Matt Riddle On If He’d Quit Smoking Weed For WWE, Describes His Awkward First Meeting With Triple H, Being Himself In The Ring

Matt Riddle was recently the subject of a new editorial for VICE Sports; you can read a few highlights below:

Riddle describes his first meeting with Triple H, described as a Super Troopers-like scene backstage at an EVOLVE event: 

“He came up to me and goes, ‘Hey Matt, I appreciate what you’re doing here,’ and I go, ‘I appreciate what you’re doing here.’ Then he said, ‘I wanna thank you for everything you’re doing,’ and I go, ‘I wanna thank you for everything you’re doing, Triple H.’ That was my elevator pitch—he probably thought I was an asshole.”

Riddle comments on using marijuana as an alternative to ADHD medication: 

“I did my research. I’ve had hand surgeries, I’ve used pharmaceuticals, and I [eventually] felt like, ‘Holy shit, this is addicting and I shouldn’t be taking this because I want to take more and I’m not even in pain.’ Marijuana never felt like that. I just like the way it makes me feel. I’m about to be 32, I barely work out, and I’m shredded. I don’t think it’s because of the weed, but I don’t think it’s hurting me either, you know?”

Matt Riddle Comments On How He’d Gameplan For Brock Lesnar, Dana White’s Handling Of His UFC Exit, How He Stays Humble

Riddle comments on playing himself in the ring, saying he doesn’t have to play things up all of the time: 

“When you first get into wrestling, everybody tells you, ‘Be yourself times ten.’ When you first hear that, you’re like, ‘What the fuck does that mean?’ But it’s just acting. Will Ferrell playing a serious role isn’t really Will Ferrell; him playing a comedic role, that’s funny. It’s the same in wrestling: you can play a viking or whatever, but it just doesn’t fuckin’ make sense because that’s not who you really are. I’m Matt Riddle. I can be this all the time. It doesn’t have to be me times ten.”

Riddle says for the right price, he’d quit smoking marijuana to join WWE: 

“If the money was right with [WWE] and they said you have to quit smoking, I’d quit smoking. If New Japan was down, I wouldn’t bring weed to Japan—I’m not an idiot,” he says. “I know [the Japanese] drink, so I’d still enjoy myself.

Honestly, right now I make six figures. I make my own merch. I’m the main or co-main event of every show I’m on. I get to be me and I get to wrestle like I want to. Can they promise me that? If not, why would I go to WWE to probably make less money and be gone more? By the time they do pick me up, if they decide to, I’ll be worth so much more.”