Above is a new video interview with WWE NXT Superstar Matt Riddle, hosted by Jeremy Borash. Part of the interview aired on this week’s NXT TV episode.
Borash asked about Riddle showing up for his NXT debut last year at “Takeover: Brooklyn IV” wearing the suit, hat and flip-flops, and if he ever thought about a more conservative look for his arrival.
“No, and the reason is, like, not that I didn’t think about it, I definitely did think about wearing shoes,” Riddle said. “But at the same time, I didn’t want to present, like, a fake person. I didn’t want to not be myself.”
Borash asked if that way of thinking might backfire on him. Riddle revealed some advice he received from ECW Original The Blue Meanie early in his pro wrestling career.
“One person gave me some advice when I started wrestling, it was actually The Blue Meanie,” Riddle revealed. “He goes, ‘Matt just remember this, you’d rather want somebody to tell you to tone it down and take it back, than to tell you to tone it up.’ So I’d rather just be myself and if it’s too much sometimes, I’m pretty sure somebody will tell me to stop or slow down, or change it, ya know?”
Borash asked Riddle what’s next for him and the former UFC fighter said he just wants to have great competition.
“I don’t know, I just… me personally, I would just love to have great competition,” Riddle said. “I’m about great competition. That’s why I can have a great smile before hand, and connect with the crowd, and then when I get in the ring I flip that switch. Because I want a fight, I want to be tested, that’s why I’m here.”
Riddle tweeted about wanting to retire WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar several months ago and he told Borash that he still wants to conquer that goal.
“Oh yeah, retiring Brock… it’s no secret. That’s been the goal since I started wrestling, since the very beginning,” Riddle revealed. “I like to set goals that seem impossible. Only one person can retire Brock Lesnar, only one person can end his career, and that person’s going to be me. I don’t like how he does it, I don’t like the respect that he shows, and I don’t like the workrate that he puts out. That’s just my personal opinion. I think he’s capable of more. Maybe it doesn’t work out for me, maybe it doesn’t work out the first time, but I guarantee you I’m going to beat him and I’m gonna retire him.”
Borash closed the interview by asking Riddle what his legacy will be, specifically in NXT. Riddle said he wants to change the company.
“My goal is to change NXT,” Riddle said. “It is to change every company I’ve ever been to and I’ve changed every company. The way people wrestle and the way I fight people, and the way it’s not like other matches. But sometimes you gotta get gritty and I think a lot of the people here don’t get gritty enough. And I bring that grit, I get nasty, I get mean. I can flip that switch and be super cool, and super nasty in one sitting. And I don’t think this NXT Universe has seen that yet. I think they got a taste of it in Phoenix and I think they’re going to get more taste of it as the weeks keep playing on, and playing on until WrestleMania.”
Riddle signed off by sending a “watch out, Bro” to Lesnar.
