Former UFC star Matt Riddle, who last fought for the company in 2013, says he’s interested in giving pro wrestling a shot after recently purchasing a WWE Network subscription.
Riddle told Dave Meltzer of MMAFighting.com:
“I did it for a while. It wasn’t something I wanted to do, it was something I was good at. They wanted me to fight at 170 or 185 pounds. When I get below 190, my kidneys hurt, my lower back hurts, it’s not safe for my body. I don’t get joy out of suffering, especially if I don’t get paid. I’m no longer 22, I don’t care about tough man contests. This has been my goal my entire life. I looked in the mirror four months ago. I was tired of cutting weight, getting sick, I got the (WWE) network for $9.99 and started reliving the Attitude Era and got that spark that I’ve been missing since I was 20. I knew I could make money doing that. I saw the guys I grew up watching, I’m watching the new guys and these guys aren’t bigger than me, I’m a little more ripped than they are, I’m a cage fighter so I have skills, so maybe this is my shot to make it. If worst comes to worst, they say ‘No.’ I’m going to keep trying. I’ve proven people wrong in the past.”
“I don’t want to come off bad, but I have a lot of potential at this. I’m a world-class athlete and what I always wanted to do was be a pro wrestler. It was always my passion. I’m not in the UFC anymore so I’m not getting paid decent money to fight, so I wanted to do something I love. I’d rather wrestle professionally and have fun than fight for no reason at all.”
