MLW’s Matt Riddle Opens Up About Juggling Big Life Struggles & Career

In the ring and on camera, Matt Riddle is usually the fun-loving, flip flop wearing bro you might find on the Florida or California beach. The 40-year-old often puts whatever controversies or outside issues away to go to work as a top star for Major League Wrestling. However, especially recently, that’s becoming even more challenging. 

His partner Misha Montana, shared an Instagram post that she suffered a miscarriage. Riddle and the adult film star have been together since 2022. The same year he divorced from Lisa Rennie, his wife of 11 years. They share three children. Riddle and Montana also have a son Matthew born in 2023. 

Despite all the personal hurdles, the former WWE superstar continues to put his best foot forward. This comes at a time where he is relied upon as one of  MLW’s franchise players. The promotion brought back its weekly series Fusion on May 30. Riddle looks to regain the MLW Championship from Killer Kross in an upcoming rematch on the show. 

Here the former MMA fighter turned pro wrestler opens up about dealing with life struggles and career. 

You’ve been part of MLW at various points. How would you compare now with what’s been building to when you first started with them?  

Matt Riddle: The thing with MLW through the years is they are always professional. The first time I worked there I met Bruce Prichard, MVP, etc. People who had been in the business for years, wrestled in Japan, helped Vince McMahon, etc. Even now, the roster is stacked. From the start to finish, I’ve always had a good vibe and great experience. For an independent company, they are probably one of the most professional. We always sell out wherever we are. I feel like MLW doesn’t bite off too much. We know what we bring, we know our fan base. We have great lucha guys from CMLL. We have guys from Japan. We have top guys from America like me, Kross, Trevor Lee. Trevor Lee is probably one of the best wrestlers in the world. People don’t even know. I love it. 

 

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A post shared by Misha Montana (@themishamontana)

How is it having Fusion back? 

A lot of people have been asking when I can watch it and where I can watch it. It was kind of in limbo. We wrestle, tape it, and sometimes we go live. Honestly, I never really know. I’m not in the office. Now we’re doing a weekly show and with Veeps and other outlets, we’re getting the exposure we need and people are actually able to see us. Now we have a weekly thing. We’ve been recording and doing tapings nonstop. Every time I go to tapings, I’m busy from about noon to midnight. I’ve been working with (MLW Founder) Court [Bauer] before WWE and then when I got released where he was the first one to hit me up. He didn’t force me to sign a contract or anything, which I appreciate. To me, he is the man. He is awesome. It has been a great experience. Like I said, our roster is sick. Now that we are on every week, the sky is the limit. Every week fans can watch us. Shotzi, Priscilla Kelly, Kross, etc. Then with the lucha thing. I’m not a big lucha guy, but I know there are a lot of lucha fans. There are fans in America like Chicago and places like that. Mistico always has a line out the door. It’s fantastic. 

You’re often seen as this polarizing figure, but no matter what  Court seems to stand by you. What makes him different from others’ you’ve worked for? 

I think a lot of times, especially with WWE they cater to the world. They want simple. So you really can’t be yourself. The company itself just doesn’t try to understand you. I remember when I met Vince and told him I’m a UFC fighter, this and that. I’m wearing flip flops in the [Titan] Towers (WWE headquarters). He is like, “Well, you seem like a goof.” I’m like, “Yeah I’m a goof, but I can whip your ass. Kurt Angle was a goof, but he is an Olympic gold medalist.” Eventually, he saw that and ran with the ball. Court has always saw the legitimacy behind me. I think with the controversies I’ve had, he sees the value in that where a lot of people might get scared like AEW or WWE. At the end of the day, I get a haircut, and there are articles. If I do anything, there are articles good or bad. To him, it’s good in a way. To be honest with you, I wish I wasn’t so polarizing. I wish nobody cared. It’s good for wrestling though.

 Court and I have a great relationship. Court knows me. We talk a lot. He has known me before WWE and after WWE. We have a great time with each other. Now sometimes I can’t read him. Like a couple of months ago I thought I was going to get fired and he was like, “How about we do that ‘Rude Dude’ [persona]?’ I love being the ‘Rude Dude’ because I get to be a heel. It is especially fun when you’re wrestling Kross because he is over we go now. They love him. I’m pretty good too, but if I try to go face versus face with him, it’s a nightmare. MLW is the only company that will let me do the ‘Rude Dude.” I tried to do it in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and other places, and everyone just wanted “The Bro,” because they know the bro. I really appreciate Court giving that me and he knows how good I am to do it. I have nothing bad to say about Court. If I get fired tomorrow, I’ll still like the guy. 

I like the short hair look. Do you like the change? 

I do like long hair. I don’t know how this is going to be when I wrestle. I’ve been working out a lot because I cut my hair and don’t have that going for me now, so I have to be super shredded. I’ve been leaning out. I like it too at the same time. I have a lot of cowlick, so I have to spike it up. I like it. My daughter said I look like Tyler Durden from Fight Club. That’s Brad Pitt. Pretty good reference for a 15-year-old. Honestly, because of the haircut and character I’m doing in MLW, I’m trying to push the “Rude Dude” the whole time. I had purple hair and was wild. Now I’m buckling down. I want my championship back. In MLW, I’m going after the Opera Cup as well. The sky is the limit. 

 

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A post shared by Misha Montana (@themishamontana)

Misha posted about suffering a miscarriage. That’s heartbreaking. How are you and the family holding up? What’s it like having all this going on while still making bookings? 

I try to make her happy as much as possible. With my schedule, it’s harder because I’m always gone. When I’m home, I try to take care of the baby. I change some diapers because we have a two-year-old as well. I cook and clean. I stay in shape. It doesn’t matter who you are. I’ve talked to other women’s wrestlers. Having a miscarriage, and people don’t go into the details of it, but it’s really rough. I’m not going to get into the details with you, but it’s not just physically. It’s psychologically, emotionally. It sucked because we were a couple of months in. We hesitated to tell anybody because you don’t want to rush it. Everything was good, so we told the parents and everybody. Everybody was stoked. Then three days later she went in for a screening. After the screening, things went awry. We didn’t know what was going on. The doctors didn’t know or had time for an appointment for her. 

She went to the emergency room, but they can do so much. They said they didn’t see a baby where there should have been a baby. It’s very upsetting. She is going through it. I love her. I’ll always have her back. She has had my back through thick and thin. Misha is one of the most compassionate human beings I’ve ever met. I know with her profession and all the tattoos make some  think otherwise, but honestly she is the sweetest person and the most understanding person I’ve ever met. She is college educated and all that. So to see someone so awesome and cool have to go through that really sucks. For me, I didn’t go through it physically, but I’m trying to help her work through it. We also have a lot of things going on. I’m dealing with my ex-wife, three other kids, etc. My ex-wife has been very rough with her saying mean things. it ‘s all stuff we don’t need. All I can do is try to make things as smooth as possible, love her as much as possible. I love her so much. There is no question about it. This is just a bump in the road. I’ve told her we can always try again. We’re good. 

How long ago was this? 

She was about three months in. We didn’t tell anyone, but in three months we did. She went to the doctor and everything was good. It was about a month ago that all this happened. I thought it would be a weak process, and it’s not. It lasts a month or two. Then while the physical part is done, it’s the mental. 

I’d imagined that the feeling of loss doesn’t go away. 

No. And I’ll be honest with you. My ex-wife had a similar situation. It was also brutal. She got more aggressive toward me. Misha is just sad and overwhelmed with the baby at home and all the other things. But like I said she is an amazing human being. I love her, and she loves me. We have a beautiful two-and-a-half-year old. Maybe he’ll still get a brother or sister in the near future. 

These types of bad times really test how strong a relationship is. 

Honestly, when I was younger my younger sister drowned across the street. They didn’t have a fence up. It was new construction. She was playing outside and wandered off and we found her. We tried CPR and everything, but she passed. My family, we’re tight. We’re hard on each other, but we have each other’s back through thick and thin. I know a lot of families aren’t like that, but I know if I call my mom and dad or brother for a ride or money or anything, they will always be there. They know if they ever need anything from me, I’ll be there. Sometimes you run into these hard situations. They are horrible and rough, but most of the time they bring you closer together. 

On the subject of pro wrestling, what do you make of the landscape of the business today? You have the corporate structure of WWE and then you have MLW. One that keeps the pro wrestling side of yesteryear alive. 

WWE, once they did that merger with TKO, went totally corporate. They have sponsorships all over the ring, It’s a weird dynamic. They are cutting people’s pay and all this other stuff. It’s very much like the UFC. From a business standpoint, I get it. You’re trying to make as much money as possible. From a human, ethical standpoint, not that great. Then you have AEW and TNA. You have TNA and NXT, NXT just kind of mooches their talent kind of like AEW mooches New Japan’s talent, etc. I don’t think that’s fair. I feel there needs to be more give and take. People go where the money or opportunity is. That’s why I don’t like signing regular contracts. I’ve wrestled everywhere. I’ve been everywhere. I like where I’m at right now as a virtual free agent and in demand. If you’re still building your reputation, then it’s a little different. 

What do you think MLW needs to do to get to the next level? 

I think we’re right on the cusp. We have great people like Danny McBride come to shows and his tequila company sponsors us. We have Veeps and other platforms. I think we are right there. I think when things get hard, that’s when you don’t quit. When you feel you should quit, don’t. Every time you push a little further that’s when you succeed. We are right there. MLW’s lineup is incredible. I think we’re right on the cusp. 

MLW Fusion, Saturdays, 6:05/5:05c on YouTube, 9/8c on Veeps, and 10/9c on beIN Sports