At NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV, it was announced that Matt Riddle was WWE’s latest acquisition. It was only a matter of time before the King of Bros would be hitting the big time, and as the camera cut to the crowd, the ever-smiling Riddle was there, looking as happy as ever and being adored by everyone in attendance. There’s a reason why the world loves Matt Riddle, one of the most successful indie wrestlers of all time. Originally a fighter within the UFC, Riddle left the octagon for the squared circle, and ever since he made his name in EVOLVE it was obvious why it wouldn’t be long before the world took notice.
His MMA background helped immensely, allowing him to be a dominant striker, throwing kicks and punches with great efficiency and speed. He’s a suplex machine that manages to connect with great impact, and his athleticism is unparalleled. Not only is he a superb wrestler, he’s also one of the nicest guys, connecting with fans due to his laid-back persona and friendly attitude, playing a face without falling into the same traps as guys like John Cena and Roman Reigns have. Matt Riddle is a bonafide superstar we’ll get to see in one of the most exciting promotions at one of its most fruitful times since it was formed.
NXT has a lot of great talent, some Riddle has already had the chance to face on the independent scene, but now it means so much more. He’s destined for greatness, and I doubt it’ll be too long until he’s headlining Wrestlemania for the biggest prize in the sport. Until then, we’re going to witness more quality matches at future TakeOvers thanks to Triple H’s newest recruit, it just depends exactly who we’ll see Matt Riddle take on. Here are 5 dream matches we’d love to see come to fruition in the NXT ring. Time to get excited, bro.
Keith Lee
If you’ve watched any of Matt Riddle and Keith Lee’s previous matches in EVOLVE, you’ll know exactly how good a show they can put on when going one on one. When Lee debuted on the July 18 taping against Marcel Barthel, it showed the limitless potential he has. There’s been nothing more from him since his impressive debut, so to see their feud reignited in NXT would be a great move. Maybe Keith Lee comes out and cuts a promo about how he’s the new face of NXT and how he’ll face anyone in the back to prove it when Riddle’s music hits and challenges him to a match. Their bouts for the WWN Championship were excellent, and there’s no doubt they’ll have history repeat itself in NXT if the two of them came to blows.
The Velveteen Dream
There are seldom characters within NXT as interesting and layered as Velveteen Dream. He dresses like Jimi Hendrix and Prince, fights with great style, and has such a weird and intriguing personality. Given that EC3 lost to Dream at TakeOver: Brooklyn 4, it could mean his diary is clear for Matt Riddle to step up and give the fans an amazing match. The two personalities wouldn’t necessarily clash, but their wrestling styles would compliment each other very well, and no doubt both would light up the ring.
The Undisputed Era
The Undisputed Era has been an unstoppable force as of late, disregarding Ricochet’s victory against Adam Cole. I can’t see the War Raiders taking the belts from Kyle O’ Reilly and Roderick Strong, and with Adam Cole now without a title, the stage is set for Matt Riddle to come in and face them all as someone who can finally put an end to the trio and shock the system. Riddle and Cole have already met in PWG, so they have a history worthy of continuing in a WWE ring. Imagine a 3 v 3 where the Undisputed Era took on Matt Riddle, Ricochet, and someone like Pete Dunne, a match that isn’t out of the ordinary, seeing as Reilly and Strong will be taking on Ricochet and Dunne on this week’s NXT. Evolve that into a bigger match for a later show and you’re granted a battle of epic proportions. Either way, the fans would pop to see Matt Riddle wipe the smiles of the Undisputed Era’s faces, and whether that is in a tag match or a singles match, it’s guaranteed to be something special.
Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano was the face of EVOLVE for quite some time, and in his final appearance for the company at EVOLVE 69, he handed the torch over to Matt Riddle after he came to the ring and saved Gargano from humiliation at the hands of Drew Galloway and DUSTIN. The two shared a moment in the ring, followed by Riddle declaring “EVOLVE is bro, bro.” Matt Riddle did indeed become the face of the company, but now the two are both a part of NXT, it seems like a perfect opportunity to see them go face to face. Gargano’s loss to Tomasso Ciampa at the recent TakeOver saw him turn to the dark side, potentially leading to a heel turn in the following weeks. It’s unclear how bad his knee injury is, but if he’s OK, a match with Riddle could be magnificent. Johnny Gargano is one of the best wrestlers on the roster, and with his time feuding with Ciampa hopefully at an end, Riddle could be the next challenge for him.
Tomasso Ciampa
The NXT World Champion is the best heel in WWE, able to garner such hatred from the fans. His feud with Gargano came to a natural end when he won in a Last Man Standing match in Brooklyn, and with no clear opponent on the cards, Matt Riddle could go straight for the gold and strike up one hell of a feud with Ciampa. Their personalities are so different, it’d be interesting to see just how Ciampa would deal with the chilled-out superstar. The fans would get behind Riddle and cheer him till their lungs gave out, and no doubt they’d love to see the arrogance wiped of Tomasso Ciampa’s face. Not only that but seeing the two engage in numerous matches would be a treat for the eyes. Both can be brutal, and we’ve seen great intensity in both camps. They’ve both faced each other before in Beyond Wrestling, so they’re already familiar with each other. I’d like to think this would be the most obvious choice for Matt Riddle’s debut, with Riddle being the only man other than Aleister Black to potentially topple the sadistic Ciampa.