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SmackDown's newest member, Matt Riddle, made his in-ring debut on the Blue brand on tonight's edition of the show, by defeating former WWE Champion, AJ Styles. The King Of Bros confronted Styles and the two had an exchange of words, which ended with Riddle delivering a Roundhouse Kick to The Phenomenal One. The Intercontinental Champion demanded a referee immediately and the match was on.
After a hard-fought match, a Bro Derek ended Styles and Matt Riddle made a huge statement in his first match itself. Soon after, Riddle gave a backstage interview and had this to say:
Honestly, it felt to me as in, to hear all the people chanting 'Bro', and then to lock horns with AJ Styles. Not only lock horns with AJ... he is phenomenal bro, but he is not a stallion. I beat AJ Styles on my debut on SmackDown. I mean, I always say it I don't think it can get any sweeter, but bro, I don't think it can get any sweeter than this bro. I'm on cloud 24. I don't even know how high the clouds go, I'm up there dude. I'm just stoked man, I just can't wait to get back in there and keep proving myself week after week and show the SmackDown audience, the WWE Universe, what I can bring to the table.
Matt Riddle then stated that this win over Styles is a message to the locker room that he isn't someone to mess with, and that he will be in the main picture for a long time to come.
Matt Riddle couldn't have asked for a more explosive debut than a win over AJ Styles
A short while ago, Matt Riddle had his last match in NXT, which was a Cage Fight against Timothy Thatcher, officiated by WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle. He has been on NXT for the entirety of his WWE career, and has managed to keep his name in the news courtesy his in-ring talent as well as his social media antics against several WWE legends, most notably Goldberg.
The possibilities are endless now that Riddle is on SmackDown, and it would be interesting to see how WWE uses him in the foreseeable future.
Bayley gives us a HUGE update on a top Superstar's upcoming return RIGHT HERE.
