Matt Riddle

Riddle in September 2023

###

Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.

**Matthew Frederick Riddle** (born January 14, 1986) is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently working in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is best known for his tenures in the UFC and WWE.

As a professional MMA fighter from 2008 to 2014, Riddle made a name for himself by appearing on SpikeTV's *The Ultimate Fighter 7* and went on to hold a four-fight winning streak in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) before being fired upon testing positive for smoking marijuana in February 2013.

In 2014, Riddle began training at the Monster Factory for a career in professional wrestling and made his actual debut in February 2015. Readers of the *Wrestling Observer Newsletter* recognized him as the Rookie of the Year and Most Improved wrestler of the year in 2016. Between 2015 and 2018, he worked on the independent circuit, before signing with WWE in 2018 and portrayed a stereotypical carefree, barefoot surfer valley boy. Riddle was originally assigned to the NXT. He was later promoted to the main roster, where he won the WWE United States Championship in February 2021 and the Raw Tag Team Championship in August 2021 and March 2022, before being released in September 2023.

After leaving WWE, Riddle made his NJPW debut in January 2024 at New Years Dash.

## Early life and education

Matthew Frederick Riddle was born on January 14, 1986, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He later moved to Saratoga Springs, New York, where he attended Saratoga Springs High School and was a New York state wrestling champion in 2004. Riddle would face and beat future UFC champion Jon Jones twice in high school wrestling.

Riddle later attended East Stroudsburg University on an athletic scholarship, where he was a member of its wrestling team for two years and won many championships. After his head coach was fired, Riddle lost his wrestling scholarship and began his transition into MMA.

## Professional wrestling career

### New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2024–present)

On January 5, 2024, at *New Year Dash!!*, Riddle made his New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) debut in a pre-taped vignette, challenging NJPW World Television Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi to a title match. Later that day, it was announced that Riddle would be making his NJPW in-ring debut at Battle in the Valley, on January 13, teaming with a mystery partner against TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. and Bad Dude Tito). On January 9, it was announced that Riddle would face Tanahashi for the NJPW World Television Championship on February 23 at The New Beginning in Sapporo.

## Personal life

Riddle married Lisa Rennie in 2011. They have fraternal twin daughters and a son. The couple divorced in March 2022. Since November 2022, he has been dating adult film actress Misha Montana. On July 7, 2023, Riddle announced that they are expecting their first child, and Riddle's fourth. On December 1, 2023, they welcomed to their son, Matthew Riddle Montana.

Riddle is an experienced practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and was promoted to black belt in the sport by Daniel Gracie, Rolles Gracie, and David Floridia on January 28, 2022.

### Sexual assault allegation

In the summer of 2020, Riddle was accused of sexually assaulting female independent wrestler Candy Cartwright. Cartwright alleges that after an independent show in May 2018, Riddle asked Cartwright to have sex with him, and when Cartwright turned down Riddle's request, she claims that Riddle choked her and forced her to give him oral sex. WWE released a statement claiming they were looking into the incident; Riddle immediately denied the allegations in a video posted to his Twitter page. Riddle stated that he had an affair with Cartwright, but sexual relations between the two were completely consensual.

Riddle later filed for a restraining order against Cartwright, alleging that she harassed, stalked, and threatened his safety both in person and over the internet. In September 2020, Riddle withdrew his petition for a restraining order. On October 8, 2020, Cartwright filed a lawsuit against Riddle, WWE, and Evolve president Gabe Sapolsky over the incident. In March 2021, the court dismissed WWE and Sapolsky as defendants in the suit, stating that their connection to the allegations could not be proven. Cartwright dropped the lawsuit on July 13, 2021.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Bro To Sleep* (GTS sometimes follow by a High Angle Bridging German Suplex)
	+ *BroDerek* (Cradle Tombstone Slam)
	+ RKO (Occasionally hit from the top rope or in midair) - borrowed from Randy Orton

* **Signature moves**
	+ Ankle Lock
	+ Arm-Trapped Elbow Strikes
	+ *Bro-ton* (Senton)
	+ *Bromission* (Twister)
	+ Deadlift Gutwrench Suplex
	+ *Final Flash* (Bicycle Knee Strike, sometimes while doing a ripcord)
	+ *Flowing Bro* (Diving Rolling Senton) - sometimes used as a signature move; 2019-Present
	+ Fisherman buster, sometimes avalanche
	+ Fujiwara armbar
	+ German Suplex
	+ Sleeper Suplex
	+ Superman Punch
	+ Triangle Choke
	+ Powerbomb, sometimes combined with his signature *Final Flash* move

* **Nicknames**
	+ **"King of Bros"**
	+ **"The Original Bro"**

## Championships and accomplishments

* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Ranked No. 46 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the *PWI 500* in 2018
* **Sports Illustrated**
	+ Ranked No. 5 of the top 10 men's wrestlers in 2018
	+ Ranked No. 8 of the top 10 wrestlers in 2017