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This past week, Matt Riddle, one of the hottest indie stars in the world, reportedly signed a three year deal with the WWE.
For those who don't know, Riddle is one of the most talked about wrestlers of 2018, having put on some serious match of the year candidates with the likes of Zack Sabre Jr and Minoru Suzuki over the past eight months.
It seems Riddle, like the WWE's other recent signing, Keith Lee, will make his way down to the NXT brand very soon.
Riddle is a unique talent, with a background in MMA and a laid-back character that is different to anything else in the WWE right now. He has also grown into one of the most complete performers in the industry in an incredibly short space of time, and fans will now be excited as to what he will have to offer the WWE and NXT.
As with any new superstar who debuts, fans will have a wish-list of matches they want to see from 'the king of bros', so let's take a look at six matches that we'd like to see from Matt Riddle in the WWE and NXT.
6: Matt Riddle Vs The Miz
Matt Riddle's King of the Bros gimmick could make him the perfect opponent for The Miz's current arrogant heel persona.
Riddle is well known for being a bit of a goof-ball, and this could bring back memories of The Miz when he made his original debut in the WWE. The Miz could even bring up Riddle's lifestyle, claiming that he is irresponsible and that he is setting a bad example for The Miz's child. The Miz is rarely better than when he is condescending, and this would instantly get Riddle over as a different kind of babyface in the WWE.
Seeing The Miz play the veteran role here would be a nice touch, and this would make for a great first feud to introduce Riddle and his character to the WWE universe.
The Miz is also always willing to put other superstars over, and having Riddle defeat The Miz in a convincing fashion would instantly establish him as someone to watch in the WWE.
5: Matt Riddle Vs Velveteen Dream
When Matt Riddle does make his debut in the WWE, it is more than likely going to be on NXT. While the former UFC star is a relatively well-known name, he has only been wrestling for a few years and it seems unlikely he will get the privilege of bypassing Full Sail.
Riddle will need a great opponent to put him over when he does arrive on NXT, and Velveteen Dream could be the perfect candidate from both a character and in-ring perspective.
Dream's unique character often manages to bring the best out of his opponents, and Riddle's 'king of bros' gimmick could be the perfect match for the Dream.
Velveteen Dream has shown that he is also capable of making everybody look great in the ring, and just like he did with Ricochet, he could help instantly excel Riddle up the NXT rankings.
4: Matt Riddle Vs Andrade 'Cien' Almas
Andrade 'Cien' Almas is one of the best wrestlers in the WWE today and it is surely only a matter of time before he gets his hands on some gold in the WWE.
Almas looks set to become one of SmackDown's top heels and when Riddle does finally end up on the main roster, the two men could put on one hell of a show. Both men have been involved in some of the best matches of 2018, and they are two of the hottest acts in the business today.
SmackDown's upper mid-card is in serious need of some repair, and Almas is the man to do that. Having these two performers competing on the brand could be the beginning of a new era in the SmackDown mid-card scene.
3: Matt Riddle Vs Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura is yet to deliver a real classic in the ring for the WWE. The former King of Strong Style has struggled to master the main-roster style, and while he has had some solid encounters, he has not yet delivered the same standard of match that he regularly took part in NJPW and NXT.
Riddle may find himself facing a similar issue, but if the WWE allow him to do his thing, he could help the WWE style evolve a little bit.
Nakamura has toned down his strong style approach since coming up to the main roster but seeing him and Riddle work a stiff, technical match-up could be an absolute delight and bring the best out of both men.
2: Matt Riddle Vs Samoa Joe
Riddle's background in MMA means that he is one of the most gifted wrestlers in the world when it comes to working on the mat.
The current Evolve champion has put on some great technical encounters this year with the likes of Zack Sabre Jr and Minoru Suzuki, and seeing him put his skills against a veteran like Samoa Joe would be quite the spectacle.
Joe could be pitched as the big-bad bully in this situation, with Riddle's plucky, underdog character fighting back and eventually out-wrestling his older and more vicious opponent.
1: Matt Riddle Vs AJ Styles
What kind of list of dream matches would this be if it didn't feature AJ Styles? The current WWE champion is still one of the best wrestlers on the planet, and a match between him and Matt Riddle is a mouth-watering prospect.
Despite only being around for four years, Riddle has grown into one of the most talked about wrestlers on the planet and has delivered some outstanding matches so far in 2018.
Riddle's MMA inspired ring-style would prove an interesting challenge for Styles, and if the two men could get used to each other in the ring, then they could deliver some absolute classics.
Who else would you like to see Riddle face? Let us know in the comments below!
