10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (August 23)

The Miz goes shopping, Kofi Kingston almost becoming The Shockmaster and more...

Matt Riddle
WWE.com

If pro wrestling wasn't scripted and every match was a real, honest-to-goodness fight, then former UFC mauler Matt Riddle would be World Champion.

The NXT man brings a legitimacy to the business that so many others lack. Fans know he was a damn good MMA fighter before trading the Octagon for a four-sided ring, and his skilled strikes are hard-hitting and believable against everybody on the roster. Only a fool would discount the impact Riddle will have on WWE if he's allowed to fulfill his potential long-term.

WWE life is about more than just killing it in-ring or looking the part though. Promos are a big piece of the sports entertainment pie, and that's not really Riddle's core strength. He's hardly bad, per se, but the art of the interview hasn't always been something Matt has enjoyed. Find out all about his promo struggles in this week's article.

Other facts examine which double act was originally supposed to be WWE Women's Tag Champs, who helped put together Becky Lynch vs. Natalya at SummerSlam, who The Undertaker wanted to put over clean and why The Miz is splashing out...

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Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.