Riddle recently joined Peter Rosenberg for an in-depth interview on his “Cheap Heat” podcast.
During the discussion, “The Original Bro” spoke about trying to avoid trash-talking other wrestlers, wanting a match against Goldberg, and how pro wrestling is different compared to MMA.
Featured below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On trying to avoid talking trash about other wrestlers: “I’m trying not to talk too much trash anymore. I don’t want to upset the higher ups, and I said something about, not gonna mention the exact name, but he’s a chief of tribes. I said something about him recently. I’m not saying specific names. That can be anybody, but he wasn’t happy. I talked some trash about me moving the needle on some merch, and he didn’t like what I said. I thought it was hilarious but not everybody thinks like me, and then Brock, I still want the match with Brock.”
On wanting a match with Goldberg: “I promised him I wouldn’t call him out anymore. He asked me not to a couple years ago at Royal Rumble, so I respect your wishes Mr. Beast. I won’t call you out, but I’ll say this, Bill, Bill Goldberg, I’ll be honest, I think I’ve grown on the guy. I think he’s grown on me a little. I think that match can possibly happen. We both went to Saudi. We were both on the same airplane. We bumped into each other quite a few times on that airplane. I think we can get that match. I think we pull that one out. No promises but I’m hoping by 2022, we get Riddle vs. Goldberg. It will sell tickets. “Out of those match-ups, I see that one happening, being the most realistic. Brock, that’s a dream of mine, but I don’t know about that, and the one that we don’t talk about, the chief of tribes, I don’t think he’s ready. Not that he couldn’t be ready. Just like Randy [Orton], I don’t think Randy was ready a couple of years ago for me. It would have been too soon. I think right now, the keys in the same situation. I don’t think he’s ready for me yet. I think I ruffled his feathers a little bit. He’s a peacock. You know he doesn’t like his feathers ruffled. Kind of like I rubbed Bill the wrong way. I don’t think Bill was ready for a relationship for me. Now over time, in a year, things have simmered down.”
On how wrestling is different compared to MMA: “Wrestling is different because it’s non-stop preparation. Looking a certain way, looking the part, being ready to recite a whole paragraph or two paragraphs off a sheet of paper on live television, wrestling, it’s demanding. It’s very demanding in a different way, but once you get competent enough and you feel good enough, for me, it’s a almost like a therapy session when I go out there and wrestle, when I go out there and cut a promo because I get to go out there express myself with my body, express myself with my voice, express with myself with my mind. And I get to do it on live television, in front of a live audience and I get to see their reaction to me. I always dreamt about wrestling, but at the end of the day, I always wanted to be a badass and be able to fight and break people if I had to, and when I grew up watching wrestling, all the guys that were the best of the best were guys that could do both. They could be great sports entertainers, but they also had a shoot side to them or they were at least athletic enough or strong enough where they could be a threat in real life. I always wanted to be a professional wrestler, but I always wanted that wild card up my sleeve if I ever need to pull it in, and I feel like I’m able to accomplish both.”
Check out the complete interview at Apple.com. H/T to WrestlingInc.com for transcribing the above quotes.
