WWE Reportedly Never Seriously Considered Matt Riddle to Win 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble Despite His Recent Claims

A recent virtual fan signing event for Signed By Superstars featured Matt Riddle as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Riddle stating that he was supposed to win the 2022 Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match before Vince McMahon changed his mind in favor of Austin Theory.

“Wanna hear something else cool? I was supposed to win Money in the Bank but Vince (McMahon) really likes Austin Theory and literally hours before, they changed it and Austin was added in and threw me off the ladder. After I took two huge ladder bumps off the RKO and everything else and it’s like… But, I love Austin Theory and I’m happy for him. Keep killing it bro.”

Riddle also claimed that he believed he was told by WWE officials that he would win the 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble match before those plans were dropped due to Brock Lesnar demanding that he be booked to win it instead.

“So I believe — you know, it’s sports-entertainment — that I was told at one point, yeah, I was gonna win the (Royal) Rumble and everything else and then what was it? Bobby Lashley beat Brock Lesnar because somebody came in and hit him with the belt or what have you. Then Brock came in, didn’t wanna do business with everybody, said he was winning, and then he won, and then none of the producers… nobody stood up to him and they let him do it. I didn’t either, I didn’t either. I’m like, f*ck man, I’m just here.”

In regards to WWE’s actual plans for the 2022 Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match, Dave Meltzer reported in a recent episode of the Wrestling Observer Radio that Riddle was somewhat true about what he said about WWE’s plans for the Men’s Money in the Bank match. Meltzer reported that WWE officials did have plans at one point for Riddle to win the match but he was also one of several people that WWE had considered as possible winners. Meltzer reported that WWE’s actual plans for the winner were not finalized until very late due to McMahon, who eventually picked Theory to win it.

In regards to the 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble match, Meltzer reported that WWE officials never had seriously considered at any point for Riddle to be a potential winner for that match. Meltzer also reported that considering the time frame, Riddle was not being presented nor pushed as a main event type star by WWE officials which is needed for someone who would be planned to win the Rumble and main event a WrestleMania.

Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com