Matt Riddle’s time in WWE was marked by controversy stemming from his behavior outside the ring, which ultimately led to his unexpected departure last year. Despite being a prominent star in the company, Riddle has now revealed why he failed drug tests in WWE.
Matt Riddle was removed from WWE television after failing a second drug test back in 2022. Nevertheless, it was not long until WWE decided they simply could not keep him anymore.
During an interview with The MMA Hour, Matt Riddle discussed his drug test failures in WWE, attributing them to cocaine usage. Riddle admitted to using the drug a couple of times at a strip club, leading to multiple failed tests. Reflecting on his time in rehab, Riddle expressed the belief that he would be fired upon his return.
”No, they didn’t make any of the offences public. They wanted to keep it on the hush hush and they punished me by fining me. I went to the strip club and did some cocaine a couple of times and I failed the drug test. Well, that was for all of them, it was cocaine each time.”
Matt Riddle then talked about his firing from WWE, making it clear he was not necessarily surprised he got fired, especially after he wasn’t on the WrestleMania card.
“Honestly, for me, and probably just from my experience with the UFC, I thought I was going to get fired a long time ago just because, I don’t know. I got fired from the UFC. I was on a four fight win streak and then I got fired. So after that, I’ll be honest, I just think I’m going to get fired any day because you just never know. Some guys don’t, some guys do.”
”So that’s how I always played it. And then after I went to rehab and stuff like that, and I got out, I didn’t even think they’re going to bring me back. It was Wrestlemania season. I wasn’t on Mania. And a lot of times they do the budget cuts right after there, so I was like, ‘think it’s already chopping block time?’ And that didn’t happen.”
”Then TKO merger and then plus my shenanigans, just acting a fool half the time didn’t help things. But at the same time, like I said, I think it was best for everybody. Honestly, the day I got fired, I remember, and I don’t mean this in a bad way, it’s not like mean, it’s not a dig to WWE, but it was probably one of the biggest reliefs I’ve had in a long time because for the last seven years, I was under contract with them, working very hard, and before that was working really hard to get there.”
”I didn’t take one vacation like they give you vacation, but I always made sure I didn’t miss work and I didn’t take a vacation in like seven years. Wow. I think my vacation was my time in rehab. If you added up all my weeks over the seven years, probably the amount of time I spent there was my vacation time that I earned over the course of.”
Matt Riddle also revealed why he had heat with people in WWE. Nonetheless, Riddle is currently thriving in NJPW and other promotions and that is what matters to him right now.
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