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Matt Riddle entered WWE in the summer of 2018 to quite a bit of fanfare. He was a mixed martial artist who gained his reputation in appearances on The Ultimate Fighter and in UFC.
He also had a built-in cult following. His brash demeanor and cocky attitude struck a chord with his generation. It also didn't hurt that he was an avid marijuana user and an advocate of legalization. He made no bones about it, causing him to butt heads with UFC President Dana White on more than one occasion.
So it's not surprising that this maverick eventually galloped into professional wrestling. It was the perfect environment for his rogue attitude and aggressive physicality.
When Riddle signed with WWE, it seemed like a perfect match.
Riddle is a natural character in both his professional and personal life. He has a sly charisma that draws people in. The WWE Universe reacted to his arrival to NXT accordingly, and the company made sure he looked like a star.
The King of Bros was finally allowed to be himself, and he has thrived during his time with WWE. He's in the middle of a highly entertaining angle right now, teaming with Randy Orton in an 'Odd Couple' gimmick as RK-Bro. He's used all of that charm and goofiness in his pot-smoking persona to sell this storyline, and it's working.
Riddle will now battle in the Elimination Chamber for the WWE Championship.
Unless something completely maddeing happens, there's little chance that Riddle will walk out of the monstrous structure with the title. This one is already earmarked for either current champion Bobby Lashley or former champion Brock Lesnar. These two scenarios are the only ones that are seriously plausible for the upcoming WrestleMania 38.
Quite frankly, Riddle is not only NOT winning the championship at Elimination Chamber, he may never win one at all during his time with the promotion. While many have penned him as a world champion 'someday', there's good reason to believe that someday may never arrive.
For one, his character is not the only one who is 'floating high in the sky', he does the same in real life. After the fiasco with Rob Van Dam, WWE may be reluctant to take a chance on someone with the same lifestyle. Especially now that they have gone less rebel and more corporate. Representation of the company banner is just as important as in-ring ability.
Another strike against him is that he is increasingly being viewed as a comedy character in WWE. That's not a good thing, as we saw when they tried a run with Big E as the champion. He never shook off his antics from his time with The New Day, and it weighed down his title reign.
The same thing can be said for The King of Bros, as he is so good at being funny that it might hurt him when it comes to being seriously considered as the top guy.
Lastly, he doesn't really have the presence or demeanor that the McMahon Machine normally looks for in a potential WWE or Universal Champion. It's clear that they have shifted back to a focus on bigger, brutish wrestlers in that spot. Lashley, Big E, Roman Reigns, and Brock Lesnar all have that. Riddle doesn't.
You might argue that Riddle is a legitimate fighter, and that's true. But compared to WWE's recent champions, he looks like a small surfer boy who has no business swimming with sharks.
For The Original Bro's many fans, it would be wonderful to see him win either of the biggest prizes in WWE. But the reality is that he's in line behind several worthy contenders and established champions. Much like Cesaro, he may spend his entire time with the promotion as a mid-card contender who always chases the title, but never grabs it.
At 36, he still has time. But not much, and if he doesn't win the big one by the time he reaches 40, it's likely not going to happen. So there's a chance the idea of Riddle one day being WWE Champion could basically go up in smoke.
Do you think Riddle will eventually hold either the WWE or Universal titles at some point in his career? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
