlash.
Striker: "Let's talk about the elephant in the room: The court of public opinion would like to see Jacob Fatu slap the taste out of Matt Riddle's mouth. But the court of public opinion does not convict. I'm sorry, I know it's the world in which we live, but it's not the case." https://t.co/kfolH2mva6 pic.twitter.com/etw1Wt9Sjb
— Babyface v. Heel (@BabyfacevHeel) January 7, 2024
What he basically said meant that public opinion does not matter and even if they want Jacob Fatu to beat Riddle, the public cannot declare their opinions. In the second clip Striker expressed his disbelief over Riddle being released from WWE.
Striker said, “How do you let this guy go? This guy is a star. A mega million-dollar star. I don’t care what he does. How do you let him go? This is our coup de grâce right here.”
Some people took offense to that statement as the former United States Champion was in controversy at JFK Airport about sexual misbehavior. After that incident, Matt Riddle was terminated from WWE, and some fans think the controversy played a big part in his termination.
Matt Riddle scores first win since WWE release
The King of Bros, Matt Riddle returned to wrestling for the first time since his release from WWE in September last year. The former Tag Team Champion was seen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, fighting against Jacob Fatu in Major League Wrestling (MLW). The match was intense, as the “Samoan Werewolf” showed Riddle his arsenal of skills and his savage style of fight.
The first-ever MLW World Heavyweight Champion showed Matt how things are done in MLW and how to dominate the ring. Ultimately though Riddle won after he beat Jacob Fatu with his finisher. During an interview, he talked about joining the New York based company.
He said “MLW, before I signed with WWE, was probably the most professional place I worked. They were always on the level. I felt like they had great stories and a good process of how they did everything. I think I’m going to be able to show a side of me that I haven’t been able to show in a long, long time.”
Matt Riddle joins #MLW. pic.twitter.com/3fAFTYYHHs
— MLW (@MLW) December 21, 2023
Riddle and WWE parted ways on cordial terms. In a recent interview, the King of Bros spoke about his WWE release with Fox News. “WWE, unfortunately, if a situation happens, and they don’t like the perception, they make their decision. But I’m not going to argue with them. That’s their company. I don’t run it. I just worked there. I’m thankful that they gave me the time that they did and that’s all I can say.”
Matt Riddle is scheduled to appear on NJPW after he issued a challenge to NJPW WORLD TV Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. Fans are excited to see the master of “Bro Derek” in action again in Japan.
