6 Things You Should Know About WWE Hopeful/Ex-UFC Fighter Matt Riddle

3. Marijuana Controversy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS50dke2Z-U Riddle's UFC career began to unravel in July 2012. Following a submission win over Chris Clements at UFC 149, it was announced that Riddle had tested positive for marijuana metabolites. The win was overturned, and Riddle lost his Submission of the Night bonus. Riddle didn't exactly deny taking the drug, but marijuana testing in MMA remains controversial. After all, marijuana is not a performance enhancing drug (famously, Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati was allowed to keep his gold medal after testing positive for marijuana/THC at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan). Riddle was fined and suspended nonetheless, then returned at UFC 154 in Montreal to earn a decision win over John Maguire. His next fight, against Che Mills in 2013, would be his last under the UFC banner. Again, he tested positive for marijuana after a win, which was overturned. Dana White was not amused, but Riddle pointed out that he had a license for medical marijuana in Nevada, where he was residing, something for which he was referred by a doctor, and had to clear a background check. He later made comments that "at least he didn't beat his wife and kids" (a reference to other pro athletes) that caused Dana White to become irate and cut ties with the fighter. Riddle would then take one more fight (a win under the Titan FC banner) before signing with Bellator. However, injuries prevented Riddle from ever fighting for the promotion, and he publicly stated that he wasn't able to earn a living with MMA in the state that it was, especially with the risk of constant fines for what amounted to legal, medical marijuana use hanging over him.