Prior to Matt Riddle's release, WWE had begun laying the groundwork for him and Drew McIntyre to form a tag team. With the latter clearly on the cusp of turning heel, it seemed obvious that the Scottish warrior would eventually turn on the babyface.
Now, new details have been revealed about what the company had planned and, yes, it appears they were going to get their own tag team name!
"Prior to his departure from the company, I’m told there were significant plans for a Matt Riddle/Drew McIntyre tag team," @WrestleVotes reveals. "So much so, various merchandise items were designed with the team name...'McRiddle.' This is not a joke."
Yes, that's McRiddle as in...well, you get it.
Some will look at this and wonder what the heck WWE was thinking, particularly when McIntyre deserves more than being part of a comedic tag team. However, assuming a heel turn was on the horizon, then the breakup of a popular tag team following a shock attack would have hit fans hard.
Riddle was released following an incident at JFK Airport last month in which he accused a Port Authority police officer of sexual assault while allegedly intoxicated.
In a statement on social media following his firing, Riddle said, "Just wanted to inform everyone that I’m no longer with WWE. Thank you for the memories and opportunities also thank you to all the fans for the support and love you give me every time I go out to the ring. See you all soon."
It's unclear what the future holds in store for the former United States Champion, but there have been rumblings he could return to the world of MMA. AEW may also be interested, though there haven't been any solid reports on that front.
As for McIntyre, his slow burn heel turn is still underway, with all signs pointing to him eventually taking aim at Cody Rhodes. In recent weeks, we've seen him turn his back on a number of babyfaces, suggesting he's grown sick of having the backs of his fellow wrestlers when it's not reciprocated.