Released WWE Star Says Cocaine Was Reason For Failed Drug Tests

WWE

Former WWE star Matt Riddle has revealed his story regarding his failed WWE drugs tests prior to his release in September.

Matt Riddle was released from WWE back on September 22, and has since returned to wrestling for MLW and NJPW.

Prior to a return in April 2023 before being released just a few months later, Riddle had been off television since December 2022, time off that was reportedly due to him failing the company’s wellness policy.

Speaking on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Riddle was asked about the drug tests, and the reason he failed.

Riddle said that the reason behind him failing the tests was due to cocaine, saying:

“I had two offenses. They didn’t make any of the offenses public. I think they wanted to keep it on the hush hush, which I understand. I got fined.

“You’re allowed to smoke weed. I went to the strip club and did cocaine a couple times. I failed a drug test for that. That was for all of them, it was cocaine each time. It was just a random night. WWE tests you randomly, any week. Sometimes, you get tested at the end of one month and the beginning of another month.

“There was one week where I failed bang bang, didn’t know I failed the second one and by the time I failed the first one, I got two at once. I think that’s why they were a little more lenient. ‘We tested you back-to-back, you failed both times.’ I was like, ‘I’ll show you, no more problems, test me for the next ten weeks.’ I did that, I was fine, didn’t fail one test. When I thought I was in the clear, went out, partied a little bit, they gave me a random test at my house, I failed that, and shortly after that, they had me go to rehab.”

When Helwani had asked if WWE made Riddle go to rehab, he said:

“They can’t make you do anything, but it’s ‘go or…’ ‘Okay, I’ll go.’ I went for the 30 days, I left, and when I left, they made a recommendation that they wanted me to stay for another 30 days and I was like, ‘I said I would do 30 days, I don’t want to do another 30 days.’ I missed Christmas and New Year’s. I learned my lesson. Trust me, I don’t go out there and rage it up anymore like that. I learned my lesson.

“‘No, we want you to do another 30 days.’ I wanted to test and get my black belt, I had been waiting 10 years. I had some money because RKBro was successful, and I wanted to buy a house. I bought a house, my aunt had cancer, so I went to see her. She’s good now. I was like, ‘Let me do these couple of things before I leave.’ ‘Okay.’ I went, did those, then went back for another 30 days. Got out and I was just waiting. This was a month before WrestleMania. ‘We don’t have anything for you. Maybe Raw After Mania.’ I thought they were going to fire me.”

Matt Riddle did end up returning to the company on the Raw after WrestleMania 39, interrupting and laying out The Miz.

Riddle captured the NJPW World Television Championship back at NJPW New Beginning in Saporro night one, defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi.

transcription via Fightful

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• cocaine
• drugs
• Wellness Policy
• Matt Riddle
• wwe

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