Matt Riddle On Moving His Wife & Kids To Florida When Joining WWE NXT

Matt Riddle’s UFC career ended suddenly and some would say unfairly, especially Riddle who considers Dana White a dummy. This didn’t stop The King Of Bros as he set out to make a big name for himself in the indie wrestling world. WWE was always on Riddle’s radar, and although Vince McMahon’s company shied away from signing Riddle at first, it was eventually undeniable that Matt Riddle could be a top Superstar in WWE.
Riddle recently spoke to ESPN where he explained his journey to WWE. Moving his family to Orlando might have been a task for his wife and three children, but staying in Florida as his primary location is certainly preferable. Riddle might need to appreciate it while he can though because his situation could certainly change if and when he receives a WWE main roster call-up.

“When I first started, I lived in Vegas, because I was fighting in the UFC and I was still fighting after the UFC,. When I started training, there was only one [pro wrestling] gym [in Vegas], so I moved out to Pennsylvania. There were a lot of gyms, so I could get a lot of different looks… I started training at the Monster Factory, started training at CZW’s dojo, and I started training at the Ring of Honor dojo.”
“I moved my family down here, I’ve got three kids and a wife, so it’s nice, I just wrestle in Florida every weekend. We occasionally do tours or TakeOvers, but for the most part, now I get to spend more time with my family. I’m more local, and it’s great.”
“The training here is top-notch. Where I was, I was lucky to even train three times a week, because my schedule was so insane — and I didn’t have the coaches or amenities to do [much more than that].”

Riddle’s approach to life is how he reacts to anyone who tries to talk to him. He always has a big smile on his face and is happy to please. This philosophy should prove to be very beneficial as his career in WWE continues.

“I’m already a personable person. I always try to smile and get to know somebody and say hello — even when people are trying not to talk to me,”
“I just feel like I belong here, I felt like I belonged here three-and-a-half years ago when I had my first try out.”

Matt Riddle’s first NXT TakeOver victory took place at NXT TakeOver: WarGames as he defeated Kassius Ohno in seconds. It appears the sky is the limit from here as Riddle continues with his infectious smile and over the top charisma with his eyes set on the top of WWE’s roster.