Former WWE superstar Matt Riddle has been removed from his scheduled appearance at the upcoming SiouxperCon convention following a series of controversial remarks he made online regarding sexual assault and domestic violence. The convention released a statement on its Facebook page announcing the cancellation and explaining that Riddle’s comments do not align with the values of their organization.
In their official statement, SiouxperCon made it clear that Riddle’s recent public statements were the sole reason for his removal from the event. “In light of recent public statements made by Matt Riddle regarding the topics of SA and DV, SiouxperCon has made the decision to cancel his appearance at this year’s convention,” the statement read. “The statements that were made in no way represent our organization or event, and are not aligned with the mission, vision, and values of our organization.” The convention also confirmed that fans who purchased photo opportunities with Riddle would be automatically refunded.
In a commendable move, SiouxperCon and its partner promotion, New Sound Wrestling, also announced that they would be donating 10% of the proceeds from all “SiouxperMania” wrestling ticket sales to The Compass Center, a local organization that supports survivors of sexual and domestic violence. “SiouxperCon has always strived to be a safe and inclusive space and event for all to feel welcome, including those that have been affected by SA and DV,” the statement continued.
The controversy comes after Riddle was accused of no-showing a charity event in the United Kingdom, an allegation he has since denied. In the midst of the online discussion surrounding that situation, Riddle lashed out at his critics, calling them “dumb f****** c****” for “believing that Me Too sh**.” This was a direct reference to the sexual abuse lawsuit that was filed against him by independent wrestler Candy Cartwright during his time in WWE.
His recent comments have brought the allegations back to the forefront and have now had a direct impact on his ability to get bookings on the independent circuit.
