Matt Riddle has wrestled some of the biggest names in various wrestling promotions. However, The King of Bros highlighted a top AEW star to be one of his best opponents so far.
In a recent interview with SHAK Wrestling, Riddle named former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland as one of the best stars he has wrestled inside the squared circle in his life.
"Swerve is one of the best guys I have wrestled prior in my life."
The former WWE United States Champion stated that Strickland was part of a different generation of wrestlers. Riddle believed that Swerve was among those big men who were strong and delivered exceptional bouts in the ring.
"Swerve, I'll say this, it's a different generation, and Swerve is very talented and he is of that new generation of top-tier wrestlers that not only are strong enough, big enough, but can go and can go on a certain clip." [3:20 to 3:55]
Swerve Strickland credits match with Matt Riddle as an important turning point in his career
Matt Riddle and Swerve Strickland wrestled each other in 2018 for the MLW Championship. Strickland defeated The Original Bro to win the World Championship in a bout that lasted just over 21 minutes.
In an interview in 2023, Swerve labeled his match against Riddle as one of the most important matches of his career. He claimed that the match made him look like a true in-ring competitor and expressed gratitude to Riddle for bringing that out of him.
"I honestly say one of the biggest, most important matches in my career that really trajected me in a different way was me and Matt Riddle from MLW. That was really big. That was what made me look like a true fighter, a true competitor, not just an athletic in ring talent. I looked like a fighter and I thank Riddle all the time for truly bringing that out in me. Surviving someone as lethal as a Matt Riddle is big." [H/T Wrestle Zone]
While Swerve Strickland and Riddle currently wrestle for different promotions, it will be interesting to see them square off once again now that both competitors are operating on different levels in their respective careers.