39-year-old star claims WWE fired him to save money: "I was supposed to make a million dollars a year"

A former WWE Superstar has shared some interesting comments in regards to his 2023 firing. Matt Riddle was let go mere days after he appeared at the Superstar Spectacle event in India.

While Riddle was on his way back from Superstar Spectacle, he was involved in a controversial incident at an airport. Riddle was filmed causing commotion at the airport and many fans felt that it wouldn't sit well with WWE's higher-ups. Riddle was let go shortly after.

In a new interview on TMZ Inside The Ring, Matt Riddle explained why the promotion fired him back in 2023. Check out his comments below:

“They’ve been firing people. When I got fired, they fired Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, countless others… I think it was mostly money. Certain people were there this long, you got a certain check. I know my last year, I was supposed to make a million dollars a year. They fired me, and it ended December 27 before I started making that first week of a million a year. This close.” [H/T WrestlingNewsCo]

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Matt Riddle doesn't hold any ill will towards WWE

Riddle then said he doesn't agree with World Wrestling Entertainment's current business practices, but also doesn't have any ill will towards the company. Check out his comment below:

“Of course, dude, I have no ill will towards WWE. I don’t agree with their business practices at this moment right now, but that’s nothing against them. I think they’re just being told what to do, and they’re doing it,” he stated. [H/T WrestlingNewsCo]

Riddle was one of the most charismatic acts on World Wrestling Entertainment TV back in the day. He garnered a massive fan following during his stint on the main roster, and was praised for his brief run as a member of RK-Bro with Randy Orton. His fans would love for Triple H to give him one more chance and bring him back somewhere down the line.

About the author

Abhilash Mendhe is a pro wrestling journalist at Sportskeeda with nearly five years of experience. He completed his MBA from the Symbiosis Institute of Telecom Management in 2016 and worked with multiple banking institutions, including Tech Mahindra. While he started writing WWE articles for Sportskeeda in 2019 as a hobby, it eventually became a significant part of his professional journey.

Abhilash checks his articles thrice before sending them to the editing team, ensuring his work is highly accurate and reliable.

He has interviewed prominent pro wrestling personalities like Noam Dar, Angry Miz Girl, Brendan Cobbina, and Jesse Lambert. Abhilash is a big fan of AEW star Orange Cassidy, as he believes the former International Champion’s on-screen gimmick of an extremely lazy guy resonates with him.

Given the opportunity to script WWE’s next big storyline, Abhilash would treat fans to the second installment of The Bloodline Civil War. He would book Roman Reigns to re-form The Bloodline with The Usos and Sami Zayn upon his comeback. The angle would see The Tribal Chief-led group go head-to-head with The Rock, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu in a blockbuster family feud.

When not reporting on pro wrestling, Abhilash likes to work out, go on walks, read, and explore new eateries.

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Edited by Abhilash Mendhe