EXCLUSIVE: Matt Riddle Explains Talks With AEW And TNA; Awkward Conversation With Tony Khan

Which major promotion will Matt Riddle end up with?

Feb 24, 2017; Joppa, MD, USA; Matt Riddle competes in the ring against Anthony Henry during Evolve 78 at The MCW Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-Imagn Images / Derik Hamilton-Imagn Images

When Matt Riddle got released by WWE, instantly the question became who would he end up with: AEW or TNA?

To the shock of fans, Riddle chose a different route and has wrestled for New Japan, AAA and other promotions around the world. On Saturday, he goes to MLW, where Riddle will battle Tom Lawlor in a No Holds Barred Vale Tudo match.

A no-holds-barred Vale Tudo match!
ATL | Sept. 14 | 🎟 https://t.co/2bQ4RGY95t pic.twitter.com/Q2WET7mHsi

— MLW (@MLW) September 10, 2024

But to "The Super King of Bros", it's simple on why he hasn't ended up at TNA.

"I got an easy answer," Riddle explains to The Takedown. "So you've heard me say I got a lot of kids, right? When I got released, I started getting bookings. If you pay my rate, I don't care if you're a hole in the wall in the middle of nowhere. You pay my rate (and) you talk to me like a human, and I'll accept your booking. I'm very easy to work with, regardless of what people say. But when it came to TNA, I talked to (Tommy) Dreamer at one point. He sent me a plethora of dates for me to do. I have taken so many dates, and usually, they do tapings over the course of a weekend. There was not one weekend that I wasn't booked at least one or both of the days they wanted me to be at. TNA hasn't happened yet, but it'll probably happen eventually.

"I think once I said, 'Hey, I'm booked all these days. Let's try these months'. I haven't heard anything back. I think they want me to work there, but it's more of a scheduling thing. Also, I think right now, with the current relationship between WWE and TNA, I don't know if they're interested in me anymore. They’re already cross-promoting. I think Cody's doing something with TNA eventually. They got the Rascalz in NXT, Joe Hendry. People are believing in him, finally. They get a lot going on."

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With AEW, the situation is different TNA because they have five hours of national television weekly. After his run in WWE, going back to that grind is something Riddle isn't too interested in doing and prefers to set his own schedule and do things on his own terms.

"With AEW, I think AEW is a fantastic product, Riddle admits. "I know a lot of the people that work there. I like the company. I like the way they work. I like the people that work there. I think with me, and it's one of the things I've noticed, I’ve been relieved after getting fired from WWE. I felt that because I was on TV, and I'm such a provocative character at times, everything was magnified so much because I was on TV. The stress of working on TV two to three days a week was a lot. I like pressure. I like stress too, but it was a lot. 

"The best answer would be to go to AEW, get more money, and work a decent schedule. I didn't want to work on TV again. I didn't want the attention for a while. I wanted to step away. I just wanted to do Indies.

TWC BRO 🌟🤙🔥@SuperKingofBros pic.twitter.com/GU1Q83PfBx

— Texas Wrestling Cartel (@twc_cctx) September 10, 2024

"I know MLW works with New Japan. New Japan works a lot with AEW. Maybe you'll see me on an AEW channel or broadcast sooner rather than later. Maybe you won't."

While Riddle had conversations with TNA, things with AEW went a bit differently. At the New Japan Windy City Riot show in April, which occurred in Chicago, Riddle defended the NJPW World Television Championship against Zach Sabre Jr. Sabre won the match and the belt. Afterward, Riddle ran into AEW Owner Tony Khan. From the way Riddle described the exchange, it was interesting to say the least.

"I talked to Tony," Riddle said. "I don't know if he likes me. He seemed happy. I wrestled Zach Sabre Jr. in Chicago. He seemed cool about it. I don't know. When you meet me, I'm very sarcastic. But when I met him, I was like, ‘Oh, you like that match’? 

"But I said it a different way, and he looked at me all confused. And I was like, ‘Never mind, dude’. I just walked away. So that was my experience with that."