One of the biggest WWE shows of the year, SummerSlam, always brings the heat with must-see wrestling moments and matches. This year’s event is no exception as the stacked card includes highly anticipated matches like Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch, Ronda Rousey vs. Liv Morgan, Logan Paul vs. The Miz, and of course, a Last Man Standing Championship Match between Roman Reigns and the Beast, Brock Lesnar.
But in what will undoubtedly be a contender for match of the night (or maybe the year), fans will bear witness to two of WWE’s best at the top of their game – The King of Bros, Riddle vs. Seth Freakin’ Rollins.
Ahead of SummerSlam, DIRECTV spoke with the Original Bro himself, Riddle, who had a lot to say about his match with Seth Rollins, a potential match with Goldberg, and of course, about his best friend and tag team partner, Randy Orton. Check it out below!
UPDATE: Due to an injury sustained at the hands of Seth Rollins on the July 25th edition of Monday Night RAW, Riddle will no longer be facing Rollins at SummerSlam and the match has been postponed.
Don’t miss a minute of your favorite combat sports when you order DIRECTV or DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV: Mr. Riddle! Thanks for talking to us today.
Riddle: Hell yeah, about time, baby!
DIRECTV: You are clearly the King of Bros, the Original Bro. Who are your Bro icons? Who are the ultimate stallions?
Riddle: Oh, ultimate stallions…There’s a couple, ya know…Rob Van Dam’s an ultimate stallion. He goes down in the stallion book. Shawn Michaels, ultimate stallion. Edge, ultimate stallion. Randy Orton, ultimate stallion. Those are a couple that I’ve either hung out with or brushed shoulders with and these men are men that I consider ultimate stallions.
DIRECTV: Your tag team partner in RK-Bro and best friend, Randy Orton, has been out of action for a couple of months now. Have you talked to him lately? What’s the latest on his back injury?
Riddle: I talked to him. I think he’s going to get some work done, not cosmetically, you know, physically, on his body, to take care of some of his issues with pain and stuff. Mentally, Randy’s in a great place right now and physically I think he’s pretty healthy, probably healthier now than he has been in a minute and you know with this procedure he’s going to get done, hopefully he has a speedy recovery. He hasn’t gotten out of the [inaudible] yet, but I I think he’s going to enjoy the summer and then we’ll get him back. He’s hanging out with his whole family because his kids are out of school.
DIRECTV: How did RK-Bro come about? Who’s idea was that? Was it just supposed to be a one time thing or was there a long term plan from the beginning?
Riddle: There was no real long term plan, that was supposed to be a one time thing. We were supposed to do one night of that, Randy turns on me next time, then at Wrestlemania Backlash we face each other. Thats what was supposed to happen last year…or years ago at this point I feel…that’s what was supposed to happen. I actually pitched it before Wrestlemania, and it was like a joke. I was like “Hey guys, I got a sick idea – what if Randy and myself formed a tag team and we called ourselves RK-Bro? You get it?” And they were like “Matt, you’re stupid. That’s a bad idea. We’re not doing that. You’re not tagging with Randy.” And I was like “True enough, you’re right. What was I thinking,” ya know?
DIRECTV: That was clearly a million dollar idea.
Riddle: Oh way more than a million, I promise you. But, uh, yeah we were gonna…it was two weeks after Wrestlemania and Randy was supposed to face Braun Strowman and I was supposed to be in a tag match with Drew McEntyre against T-BAR and MACE. So I was probably going to get beat up by T-BAR and MACE and Randy might of gotten beaten up by Braun Strowman at the time. But what happened was they switched up the match and they put Braun in the tag match and put me in the singles match with Randy. And then we wrestled, we worked, we touched, and after the first minute we fought each other, we were good, we were tight. And then the next week we formed a tag. And we were in the Thunderdome so we couldn’t really hear the crowd in person but then we saw on the internet the reactions and Randy and myself knew when we started tagging it was just the right thing. We felt good. And creative said “Hey, time to go do this or that” and we said “Guys, you gotta settle down, I gotta feeling we can make this a better feud than this or that.” And then, we never feuded. We ended up being two time tag team champions and the WWE Universe loved us and we loved them. It was awesome.
DIRECTV: What have you learned working with a vet like Randy?
Riddle: You know, what didn’t I learn from Randy? I think a lot of people talk about what did I learn wrestling-wise in the ring, and honestly Randy’s been doing this, wrestling for the WWE for 20 years, and Randy didn’t just help me out with in-ring stuff, Randy Helps me out with like, life stuff. Just being in the business and this spotlight and things like that and being able to manage life, manage your personal life, manage your professional life, how to talk to people, what not to say, what not to laugh at when people say absurd things. Me and Randy have a tendency just to laugh at people when they say absurd things. Maybe I upset the wrong people sometimes and I’m like “I did?” And he’s like “Yeah, bro, you can’t do that. They’ll definitely notice.” And I was like “Aw, man…” It’s not like I’m being mean, it’s just that some people I work with say some ridiculous things and I can’t help but laugh. You know how it is. You probably deal with some ludicrous stuff too and you’re like “Ehhhhh.” But you know, Randy has helped out a lot. In-ring, just being able to stand on an apron, sell, being there and just being able to work that close to Randy, without getting hit by Randy, just to be able to witness what he does is very helpful. It has helped my career – I was very comfortable and confident in my career with what I did before, but even more so now.
DIRECTV: Any message you want to send to Randy ahead of SummerSlam?
Riddle. Randy, I love you. That’s about it. He loves me. It’s cool.
DIRECTV: You’re wrestling Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. You’ve been in the ring with him before – how are you going to approach this match and what are you going to look out for?
Riddle: I’m gonna beat the crap out of him. It’s a PPV, so in my head I really have to hurt him (laughs). Yeah, I’m actually really excited to have a one-on-one PPV match with Seth Rollins. The guy is one of the best wrestlers in the world. I can’t say enough good things about him in the ring. I mean, he’s the Visionary, he’s Seth Freakin’ Rollins. He was a Beast Slayer. He’s really done it all. He’s cashed in the Money in the Bank at the Grandest Stage of Them All (aka Wrestlemania). He’s literally done it all. And to be honest, the be the Original Bro, Riddle, and get an opportunity to face Seth Freakin’ Rollins, not only face him, but face him at SummerSlam, one of the biggest PPVs in WWE, definitely of the year, and it’s in Nashville, bro. It’s gonna be sick. I’m stoked, I’m just stoked. Gonna go to Nashville, have a great time, beat Seth Freakin’ Rollins and just have great memories of this summer.
DIRECTV: What is your favorite SummerSlam moment of all time?
Riddle: That has be when me and my best friend, Randy, won our tag team championships for the first time against AJ (Styles) and Omos in my hometown of Las Vegas, NV.
DIRECTV: You originally came from the world of MMA. What disciplines have you studied?
Riddle: I study ‘em all, bro. I’m an amateur state champion in wrestling, I’m a brown belt in jiu-jitsu – but to be honest I should have a black belt but what are you gonna do. Someone’s gotta give me one. I do a lot of muay thai, some boxing. But yeah, when you’ve been in the UFC or you practice MMA, you really gotta do it all and pick up the best strengths and abilities for your body type and your style of fighting, ya know? But yeah, mostly jiu-jitsu and wrestling is where I hold high level titles, those two disciplines. But, you know, I’ve knocked people out, I’ve broken people’s faces with my elbows and stuff so it’s like I can do a lot of stuff. But yeah, I practice ‘em all but I think grappling is my specialty.
DIRECTV: UFC and MMA guys flirt with becoming WWE Superstars all the time. Any of them you think would make great Superstars? And what advice would have for someone coming from that world into the WWE?
Riddle: I think there’s plenty that would make fantastic Superstars. There’s entertainment value to a lot of them and I know they have the athleticism and the ability. I think the hardest part about what I do and what the WWE Universe and the wrestlers do, is travel. It’s non-stop, go, go, go. Like you said, I got Seth Rollins at SummerSlam, I got Monday Night RAW coming up Monday, I’m gonna be at SmackDown. I’m everywhere all the time, ya know? And that’s what does it. I tell people all the time, I don’t get paid to wrestle. I get paid to travel. I love wrestling. I love being in front of crowds and being on TV. That’s awesome. But I get paid to travel. Because I hate having to drive and travel all the time. But the money makes it worthwhile and so do the fans, so the juice is definitely worth that squeeze, bro.
Find out how and where to watch you favorite fights with our combat sports guide.
DIRECTV: You spent a lot of time in NXT. What advice do you have for NXT folks coming up to the main roster? Anyone there you have your eye on?
Riddle: I know there’s a lot of good talent in NXT right now so I got my eyes on…you know, like the Women’s Division is phenomenal. That’s like their strongest point. Then you got like Bronn Breaker and Cameron Grimes and a bunch of other people who are extremely talented. Any advice that I’d have for the NXT talent right now or anyone that’s trying to make it a little further in their career, would be don’t focus on NXT. Focus on you, focus on your overall career, and focus on getting out of NXT. I mean, the goal shouldn’t be to be a three time NXT champion or two time North American champ. It’s cool to get those titles, win the Dusty Cup, win the tag team championships, but the really cool thing is getting to the main roster. Being on all the channels, getting on everything, getting on SummerSlam, being on Wrestlemania. And those are the goals. I loved NXT, I loved my time there, I loved working with Adam Cole and all these other people that were there at the time. I had to get those experiences before I went up to the main roster, but at the same time, my goal was never NXT. My goal was WWE. And that should be everybody’s goal going through there because that’s where it’s at.
DIRECTV: You’ve talked about wanting to wrestle Goldberg and Brock a lot in the past and we know Goldberg has one last match left on his contract. What are the chances that match could be yours?
Riddle: Oh my God, I would cry. I’m really worried that Brock’s gonna win (at SummerSlam) and Goldberg’s gonna come back and challenge one more time for the title. Don’t do that. Come back and take the real fight, Goldberg. We talked, we talked…We should do it. And I’ll say this – you know why we should do it? It’s what the people want. It is what the people want. There’s not gonna be one fan that’s not gonna be like “Oh man, what’s gonna happen?!” And that’s…I think I get a little upset when I talk all the trash I do and say the things I do and the people get mad at me. And I’m like “But why? Why are you made at me, dude? Look at all these people thinking we’re going to actually fight!” Like, that’s perfect. But they get upset. I think I hurt people’s feelings when I’m just trying to have fun. What are you gonna do, man. It’s pro wrestling, it’s not ballet. It’s emotionally tough and physically tough.
DIRECTV: Other than Goldberg, any other superstars past or present that you’ve not been in the ring with that you’d love to?
Riddle: You know, I’ve only messed him once at the Royal Rumble, but Edge. I’d really like to get Edge in the ring one time. A nice one-on-one. A nice gentleman’s duel, if you will. Know what I’m sayin’? And let’s see, who else….Oh! Big one…Gunther, Intercontinental Champion. I haven’t wrestled him since that dude was known as WALTER. And have never wrestled him in NXT or WWE. Never on this brand or product, so I would like to see how that goes.
DIRECTV: Besides your own, what other matches are you looking forward to at SummerSlam this year?
Riddle: I’m really looking forward to that Last Man Standing match (Champion Roman Reigns vs. Challenger Brock Lesnar). I want to see these guys destroy each others bodies. I want them to break each other. Maybe if they break each other, I can get that title. I like a good Last Man Standing.
DIRECTV: When I think of strong social media games, I think of you, Becky Lynch, Asuka and Rick Boogs. What do you think of their accounts and what other superstars do you think have great social media presence?
Riddle: I would have to say Rick Boogs makes me happy. I really love his Instagram and the wacky workouts he does. The guy is so jacked, it’s ungodly. It’s crazy. He’s huge. His arms are bigger than [inaudible] and he’s lifting so hard in recovery right now. Yeah man, there’s a lot of profiles right now, ya know. A lot of them are thirst traps…and sometimes mine’s a thirst trap. A lot of bikini pics this time of year. It’s hot out. But to be honest, I like the majority of the accounts, everyone there with their t-shirts so they can self-promote. Everyone I work with is pretty unique. There’s, like, hiking dudes, or dudes shooting arrows or hunting. And you know you gotta like Finn (Balor). I don’t know what he does but he’s probably smoking flowers or something. It’s nice. Everyone’s doing something different. You got my boys and me playing video games, pizza, everybody just gaming it up. Then you got Seth and Becky, they just had a kid so they’re babying it up all the time…or trying to curb stomp me.
DIRECTV: Speaking of video games, anything you’re playing at the moment?
Riddle: You know, that Evil Dead video game, I’ve been playing that, dominating a little bit. I think that’s the last one. Oh, I beat Elden Ring. That was tight. I’ve been waiting for that Steam Deck to come out so I can play games on the road, but I haven’t got mine yet. I’m just gonna go buy a laptop.
DIRECTV: Aside from martial arts, you seem to enjoy a lot of other outdoor activities. What are some of your favorites?
Riddle: Yeah dude, I love dirt bikes. It’s hard to do here in Florida, but I love rock climbing. Somebody was like “Oh, I climb trees” and I guess if you find a good tree to climb, but I dunno, just seems a little bit dodgy to me. There’s a lot of crazy things living on the trees here in Florida. I mean, I climbed a couple, I’m not going to say I didn’t try but it’s definitely not as fun as rock climbing. I used to do a lot of rock climbing when I was in Vegas at Red Rock and they has so many different ways up and trails, just epic climbs. I like climbing mountains
DIRECTV: Any parting words for the WWE Universe?
Riddle: Yeah sure. WWE Universe, this is the Original Bro, Riddle. I just want to say I love you all. Thanks for all the support, and hey, don’t forget to support me at SummerSlam, bro. Watch it, tune in on Peacock, buy a ticket and show up in Nashville, bro. And hey, if you can’t, I understand. Watch on Monday and see what happened on Saturday. That’s all I gotta say.
Current WWE SummerSlam 2022 Match Card
- WWE Universal Championship Last Man Standing Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
- Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Becky Lynch
- Riddle vs. Seth Rollins
- Pat McAfee vs. Happy Corbin
- United States Championship: Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Theory
- WWE Tag Team Championship with special guest referee Jeff Jarrett: The Usos (c) vs. The Street Profits
- Logan Paul vs. The Miz
DIRECTV customers can order WWE SummerSlam here. DIRECTV Stream customers with a Peacock subscription can download the Peacock app to their DIRECTV STREAM device in order to stream WWE SummerSlam.
DIRECTV Insider brings you our views on what’s happening in streaming, t.v., movies and sports. Companies and persons mentioned are not necessarily associated with and do not necessarily endorse DIRECTV. We will disclose sponsored content on our site when we show it to you, and some of the links on the site may be ads or affiliate links which means DIRECTV may earn compensation from your purchases.
