Matt Riddle recently appeared on “The MMA Hour” podcast to discuss the sexual assault and trafficking allegations that have been levied against Vince McMahon, which ultimately led to McMahon resigning from all of his positions in TKO and WWE. The lawsuit names McMahon, WWE and John Laurinaitis as plaintiffs.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On if he ever heard anything regarding Vince McMahon: “I’ve never heard anything about Vince. I’ve seen certain people, I’m not going to mention names, I’ve seen certain people make passes at certain female talent by saying, ‘Come to my locker room’ or that creepy kind of thing. The woman I talked to didn’t go and was above that. She’s a stallion and was like, ‘I’m not doing that.’ Like, ‘Here’s my number; come to my locker room.’ That’s where it ended, but it could have escalated, and if that person was in fear of their job or wasn’t as over as they are, they probably would have gone there because ‘what am I supposed to do?’ Damn, I probably would have went there, ‘I just need the job.’”
On the allegations against McMahon: “Some of the things I’ve read are pretty disturbing, if true. At the same time, I’ve read the texts, which can be considered kind of disturbing, in a way. The hard part for me with all this is….it’s a finicky area. It seems like he ends up in these situations. There are always large sums of money involved. I don’t know. I have no idea. I know my situation and how it was. For me, I feel like that’s how I feel about situations because that was my experience, being falsely accused. I don’t know, maybe he’s falsely accused, but those texts, there are good amount of texts. It’s a pretty big trial situation. A lot of money involved. NDAs were issued and signed at one point. I don’t know. There are a lot of red flags, for sure.
“I don’t think it was great. There are a lot of red flags in professional wrestling, period. There are a lot of red flags in Hollywood, period. It’s not a knock on Hollywood or wrestling. When you run billion dollar industries that are fueled by athletes or good looking people or actors or entertainers, and how you choose said entertainers, there’s a lot of room for mess. With WWE, my situation, sent me to rehab. I won’t say anything bad. They did the best they could and what they thought was best for me. I honestly think that. I think they thought putting my in rehab throughout the holidays for the remainder of the year, they thought it was the best thing for me. I disagree. Maybe the first month, take the holidays, but another 30 days was a little rough and you overdid it, but I get why you did it. You’re protecting yourself and investment and you’re looking out of me. Nine times out of ten, WWE did the right thing, but there are still going to be a couple of bad apples. Entertainment is a weird world and it’s a lot of politics and navigation. I feel WWE does the best they can. MLW and New Japan do the best they can, and that’s why I align myself with these companies.”
In a recent appearance on “The MMA Hour” podcast, professional wrestler Matt Riddle discussed the sexual assault and trafficking allegations that led to the resignation of Vince McMahon from his positions in TKO and WWE. The lawsuit includes McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis as plaintiffs. Riddle shared his thoughts on the matter, shedding light on his own experiences and observations within the industry.
When asked if he had ever heard anything regarding Vince McMahon’s behavior, Riddle stated that he had never heard anything about McMahon specifically. However, he did mention witnessing certain individuals making inappropriate advances towards female talent, such as inviting them to their locker rooms. Riddle praised the woman he spoke to for refusing to comply with such requests, emphasizing the importance of standing up against such behavior. He acknowledged that if someone felt fearful for their job or less secure in their position, they might have felt compelled to go along with it.
Regarding the allegations against McMahon, Riddle expressed his concerns about the disturbing nature of some of the things he had read. He mentioned that he had seen texts that could be considered disturbing as well. Riddle found it challenging to form a definitive opinion on the matter, as he recognized the complexities involved. He highlighted the presence of large sums of money and the involvement of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in the situation. Riddle acknowledged that there were many red flags and emphasized the seriousness of the trial.
Riddle also touched on the broader issue of red flags in professional wrestling and Hollywood. He acknowledged that billion-dollar industries fueled by athletes, actors, and entertainers are susceptible to messy situations. Drawing from his own experience with WWE, Riddle mentioned how the company had sent him to rehab, believing it was in his best interest. While he disagreed with the length of his stay, he understood WWE’s intention to protect their investment and look out for him. Riddle commended WWE, MLW, and New Japan for doing their best in navigating the complexities of the entertainment world.
The podcast appearance provided an opportunity for Riddle to share his perspective on the allegations against Vince McMahon and shed light on the challenges faced within the wrestling industry. As the trial unfolds, it remains to be seen how these allegations will impact the future of McMahon and WWE.