When WWE's Matt Riddle was suspended by UFC: What happened next?
Matt Riddle is one of the many MMA fighters that transitioned into a professional wrestler and, eventually, a WWE Superstar. However, his departure from the UFC wasn't completely peaceful compared to the rest.
Riddle began his fighting career in the UFC by joining the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. Although he didn't become that season's Ultimate Fighter, he found success in the UFC.
Beginning at the Dana White-led company, Matt collected a three-fight winning streak. On July 21, 2012, the former UFC fighter replaced Siyar Bahadurzada on short notice to fight Chris Clements at UFC 149. Riddle won the match via submission in the form of a standing arm triangle in the third round. On top of his victory, he also won a $65,000 Submission of the Night bonus.
However, that all changed a few months later. The aforementioned fight was then overturned in a No Contest on October 20, 2012, after Matt Riddle failed his post-fight drug test and tested positive for marijuana. He was later fined and suspended for 90 Days.
Riddle tested positive for the second time for the same substance a year later, which resulted in his victory over Che Mills weeks prior to being overturned into a No Contest. Matt Riddle was later released from the UFC in 2013 and has had notable exchanges with Dana since then.
In an interview, Matt then explained that using marijuana was only for medical purposes, especially in his line of work.
"I'm smoking so I can finally relax, sit back and just not worry about things. People, maybe they did it in college one way, but for a guy like me, for a professional athlete that goes through what we go through, it’s medicine for me. Maybe for some little stoner sitting on the couch playing XBox, for him, it's a drug. For me, it's medicine,"
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Matt Riddle may have been recently suspended again in WWE
The Original Bro was in action during last week's episode of RAW, wherein he teamed up with Kevin Owens in hopes of capturing the WWE Tag Team Championship against The Usos, who retained the title.
After the match, the champions attacked Riddle, with Solo Sikoa putting the nail in the coffin by delivering a Samoan Spike. The former was then stretched out of the arena, later announcing that he was going to be out for six weeks following the attack.
Recent reports then shared that Matt Riddle was written off of WWE programming after failing his second drug test, the first one reportedly before SummerSlam. Since this is Riddle's potential second failed drug test, it is said that it is now a "rehab or fire" situation.
Allegedly, Matt Riddle has been suspended for a wellness policy violation.
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It remains to be seen what will transpire next for the RAW star following the news. For now, it looks like it might be a while before the former titleholder returns to action.