Former WWE Superstar Matt Riddle has once again found himself at the center of controversy, this time over a UK wrestling booking gone wrong that has sparked a heated back-and-forth between the former champion and a new promotion.
According to Cultaholic, Riddle was booked for Global Wrestling Kingdom’s “A New Kingdom Rises” charity event in Barnsley, England on August 31. The show was billed as supporting survivors of domestic abuse and homeless veterans, with Riddle set to face Simon Miller in one of the featured bouts.
Riddle never traveled to the UK. Scottish star Grado ultimately replaced him, but the promotion and fans were left frustrated. Cultaholic reported that Riddle had complained about “cheap” flights, claimed he had another booking, and then stopped responding to communication. The outlet further stated that Riddle had not returned his deposit.
Riddle later took to social media to share his side. In a video, he denied the no-show allegations and pointed the finger at the promotion.
I wish you nothing but the best GWK but stop lying bro pic.twitter.com/6HSvoI4AKP
— Matthew Riddle (@SuperKingofBros) September 3, 2025
He claimed GWK booked him a Thursday flight for a Sunday show with no meet-and-greets, appearances, or other work lined up — leaving him with nothing but days in a hotel. Riddle said he repeatedly told the promotion the arrangement wouldn’t work, and instead took independent bookings in the U.S. that same weekend, wrestling for Boca Raton Championship Wrestling in Florida.
“I told you multiple times I can’t do that or wouldn’t do that,” Riddle said, adding that he offered to fly out Saturday night at the promoter’s expense. He also refuted claims that he hadn’t repaid his deposit, calling the charity angle a “last second change.”
Riddle criticized the flight booked for him, saying: “Middle seat, no meal, no checked bag. GWK, this is probably your last run.”
— Matthew Riddle (@SuperKingofBros) September 3, 2025
The story escalated further when Riddle spoke with Branson Quirke and Roger Corral on TMZ Inside The Ring.
He doubled down on his criticism of GWK, calling them “trashy,” accusing them of false advertising, and claiming the charity aspect was added late. Riddle said the backlash has gotten so heated that he’s received death threats from fans who believed he scammed a charity.
“I woke up this morning to a bunch of death threats… How dare you scam a charity. I’m like, dog, four months ago this wasn’t a charity event,” Riddle said.
He again detailed the travel dispute, alleging the promotion continued to advertise him despite knowing he would not appear. “It’s a scumbag move,” Riddle stated.
At this point, the situation remains a messy “he said, they said” dispute. Global Wrestling Kingdom has not released a response to Riddle’s latest claims, while Riddle maintains that he was misled, misrepresented, and unfairly attacked.
What’s clear is that the fallout has cast a shadow over both Riddle’s post-WWE run and GWK’s launch event, with both sides taking heavy public criticism.
