What if Matt Riddle was to challenge Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 35?

#4 An MMA style build

WWE could capitalize on Riddle and Lesnar's MMA histories

One of Matt Riddle’s main sources of credibility is his successful career in MMA, including fighting as a star for UFC. Riddle always wanted to be a wrestler—and discussed on his recent visit to Edge and Christian’s podcast that he took up amateur wrestling and then MMA at first as inroads to sports entertainment. Nonetheless, his ring style is grounded in his MMA work, and even his look, including wrestling barefoot, are influenced by that history.

WWE would be wise to cash in on Riddle’s background and particularly sell him as someone who is a threat to Brock Lesnar because, like the Universal Champion, Riddle has fought for real and is capable of imposing significant damage on an opponent in startlingly real and violent fashion. We could see a more MMA style build to this kind of match, including vignettes of them training, and having the two go through the motions of a more traditional weigh-in in advance of their big match.