Former WWE Superstar Matt Riddle has been making headlines lately for all the wrong reasons. As well as making disrespectful comments about CM Punk and AJ Lee, he's been accused of no-showing a show in the UK that was meant to benefit a charity (after being paid by them).
Riddle has long been a controversial, largely unpopular figure in the pro wrestling world. His unfiltered opinions haven't won him a lot of fans either, and it's hard to shake the feeling that he's likely dirtied his nest to the point where a WWE return or AEW debut is completely off the table.
WWE Hall of Famer and NXT commentator Booker T has now weighed in on Riddle, making it clear that the odds of the former United States Champion recapturing any mainstream success are slim in his eyes.
"I never had any beef with Matt Riddle or anything like that. But I did say I did not think this guy was going to make it in this business, I didn’t think he was going to make it to Heavyweight Championship level, just because of certain things. I just didn’t think Matt Riddle respected the business enough to make it to the next level."
"When you come in talking about how good somebody is in the ring, opposed to how much money somebody made in the business, and for the business, referring to Goldberg, you are totally on the wrong track. When you get heat with guys like Brock Lesnar, you’re totally on the wrong track, it’s not a good idea, and you just don’t understand the business more than anything."
"You could be on a skyrocket trajectory, and boom, everything just blows up in your face, and you’re working on the indies. All right, never again to make it back to the major leagues. And I do believe that Matt Riddle is going to be one of those guys that will never, ever make it to that high ever again."
"It’s one thing burning bridges, but when you just blow up the damn bridge, that’s another story, you know. I just don’t think this guy did himself any favors over the weekend, speaking the way he is."
Later, Booker T shared his take on another controversial figure, Ronda Rousey.
The Baddest Woman on the Planet recently said that she couldn't understand why WWE booked her to face Alexa Bliss, who she explained was a top merchandise seller at the time (the implication was that it was the only reason Bliss was given a match with Rousey).
Rousey also talked about refusing to tap out to Becky Lynch, and it likely won't surprise you to learn that the WCW icon was none too impressed with her perspective on the business.
"Ronda Rousey is another one, man. I think the wrestling world opened the doors to her, and she just spat in the face of professional wrestling. Feels like it a little bit. That’s what she’s done. You know, it’s a reason why people don’t like her, you know? I mean, I don’t hear any of her old comrades in the UFC saying anything good about Ronda Rousey, man."
"Nobody cares about Ronda Rousey but herself. She’s got a very, very high, you know, self-esteem, as far as you know, looking at herself a certain way. But I don’t think anybody else you know looks at Ronda that way, just because there again, I don’t know why she has so much hate and vitriol for the wrestling business."
You can hear more from Booker T in the player below.