An unexpected name joins MLW’s Battle Riot.
Matt Riddle is scheduled to defend the MLW World Heavyweight Championship in the company’s annual Battle Riot match and it’s shaping up to be a star studded event featuring names from all kinds of professional wrestling. For those who don’t remember, Battle Riot is a 40-wrestler match where pinfalls, submissions, and over-the-top eliminations all count.
This is also the first time that the Battle RIOT match has been held for the World Heavyweight Championship. MLW has already confirmed several big names; former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima, Paul Walter Hauser, Bobby Fish, Jesus Rodriguez, Paul London, and Brock Anderson are just some of the competitors confirmed for the match.
Former WWE and NJPW star Shane Haste has officially entered MLW’s infamous battle royal for the first time in his career.
Haste has been wrestling for over a decade with a WWE stint under his belt. Sadly, the 39-year-old was trapped in the Retribution faction as Slapjack and his main roster run was essentially DOA. Once Haste was released from WWE in 2021 then his career took an upswing as he went to New Japan Pro-Wrestling and reunited with his tag team partner Mikey Nicholls.
Together, the duo would win the NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team titles on two separate occasions. But Haste doesn’t just have accolades as a tag team wrestler as he is a former EPW Heavyweight Champion. The veteran has competed in nearly all of the major promotions; NWA, AEW, Impact Wrestling, and Ring of Honor. Shane Haste will be making his debut for MLW here and the NJPW star is surely hoping to make a strong impression by winning the world title in his very first match. Riddle has fought Haste in WWE, with the current MLW World Heavyweight Champion getting the better of the NJPW star in their previous encounter.
Battle Riot is rounding out nicely. Check out the updated line-up below:
40-wrestler Battle RIOT match for Matt Riddle’s MLW World Heavyweight Championship. Participants:
- Matt Riddle (champion)
- Donovan Dijak
- Satoshi Kojima
- Barbaro Cavernario
- Hechicero
- Paul Walter Hauser
- Paul London
- ”Filthy” Tom Lawlor
- Atlantis Jr.
- BRG
- Bobby Fish
- MLW National Openweight Champion Matthew Justice
- Alex Kane
- Brock Anderson
- Esfinge
- Okumura
- Kushida
- Anthony Greene
- Atlantis
- Ultimo Guerrero
- Bishop Dyer
- Ikuro Kwon
- Star Jr.
- Shane Haste
MLW World Middleweight Championship:
Místico (champion) vs. Templario
MLW Women’s World Featherweight Championship:
Delmi Exo (champion) vs. Shoko Nakajima