Matt Riddle’s post-WWE career has been anything but quiet, recently marked by a public dispute with the UK promotion Global Wrestling Kingdom over his absence from a charity event late last month. That turbulent backdrop set the stage for an even bigger development last night at MLW’s Fightland event in Texas.
What was scheduled as a one-on-one title defense against Donovan Dijak descended into chaos when Mads Krule Krugger cashed in his Gravity Gamble title shot, instantly transforming the main event into a triple threat match.
In the ensuing clash, Krugger seized the opportunity, pinning Riddle to win his first MLW World Heavyweight Championship. The result ended Riddle’s reign after more than eight months.
The turmoil continued after the three-count. Immediately following the match, the new champion and Dijak brawled, leading former champion Alex Hammerstone to intervene and strike Krugger with a steel chair. With a new titleholder crowned under chaotic circumstances, the MLW main event landscape has been completely reshaped.