Ex-WWE Star Admits Failing Drug Tests Due To Cocaine Use

Released by the company last year, this former WWE star reveals drug test failures.

by Andrew Pollard
Matt Riddle
WWE

Nowadays the NJPW Television Champion, Matt Riddle has revealed that his time with WWE saw him fail several drug tests for cocaine use.

In an extremely candid, open interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour (via the Wrestling Observer), Riddle discussed how he, at times, wasn't a good fit for WWE and how he'd expected to be released earlier than his eventual departure in September 2023.

As the Original Bro detailed:

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"I think there was multiple variables that played into my departure. Plus, like I said, I failed a couple of drug tests, you know. For me at least, the writing was on the wall. I'm very good in the ring, I'm entertaining, but at the same time, especially with WWE and how they want to be perceived, I don't think I was a good fit, at least at the time."

Riddle added:

"You're allowed to smoke weed. I went to the strip club and did some cocaine a couple of times, and I failed a drug test for that. That was for all of them; it was cocaine each time, but honestly, it was just random nights. WWE tests you randomly, say any way, but sometimes you get tests at the end of one month and the beginning of another month. So, there was one week where I failed [two times]. I got two right at once, so I think that's why they were a little bit more lenient with me."

A former MMA fighter with both the UFC and Bellator, Matt Riddle began his venture into pro wrestling in late-2014, amassing quite the buzz for himself in the likes of Evolve, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, wXw, RevPro, and Progress. The Pennsylvania native would sign with WWE in 2018 and spend five years with the market leader, becoming an NXT Tag Team Champion, a WWE Raw Tag Team Champion, and the WWE United States Champion.

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Following his WWE release, Riddle returned to the ring at the turn of the year for Major League Wrestling, and, as alluded to, has recently begun to work dates for New Japan Pro-Wrestling - including dethroning Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NJPW TV Title at The New Beginning in Sapporo this past Friday.

 
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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.