Last week, when it was announced that Matt Riddle had to pull out of dates during SummerSlam weekend, we figured that it was likely that he was headed to WWE. Now it seems like it’s a certainty because PWG has announced that he has pulled out of this year’s Battle of Los Angeles.
Matthew Riddle will no longer be a participant in the 2018 Battle of Los Angeles. Trevor Lee has now entered the tournament in his place!
— PWG (@OfficialPWG) July 24, 2018
If Riddle signs with WWE then he would likely get a huge push as one of the top guys in NXT and he has all of the tools to become a major player on the main roster. It’s interesting that WWE has changed their stance on him because, a few months ago, they were against signing him because of how public he was about using marijuana and because his marijuana use led to his UFC release. New Japan Pro Wrestling was also interested in signing him but the word is that he decided that WWE had the better offer.
Riddle would be the latest in a long list of top independent names to get signed by WWE. We’ve seen Ricochet, Candice LeRae, EC3, the War Raiders and others signed within the last year and the rumor is that WWE will try to sign The Young Bucks when they become free agents in late December and Kenny Omega when he is free and clear after late January. WWE certainly can afford to stack their roster more than ever before because of the monster TV deal with NBCUniversal and Fox Sports that kicks in next fall.
If Riddle has indeed signed then we would likely see him introduced at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 4.
