Former WWE star Matt Riddle recently unveiled a surprising twist in the events leading up to the 2022 Royal Rumble, claiming that plans for his victory were derailed due to the involvement of Brock Lesnar. Riddle, part of the popular RK-Bro tag-team with Randy Orton, had been gaining momentum in the weeks preceding the Royal Rumble.
Despite being positioned as a potential winner, both Riddle and Orton faced elimination when Brock Lesnar, a surprise entrant, entered the fray. Lesnar, who had earlier lost his WWE Championship to Bobby Lashley, altered the course of the match with his unexpected participation.
Speaking during a Signed By Superstars virtual signing, Riddle disclosed that he had been informed at one point that he was slated to win the 2022 Royal Rumble. However, plans changed after Bobby Lashley’s victory over Brock Lesnar earlier in the night, leading Lesnar to assert his dominance and declare himself the victor.
Riddle explained:
“I was told at one point I was going to win the Rumble (in 2022), and then Bobby Lashley beat Brock Lesnar, hit him with the belt. Brock came in, didn’t want to do business with everybody and said he was winning. Nobody stood up to him. I didn’t either.”
Initial reports from PWInsider indicated that Riddle was the favored winner before Lesnar’s inclusion, while Fightful had reported Lesnar’s planned victory at least two weeks prior to the event.
After his WWE release in September 2023, Riddle made a surprising appearance via video at NJPW New Year Dash, issuing a challenge to NJPW WORLD TV Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi.
