WWE is trying to make the feud between Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins as real as possible heading into their match at Clash at the Castle today.
There has been beef between the two stars for years. Their problems started when Riddle’s then-wife called out the women on the WWE main roster over being “straight skinny jiggly fat” and told them to squat. She used a picture of Becky Lynch, Rollins’ wife and the mother of his child, as a reference.
Rollins later made an appearance on a Friday Night SmackDown Watch Along special that aired during night one of the Draft, and he noted that he had no interest in wrestling Riddle.
Riddle gave his side of the situation last year and noted they’re on good enough terms to work together.
While speaking with Ariel Helwani of BT Sport, Rollins discussed their issues:
“Yeah, I mean, as long as I’ve known the guy, I’ve never really liked his attitude, you know. I’ve never really liked the way he goes about his business. In a lot of ways, he sort of disrespected guys way above his pay grade when he was down at NXT. The Booker Ts, the Goldbergs, the Brock Lesnar’s, I’m like, ‘Dude, pay your dues, work your way up, you’re so good.’ He’s so ultra-talented in the ring, just like he was in the octagon [UFC]. That’s never been his issue. His issue is his head, getting himself mentally where he needs to be able to perform consistently. He’s trying to talk his way to the top, which I respect in some ways.
At the same time, you’re going to get there. Just work your way up the right way. I never really liked that. It kicked off. There was an incident with his now ex-wife, where he was taking her side as she was, better or worse, body-shaming, that’s the only way I can put it, my wife [Becky Lynch] and some of the other girls in the locker room, completely unprovoked. I understand, as a husband, you have to take your wife’s side, but you also can zip your trap sometimes. So I felt like him taking her side, I was like, ‘You gotta shut up.’ Essentially, the guy opens his mouth when he shouldn’t and says things when he shouldn’t, and it gets him in some hot water. I just don’t like the way he conducts himself.”
Rollins continued by noting that the comments made by Riddle’s ex-wife were not for a storyline.
“No, I don’t know what prompted her to do that. I don’t even know in what context or what world she thought her opinion was necessary.”
Rollins noted that the main crux of the issue was that Riddle created a divide when there didn’t need to be one.
“So him speaking up and saying, ‘I’ve got her back no matter what she says because she’s my ride or die,’ I get it, but there are better ways to handle the situation.”
Rollins was asked if he ever talked about it with Riddle. He said he didn’t because it happened when Riddle was in NXT, and when Riddle got called up to the main roster, he didn’t want to work with Riddle. He said it’s very easy to ignore people if you want to do so. Rollins added that he handles things professionally on both sides of the camera.
"I don't like the way he goes about his business and disrespected guys above his pay-grade."
"His issue is his head."
"There was an incident with his ex-wife and body shaming Becky and other girls."@WWERollins lays out where the issues stem with Matt Riddle to @arielhelwani. pic.twitter.com/AqXufeCefR
— WWE on TNT Sports (@wweontnt) September 3, 2022
Click below for the entire interview:
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit BT Sport with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
