Is Matt Riddle’s recent string of controversies the unraveling of a career or a calculated gamble to regain relevance? Wrestling veteran Vince Russo believes it may be the latter. He has suggested that Riddle’s recent outbursts, including public shots at CM Punk and his wife AJ Lee, could be part of a self-devised “shoot” angle aimed at forcing his way back into WWE storylines.
The speculation comes after a turbulent stretch for the free agent. Earlier this month, Riddle skipped a scheduled booking at the last minute, while also launching a series of inflammatory remarks at Punk and Lee.
Speaking on his Writing with Russo program, the former WWE writer laid out his theory: “Yeah, I think he is working an angle. I don’t think they’ve agreed to an angle… He is not doing that on the WWE’s watch. I think he is trying to work an angle. I think he may have smartened Punk up, but yeah, I don’t think he has anything in place with the WWE right now.”
Riddle’s erratic conduct has stretched beyond verbal sparring. His failure to appear at a UK charity event for Global Wrestling Kingdom drew sharp criticism, with organizers accusing him of hurting their fundraiser and disappointing fans who had purchased meet-and-greet packages. That incident proved to be only the beginning of a wider backlash.
In the days that followed, Riddle posted a series of combative videos in which he insulted fans and addressed past abuse allegations. The response was immediate: events such as SiouxperCon pulled him from their lineups, publicly stating that his comments did not align with their values.
Riddle did later return the deposit for the UK show, blaming the promoters for what he called poor organization. Yet the damage to his reputation has been evident across the industry.
Meanwhile, Russo’s theory offers a different perspective, framing Riddle’s inflammatory remarks toward Punk and AJ Lee not as signs of a personal meltdown, but as a deliberate attempt to craft his own storyline outside of WWE’s structure.