“The King of Bros” is no more. At the MLW “Slaughterhouse” event on Saturday night, former WWE United States Champion Matt Riddle turned heel, using underhanded tactics to defeat Alex Hammerstone and then declaring that his popular, laid-back persona is a thing of the past. The turn is a character shift for Riddle, who has been one of the most popular and easygoing babyfaces in wrestling for the better part of a decade.
The turn occurred in the chaotic closing moments of his match against the former MLW World Heavyweight Champion, Alex Hammerstone. As Hammerstone was setting up for his “Nightmare Pendulum” finishing move, Mads Krugger interfered, attacking Hammerstone. This brought out another former WWE star, Dijak, with a steel chair. With the referee incapacitated, Riddle took advantage of the chaos, delivering a low blow to Hammerstone before the referee revived to make the three-count. After the match, Riddle cut a promo, officially announcing the end of the “King of Bros” and the dawn of a new, more ruthless era. He is now known as “Rude Dude.”
Matt Riddle’s “King of Bros” persona was the character that took him from the world of MMA to the main events of WWE. The former UFC fighter signed with WWE in 2018 and quickly became one of the most popular stars in NXT. His success continued on the main roster, where he captured the United States Championship and held the Raw Tag Team Championship twice with his “RK-Bro” partner, Randy Orton. The odd-couple pairing of Riddle and Orton was one of the most popular and entertaining acts in all of WWE.
Since his departure from WWE, Matt Riddle has been a force on the independent scene, competing for a number of top promotions, including NJPW, where he held the NJPW World Television Championship. This new heel turn in MLW is a significant reinvention for the wrestler and a clear sign that he is looking to evolve and show a new side of his character to the wrestling world.
Matt Riddle says the King of Bros era is done. He’s now a rude dude. pic.twitter.com/gETXFnsg4T
— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) October 5, 2025
