The rule-proving exception for NXT's otherwise-rotten gimmick innovations this year, Matt Riddle's swansong with Timothy Thatcher found both men entering the terrifying and unique Fight pit for a vicious and brutal war that felt almost entirely detached from the product at the time.
With a brand new structure to work with, Kurt Angle as referee, and the bulk of NXT's second hour to use, the two had an unseemly, gritty and bloody battle that put Thatcher over as a terrifying new force on the show. Having not been beaten endlessly by then, it was believable too.
It was helped by some fortuitous timing - occurring just weeks before the Speaking Out movement, Riddle wrestled without the cloud that's since hung over his act. As a goodbye, it felt fitting. As a beating, it felt real.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation for nearly 10 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years.
As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 65,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast.
He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has provided in-person coverage of some of the biggest pay-per-views and Premium Live Events in wrestling history, including WrestleMania, Survivor Series, All In & Double Or Nothing in destinations such as New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live.
