Two former WWE stars set to compete in upcoming event featuring Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff is set to make his debut for a major promotion in an upcoming event. The show is also set to feature two former WWE stars, Matt Riddle and Dijak.
Riddle and Dijak first made a name for themselves in NXT, where they were two of the top stars. Both men were called up to the main roster after a string of impressive performances.
On the main roster, Riddle's career flourished due to his pairing with Randy Orton. On the other hand, Dijak's career took a downturn due to his run in the failed faction Retribution, and he was moved back down to NXT.
During his tenure in the company, Riddle faced a lot of controversies. He was suspended for violating WWE's wellness policy a couple of times. However, the final nail in the coffin was the incident at JFK airport, where he claimed that he was sexually assaulted. This eventually resulted in his release from the company in September 2023.
On the other hand, Dijak had a quiet departure from the company earlier this year. Now, it looks like both men will meet again. Eric Bischoff will be the Executive Producer for a special MLW show, One-Shot, set to take place on December 5 in New York. As Executive Producer, Bischoff will enjoy "total control" of the matchmaking.
One of the matches announced for the show is the singles contest between Matt Riddle and Dijak. This will be the first time the two men will face each other since their days together in NXT.
Matt Riddle still believes he can return to WWE because of CM Punk
CM Punk left WWE in 2014 on the worst of terms. As soon as he left the promotion, he did a tell-all interview with Colt Cabana and then sued the company. After spending several years out of the ring, The Straight Edge Superstar returned to pro wrestling when he debuted in AEW seven years later.
However, Punk still continued to bash the Stamford-based promotion at every opportunity. Despite this, when Punk left AEW, he made a shocking return to WWE last year with a changed attitude. This has made Matt Riddle believe he can make a comeback, too.
During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Riddle said he believed that if CM Punk could be brought back despite suing the company, then his controversial past could be forgiven, and he would also eventually return to the promotion.
"The chances of me going back, I think they're extremely high," Riddle said. "If CM Punk, who filed a lawsuit against WWE, and then raked them through the mud for a decade, then goes to the competition, I'll tell you this, if he can do that, everything can be forgiven. I know I wasn't the easiest to work with at times. I think the door is always open," he said.
It will be interesting to see if Matt Riddle returns to the Stamford-based promotion in the near future.