Former WWE star Matt Riddle has shared a wild behind-the-scenes story about working with Brock Lesnar during the 2022 Elimination Chamber premium live event in Saudi Arabia — revealing that “The Beast Incarnate” went off-script and drastically altered the match.
Speaking to TMZ.com, Riddle recalled the chaotic moment Lesnar forgot his cue during the match and decided to force his way into the chamber early, breaking through the pod door and cutting the planned match time by more than half.
“I’ve worked with Brock a couple times. At Elimination Chamber in Saudi, he literally forgot what number he was supposed to come out, punched the plexiglass door — which isn’t like super strong. Like, I can kick through it, but you’re not supposed to. And then he just bumrushed. He cut the match by 15 minutes. He’s like, ‘Oh, sell! F5!’”
Riddle added that Paul Heyman — Lesnar’s longtime advocate and on-screen manager — attempted to cover for the situation backstage by claiming the incident was his fault.
“Paul Heyman pretended like it didn’t happen or he was like, ‘Oh, that was my mistake.’ And it’s like, ‘No, it wasn’t.’ It’s f*cking him, dude. Like, he just went into business for himself.”
The 2022 Elimination Chamber match, which saw Lesnar dominate and ultimately win the WWE Championship, was widely noted by fans at the time for its unexpectedly short runtime and abrupt eliminations. Riddle’s comments now offer some behind-the-scenes clarity on why the match didn’t unfold as originally planned.
While Riddle and Lesnar never shared a significant storyline together in WWE — despite Riddle’s repeated public interest in a match — this revelation sheds light on the unpredictable nature of working with one of WWE’s most dominant and notoriously headstrong stars.
