Yesterday, New Japan Pro-Wrestling held its 18th annual Wrestle Kingdom event at the Tokyo Dome. The show’s most notable story was undoubtedly the surprise debut of Nic Nemeth, the former Dolph Ziggler who was released from WWE last September. Nemeth is seemingly set for a showdown with inaugural IWGP Global Champion David Finlay following Wrestle Kingdom but he isn’t the only recently released WWE star debuting for NJPW in the near future as Matt Riddle is seemingly set to join him!
During the promotion’s New Year’s Dash event earlier today, a video package aired featuring a mixed marital artist training interspersed with clips of a car pulling up toward the camera. Around 30 seconds into this montage, the car stopped and Riddle emerged from the vehicle before the video quickly cut to the former United States Champion talking directly to the camera inside his training gym.
“Konnichiwa New Japan,” Riddle began. “Let me introduce myself: My name is Matthew Riddle, the King of Bros, and I’ve got my sights set on Tanahashi-san, the Ace of New Japan. I’ll see you soon, bro.”
At the time of writing, it is currently unknown if and when Riddle will face Tanahashi as well as if their clash will be for the latter’s newly acquired NJPW World TV Championship. The promotion’s next major event is Battle In The Valley in San Jose, California on January 13th. The only match confirmed for that show is the main event which will see Kazuchika Okada take on long-time rival and soon-to-be AEW regular Will Ospreay.
Riddle has not competed since the September 4th edition of WWE Raw last year where he and Drew McIntyre lost a Tornado tag team match with The Viking Raiders. However, he’s set to return to the ring tomorrow at MLW Kings of Coliseum where he’ll take on Jacob Fatu in what the promotion is billing as a dream match.
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