Matt Riddle Calls Wrestling Fans “Gullible” and Claims Most Backlash Is Fake

Matt Riddle is tired of people twisting his words and trying to cancel him—and he’s not afraid to say so. Whether it’s online critics, wrestling fans, or locker room veterans who don’t like his style, Riddle believes the outrage is mostly noise from people who don’t understand the business he lives and breathes.

During his interview on TMZ’s Inside the Ring, Riddle addressed years of online hate, controversial comments, and the backlash he’s received from both fans and fellow wrestlers. But in Riddle’s view, none of it really sticks—because the rules of cancel culture just don’t apply the same way in pro wrestling.

“I love pro wrestling. I really do. I grew up watching it. It’s one of my greatest passions… but at the end of the day, when you become one of the workers in this industry, you’re under such a microscope.”

Riddle said being under constant scrutiny comes with the territory, but blamed a lot of the drama on fans who can’t tell what’s real and what’s part of the show.

“And you’re ridiculed for everything. It’s unreal. And it’s pro wrestling. Unfortunately, because it’s pro wrestling, your fans are pretty gullible, right? “Pro wrestling fans are gullible. If they hear one thing, they don’t know what’s real. You guys sometimes don’t know what’s real. Everything’s mostly a work, dude.”

When asked whether he ever regrets saying things about wrestling fans, Riddle didn’t flinch.

“No, not at all. I’m not only a wrestling fan—I’m so crazy of a wrestling fan, I throw my [__] self off cages and ladders through tables all the time and I wrestle and I travel the world. That might sound like a luxury, but at the end of the day, you gotta have that piss and vinegar and you gotta be tough. That’s just what it is.”

Then the topic shifted to cancel culture and whether it affects wrestlers the same way it does actors, influencers, or athletes in other industries.

“Cancel culture doesn’t apply to wrestlers the same way it does to Brad Pitt or someone else in the industry.”

He was pressed on that point—and Riddle clarified that it depends on a few factors, but overall, the wrestling world exists in a “gray area” that fans and outsiders don’t understand.

“It also depends on how successful you are, right? Who’s making the accusation? How true is the story?”

Riddle said he’s been dealing with years of false narratives and exaggerated backlash, especially during the pandemic when fans were stuck at home with nothing better to do.

“People just believe anything they see on the internet, without any facts… You never want to say, ‘This isn’t fair,’ but at a certain point, it’s like, shut the [__] up. This [__] didn’t happen.”

“For years, you guys have been ruining my career just because you couldn’t do anything during COVID and sat in your [__] houses on a keyboard. So sorry, not sorry.”

He also blasted indie promoters and wrestling companies that don’t hold up their end of contracts, adding that he’s expected to show up on time and perform, but when others drop the ball, they face zero consequences.

“In my situation, what am I supposed to do? Just complain? If I’m late, I could possibly get my career ruined. But if they don’t fulfill their end of the bargain, it’s whatever.”

Riddle then spoke on how wrestling itself is misunderstood by the outside world:

“It’s art. You’re trying to entertain people. And you’re gonna piss people off or make people happy. It’s just what it is. Everything in this business is a work, dude. But Twitter, social media—it lets anybody say anything, and it can be damaging. Especially when you’re in entertainment.”

By the end of the segment, Riddle didn’t apologize for anything he’s said in the past—and made it clear he has zero regrets.

“I’m the biggest fan of them all. I’m the [__] mark. I’ve always been one. I just don’t lie about it.”

Matt Riddle made one thing clear: if you can’t handle his brand of honesty, you probably don’t belong in his world.