When Kevin Owens was pulled from his highly anticipated match with Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41 due to injury, WWE gave his spot to Joe Hendry. And while it has been speculated that other names, such as Rusev, Aleister Black, and Jeff Hardy, were considered potential opponents, Matt Riddle has now revealed, during a new interview, that Orton suggested he get the opportunity. Riddle discussed this during an appearance on the Rewind Recap Relive podcast and stated he contacted Triple H directly to let him know he would pass a drug test.
“The last time I talked to anyone from WWE was before WrestleMania last year. They were looking for an opponent for Randy, and Randy actually hit me up and said, ‘Hey, I pitched you to be my opponent.’ I was like, ‘Holy crap, thank you.’ I even reached out to Triple H and said, ‘Hey, I’ll be there if you need me. I’ll pass a drug test, whatever you need. I’ll be there.’ He told me he appreciated it and that they’d keep me in mind, but they went in a different direction.” – Matt Riddle
40-year-old Riddle joined WWE in 2018 after a notable UFC stint, debuting in NXT, where he quickly rose to prominence due to his athleticism, look, and undeniable charisma. Later, he moved to the main roster, forming the successful RK-Bro tag team with Orton, winning the Raw Tag Team Titles twice and gaining huge fan popularity. Still, his career was marred by repeated violations of WWE’s Wellness Policy, resulting in a 60-day suspension in 2022, and he was ultimately released in 2023 amid additional off-screen controversies.
