Matt Riddle Has A Message For Other MMA Fighters Considering Wrestling

Matt Riddle Has A Message For Other MMA Fighters Considering Wrestling

Matt Riddle spoke with CBS sports and he has a message for other MMA guys considering the transition to the world of professional wrestling. Considering it’s Matt Riddle, it’s not as hostile as you might think.

“I wish I could say, ‘Yeah, if you’re an MMA fighter, hop in.’ But to be a good pro wrestler, you have to love pro wrestling. I’ve loved pro wrestling longer than I’ve loved mixed martial arts. It’s just that I wrestled in high school and I just went on that path before I got into pro wrestling. Tom Lawler is the same way. He’s a great example of a mixed martial artist who loved pro wrestling before he started wrestling and he’s had pretty good success, I think.”

Colby Covington and Henry Cejudo have floated the idea they may consider wrestling after giving up MMA. What does Riddle think about them joining the pro-wrestling ranks?

“I think, if you’re a talented athlete and have charisma, you can totally make the jump to pro wrestling. At the same time, wrestling is one of those things that does not come easy. The fans, just like MMA fans, they can be brutal at times. If you don’t bring it or you mess up or you’re not doing things right, they’re going to be cold. Those guys all have a good amount of charisma, they have a good amount of star power, they’re amazing athletes and fighters. But it’s a process. When I started wrestling, I could do all the moves and was like, ‘This is going to be easy. I’m super athletic and I feel like I can talk.’ But when you’re out there wrestling, it’s a completely different animal. It’s hard.

Riddle would go on to talk about how it’s been hard to toe the line of being PG. He also talks about how some of them need to think about their size before making the jump. Cejudo is 5’4” and a 135 lbs. That’s smaller than Rey Mysterio.

However, Mysterio and Marko Stunt are carving out roles as really small guys. Maybe Cejudo can too.

4 years ago by Nate

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