Matt Riddle on the scariest moment of his WWE career (Exclusive)
Matt Riddle was among WWE's top fan favorites during his time with the company between 2018 and 2023. The former United States Champion recently recalled how an NXT idea once prompted him to raise concerns backstage.
On July 17, 2019, Riddle defeated Arturo Ruas via the referee's decision on an episode of NXT. Following the match, Killian Dain attacked The Original Bro before sending him through the stage with a running senton.
In an exclusive interview, Riddle told Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter and host Dr. Chris Featherstone about his worries before the segment:
"The scariest one where I thought I was gonna get injured the most had to have been when it was in NXT and they wanted Killian Dain to put me through the stage, but they didn't want him to suplex me or powerbomb me or anything like that. They wanted him to senton me through the stage while I was kneeling." [From 03:36 – 03:55]
Watch the video above to hear Riddle reflect on his criticism of Bill Goldberg and the subsequent conversations he had with the WCW icon.
How Matt Riddle responded to the Killian Dain senton idea
At the time, Triple H was NXT's head booker and the man in charge of every on-screen character's storyline direction.
Matt Riddle asked WWE's current Chief Content Officer if he could alter the angle of the senton spot. However, he was told to go ahead with the original plan:
"And I go, 'Well, if I fall eight feet through the stage while you senton me, which is a 300-pound guy landing back-first on my chest,' I go, 'How am I supposed to bend my legs?'" Riddle said. "I was like, 'Can we do it like this? Can we do it like that?' Triple H and everybody was like, 'No, we want it like this. This is how it looks best.' 'I don't know if I'll be able to do it,' and I got away with that one injury-free. Everybody thought I got hurt, but the selling, right?" [From 03:56 – 04:23]
Riddle also opened up about why WWE's higher-ups slightly altered the way his character was presented on television.
What are your favorite Matt Riddle moments from his WWE run? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
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