The recent wave of WWE releases left fans with mixed emotions, but perhaps one name that didn’t entirely surprise many was Matt Riddle. While Riddle had once seemed destined for a significant push in WWE, his journey was marked by personal incidents outside the ring that consistently hampered his momentum. These incidents included a troubling accusation of sexual assault by indie wrestler Candy Cartwright in 2020, multiple violations of WWE’s wellness policy, and most recently, a bizarre and public claim by Riddle himself of being sexually assaulted by a police officer at JFK Airport in New York City. Subsequent reports revealed that police had indeed interacted with Riddle at the airport, where he was described as behaving disruptively and disorderly.
Now, TMZ has shared a video from the day of the airport incident, shedding light on Riddle’s behavior prior to the controversy. In the video, Riddle appears noticeably inebriated, displaying loud and disruptive conduct while waiting for his flight to Orlando among fellow passengers. According to TMZ’s report, an eyewitness revealed that Riddle and a friend consumed an excessive amount of alcohol at a nearby airport restaurant as flight delays continued.
The witness described Riddle’s ensuing behavior as “incredibly obnoxious” and “extremely loud and rude.” As shown in the video, a seemingly intoxicated Riddle even took hold of the microphone at the gate’s front desk, delivering remarks that occasionally bordered on incoherent. This conduct led to Riddle being denied boarding permission for his flight, prompting a call to the police.
As previously reported, Riddle expressed apologies for his behavior, and the police allowed him to depart without filing an official report.
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Ex-WWE Superstar Matt Riddle drunk at
the airport#wwe #mattriddle #Riddle #airport #wrestling #drunk #WWERaw #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/ZpZNUu4fLQ
— LF$ (@wwelavonte) September 30, 2023
Stephen’s Insight:
The eyewitness account of Riddle’s behavior paints a vivid picture of a troubling situation. Describing him as “incredibly obnoxious” and “extremely loud and rude” suggests that his conduct at the airport was far from ordinary. As depicted in the video evidence, Riddle’s behavior took an alarming turn, with signs indicating potential intoxication. He even went as far as to take hold of the microphone at the gate’s front desk, delivering remarks that were occasionally incoherent. Such actions not only disrupted the airport environment but also raised serious concerns about his state of mind at the time.
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The culmination of these events resulted in Riddle being denied boarding permission for his flight, a consequence of his disruptive behavior. The involvement of law enforcement, as indicated by the call to the police, underscores the seriousness of the situation. It’s a stark reminder that even in the world of professional wrestling, off-screen actions and behavior can have significant real-world consequences, impacting both an individual’s career and public perception. Wrestling fans and the industry as a whole will undoubtedly watch closely for any developments related to this incident and its potential ramifications for Riddle’s future.
