Matt Riddle recently addressed allegations surrounding his failure to appear at a Global Wrestling Kingdom (G.W.K.) event in the United Kingdom, where he was accused of no-showing and not returning his deposit. Speaking on TMZ’s Inside The Ring podcast, Riddle detailed the situation, explaining the complications that led to his absence and the backlash he received.
Riddle emphasized that the event only became designated as a charity at the last moment, contradicting claims that he intentionally scammed a charity. He expressed frustration over receiving death threats related to the incident and clarified,
“My girlfriend had an arrangement with this company, G.W.K., Global Wrestling Kingdom, and I’ll be honest dude, I see companies like this in the U.K. all the time. These guys rented an arena, they didn’t sell 150 tickets… I’m not knocking ‘em. They’re trying. They’re trying to do their thing. But, this is garbage dude, and if they actually asked me for the money, which, they didn’t until later yesterday? And then I woke up this morning to a bunch of death threats… death threats. ‘How dare you f*cking scam a charity’ and I’m like, dawg, four months ago, this wasn’t a charity event. Three months ago, it wasn’t a charity event. This week was the first time I got a message saying, ‘What? You’re gonna do this to a charity event?’ I’m doing Make-A-Wish in a couple weeks. I do charity events. Dude, I do multiple charity events, but I don’t get paid a dime. But I’ll tell you this, I’m not flying to London in a middle seat with no meal, with no checked bag. I don’t know why they thought that was a good idea. Dude, I don’t even know how it’s legal.”
—Matt Riddle
He added that he attempted to negotiate with the promoters for ways to participate without sitting idle, suggesting meet-and-greets or appearances to make the trip worthwhile. Riddle described his concerns about being inactive during the trip, stating,
“Well, I never decided I wasn’t going. I was still gonna go Saturday. So, this is what the deal was: When they told me two weeks out that there’s nothing there, I was like, ‘They’re gonna keep trying.’ I’m like, ‘Okay,’ and then, it was probably Tuesday of last week, and I go, ‘Any word?’ And they go, ‘I haven’t heard anything back’ and I’m like, ‘That means nothing’s happening,’ and I go, ‘Dude, I can’t sit in a hotel room for two days.’ You know, my friends told me not to say this, but man, I got idle hands. If these things aren’t doing something, I get into trouble. If I didn’t have five kids, wrestle all over the world, fight people and do this, I get in — I just do. It’s just what it is. I party. It’s whatever. I have a problem, right? So I keep myself busy. I knew if I sat in a hotel in London for two days, damn, I might not even make the show Sunday, and maybe that’s bad to say, but you know what? I think it’s very responsible to say and it’s true. So, that’s just what it is.”
—Matt Riddle
Further criticizing G.W.K., Riddle accused the promotion of misleading fans by continuing to advertise his appearance despite knowing he would not attend, calling it a “scumbag move.” He said,
“So they knew this (that I would not be coming). Do you know what they kept doing? They kept promoting me, like I was still coming. It’s a scumbag move. I’ve had other promoters do this and I’m like, dude, you sold tickets and obviously, let’s be honest, no disrespect to everybody else on the card, I’m the King of Bros.”
—Matt Riddle
Riddle also attributed the leak of this controversy to G.W.K., suggesting they might have used the situation to their advantage. He stated,
“Yeah, yeah, it was (the promotion that leaked our situation). They did it and you know what? I guarantee you when they first did it, they were probably like, oh my God, wish we would have had this before the match. You know, more people would have showed up, and let’s say this, it’s probably what they should have done.”
—Matt Riddle
Matt Riddle Labels CM Punk a “Creep” in NXT Environment
In the same podcast, Matt Riddle shared his critical views of former WWE star CM Punk, focusing on Punk’s presence in the NXT locker room. Although Riddle acknowledged no personal ill will, he questioned Punk’s intentions and behavior, describing him as “fake” and “a creep.”
Riddle said,
“I have no ill will towards CM Punk. He’s a nice enough guy and you agree with it. But, I don’t, and I think he’s fake and I think he’s a creep, and that’s coming from me, and people think I’m a creep and I haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t know. I feel like he’s just lingering around the NXT locker room a little too much, you know?”
—Matt Riddle
This sharp criticism highlights ongoing tensions backstage within WWE’s developmental brand, NXT, fueled by dissatisfaction surrounding Punk’s interactions and his role in that environment.
Ronda Rousey Confirms Departure from Wrestling
Ronda Rousey, the former UFC champion turned WWE star, exposed her disillusionment with professional wrestling and confirmed she has effectively ended her wrestling career. During an appearance on the Lapsed Fan podcast promoting her new graphic novel, Expect The Unexpected, Rousey addressed her WWE tenure and future prospects.
She explained that her primary motivation for joining WWE was to wrestle alongside her fellow Four Horsewomen of MMA—Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir, and Jessamyn Duke. However, despite consistent hints, the company never fully realized this storyline or the dream matchups she desired. Rousey said,
“I got into WWE because I wanted to be able to wrestle my girls, you know, the Four Horsewomen, and be able to wrestle my friends. And they kind of dangled that carrot for my whole run and never let it happen. And then the second run, they kept dangling it. And then by the end I was like, ‘I’m f**king leaving unless I can wrestle Shayna [Baszler]. And that’s how I was able to do it at all. And now nobody even works there anymore.”
—Ronda Rousey
Her final WWE match occurred at SummerSlam 2023 in an MMA Rules match against Baszler, which she lost. Baszler, the last remaining member of the Four Horsewomen on WWE’s roster, left the company earlier this year, further closing the chapter on this era.
Quetzalli Bulnes Announces Departure from AAA amid Personal Struggles
Quetzalli Bulnes, a backstage correspondent who worked with WWE’s Spanish-language programming and later with the Mexican wrestling promotion AAA, revealed in a recent YouTube video that she no longer works for AAA. Her departure followed her firing from WWE, a setback that deeply affected her both personally and professionally.
Bulnes reflected on her experience, sharing the emotional toll of losing the support of friends and dealing with dishonesty from associates during her WWE exit. She stated,
“My firing from WWE has affected me too much. Many friends turned their backs on me and the other person (Falbak) involved didn’t tell the truth. I was alone and sick when they gave me the news, and I don’t wish it on anyone. Now I was also fired from AAA, and honestly I don’t know what to do… I don’t know whether to continue wrestling or get away from it. A part of me regrets having accepted WWE’s proposal 7 years ago, because I had everything to succeed in horror cinema: I had won an award in Los Angeles and I left everything for wrestling.”
—Quetzalli Bulnes
Before her wrestling career, Bulnes had acted in several television productions in Mexico. AAA was acquired by WWE earlier this year, marking another shift in her professional landscape amid evolving wrestling industry dynamics.
Context and Implications for Wrestling Industry Backstage Relations
The recent statements from Matt Riddle, Ronda Rousey, and Quetzalli Bulnes reveal ongoing frustration and conflict behind the scenes in professional wrestling. Riddle’s criticism of CM Punk as a “creep” in the NXT locker room underscores tensions within WWE’s developmental ranks, potentially indicating strained backstage environments. Meanwhile, Rousey’s exit highlights the company’s failure to capitalize on the Four Horsewomen storyline, which disappointed loyal fans and talent alike.
Bulnes’ candid discussion of her firings and emotional hardship sheds light on the challenges faced by wrestling personalities navigating career transitions and corporate ownership changes, such as WWE’s takeover of AAA.
As these backstage controversies and candid revelations continue to surface, they may influence talent relations, fan perceptions, and the direction of major wrestling promotions looking to balance corporate strategy with performer satisfaction.
