Folks, the bro has landed—in TNA, that is. Matt Riddle made an unexpected pit stop at TNA’s Turning Point event on November 29, teaming up with KUSHIDA and Zachary Wentz in a losing effort against The Hardys and Ace Austin. And let’s be honest: when you’re facing The Hardys, you’ve already got a mountain to climb before Ace Austin even tags in.
Now, we know you’re asking, “How did this match even happen?” Thanks to a Fightful Select report, we’ve got the juicy backstage details.
The Trey Miguel Travel Snafu
The drama kicked off when Trey Miguel couldn’t make it to the show due to travel issues. This left TNA in a tight spot, scrambling to find a replacement. Lucky for them, Turning Point was held in the same venue as the WrestleCade convention, a veritable buffet of available wrestlers. Among those options? Matt Riddle, who just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Sources in TNA described the situation as “less than ideal,” but Riddle reportedly got the call with little time to prepare. True to his laid-back nature, he jumped in like it was just another day in the dojo. Fans ate it up, giving Riddle a warm reception that had TNA brass smiling—just not enough to book him for an encore (yet).
The Riddle Road Show
Since his WWE release in September 2023, Riddle has been living his best free-agent life, appearing everywhere from MLW to NJPW to AAA. This isn’t just a world tour; it’s a championship tour. In February, Riddle briefly held the NJPWWorld Television Championship, snatching it from Hiroshi Tanahashi before losing it to Zack Sabre Jr. He also claimed the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship at TripleMania XXXII: Mexico City in a thrilling three-way match that dethroned AEW’s Komander.
TNA fans may have gotten just a taste of what Riddle can bring to the table, but his current commitments to MLW and AAA make another appearance anything but certain. Still, with fans and companies alike buzzing about his surprise cameo, never say never in the wild world of wrestling.