Matt Riddle has had an up-and-down history with Seth Rollins, from real-life tension to professional cooperation, but he now seems to view their dynamic as a blend of respect and distance. During his TMZ Inside The Ring podcast appearance, Riddle opened up about where things stand between the two former rivals.
He described Rollins as someone he respects deeply in the ring but admitted that they don’t share much common ground outside of wrestling. Riddle referred to Rollins as a “small guy”, clarifying that it wasn’t meant as an insult, but rather a playful observation. He followed that up by calling Rollins a “great wrestler” and credited him for being one of the most consistent performers in WWE today.
Riddle explained that they always maintained professionalism during matches and backstage interactions, even when there were personal disagreements. He acknowledged that their relationship has been strained in the past – particularly when Rollins publicly said he didn’t want to work with Riddle in WWE (due to Riddle’s then-wife body shaming Becky Lynch) – but emphasized that time and mutual respect eventually smoothed things over.
According to Riddle, Rollins tends to keep to himself, often traveling with his wife Becky Lynch on their private bus rather than spending long hours in the locker room with the rest of the roster. Riddle, on the other hand, prefers a more social environment and spends most of his time hanging out with other wrestlers backstage.
He noted that their contrasting personalities probably prevented them from ever becoming close friends, but that there’s no animosity between them now. In fact, Riddle said he enjoyed working with Rollins because their in-ring chemistry always produced strong matches, even if their personal connection wasn’t as strong.
The two clashed several times in 2022, including a heated program that blurred the lines between fiction and reality. Rollins took shots at Riddle’s real-life divorce during promos – something Riddle himself encouraged, saying he wanted the storyline to feel as real as possible. That level of commitment, Riddle said, is why Rollins remains one of the best in the business.
While their personalities might not align, Riddle made it clear that his respect for Rollins’ talent hasn’t changed. He summed it up by saying that some wrestlers don’t need to be friends to create magic in the ring – and that his history with Seth is proof of that.
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