Matt Riddle Is Being Tabbed As NXT’s Biggest Star Ever In The Future

Matt Riddle wasn’t scheduled to face Kassius Ohno until the episode of NXT after TakeOver: WarGames 2. Instead, he defeated “The Knockout Artist” in a matter of seconds, firmly establishing himself as the brand’s biggest star of the future.

For a lengthy period of time, NXT has been viewed as WWE’s most prestigious brand by hardcore wrestling fans. They have signed the biggest names in the world this year, with the likes of Candice LeRae, Ricochet, Mia Yim, Io Shirai, and Keith Lee all making their way to NXT in 2018.

But perhaps no signing was bigger than the addition of Matt Riddle. “The King of Bros” has legitimate fighting experience as a former UFC fighter with a career 8-3 record in Mixed Martial Arts. Few athletes and fighters have taken as quickly to wrestling as Riddle, who tore up the independent scene and was widely praised as the MVP of WrestleMania week.

Riddle made his first appearance at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV, but after being spotted in the crowd during the broadcast, it didn’t seem like Riddle would even have a match at the upcoming TakeOver special in Los Angeles.

Kassius Ohno, a veteran of the business and one of the most respected wrestlers in WWE, called out Riddle (and Lee) as William Regal’s “shiny new toys” in NXT. Riddle accepted his challenge for a match on the go-home episode of NXT, but the match was scheduled for the television episode following TakeOver.

However, because Ohno confronted Riddle again during his pre-show interview, Riddle immediately walked up the ramp at 7:00 p.m. ET and called out Ohno. He wanted his match right then and there, and Ohno obliged.

The match lasted four seconds. Right as it began, Riddle ended it in truly shocking fashion, defeating the imposing and accomplished Ohno with one devastating knee to the skull.

Just like that, Riddle defeated a legend of the business with the fastest match in NXT history. And this occurred on his TakeOver debut, which wasn’t even announced, no less.

More from Daily DDT

• It’s time for Adam Cole and MJF to drop the ROH tag team titles
• Tom Lawlor talks MLW return, AEW opportunity, CM Punk’s WWE return and more
• Eddie Kingston stands to gain the most from the AEW Continental Classic
• Trish Stratus on WWE NXT would help elevate that women’s division
• Randy Orton signs with SmackDown to go after The Bloodline

The significance of this is clear to me: NXT wants to position Riddle as their biggest star in history. Sasha Banks, Asuka, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, and Andrade “Cien” Almas are a handful of the amazing wrestlers who have starred in NXT, but this special, unannounced TakeOver debut from Riddle is a sign that something greater is afoot for Riddle.

WWE understands the value the have in Riddle, who tweeted that he’d like to retire Brock Lesnar in the future, and they have already acted on it by positioning Riddle in this way. It takes a killer to beat someone like Ohno in seconds, and it’s clear that Ohno underestimated Riddle as a competitor. Future opponents will have to look past Riddle’s charm, golden locks, and laid-back attitude; his in-ring style is anything but laissez-faire.

It may seem presumptuous to extoll so much praise onto Riddle’s shoulders, but he’s more than earned it, based on the name he made for himself in wrestling outside WWE. Not many wrestlers had a “rookie” year like his, and there’s a reason why he became a centerpiece player for so many promotions around the world. Riddle was the Evolve Champion, a PWG Tag Team Champion, and a two-time PROGRESS Atlas Champion.

Credit: WWE.com

And now, he’s one of the most promising stars in NXT, on a roster that includes The Velveteen Dream, Bianca Belair, Kairi Sane, Shayna Baszler, Johnny Gargano, EC3, and Tommaso Ciampa.

It’s impossible to even list all of the elite talents in NXT without running the risk of missing someone, so think about how special it was for Riddle to do this to Ohno on his debut. Think of how fans and writers, such as myself, were perplexed as to why Riddle wasn’t scheduled to have a match at TakeOver. Yet, Riddle did, and it didn’t take away from the rest of the card.

Because it was four freaking seconds.

Riddle’s ability to make knee strikes and mat wrestling as captivating as highspots and suplexes cannot be understated, and his uniqueness isn’t just restricted to his in-ring style as a different breed of “former MMA star”. His vibe, shoe-less style, and smooth verbal delivery make him just as promising of a character as a wrestler, and it’s fantastic to see that NXT already took a massive step in projecting Riddle as their “Next Big Thing”.

Just remember, he knocked out “The Knockout Artist” himself in four seconds.