Carlito set to compete in first match after WWE exit against controversial star
Carlito will be competing in his first match since he left WWE. He will compete against a controversial star.
When Matt Riddle joined WWE, it looked like he was going to be pushed to the moon. He had a pretty successful run in NXT and soon moved up to the main roster, where he found instant success. He won the United States Championship and even formed an entertaining tag team with Randy Orton called RK-Bro. Together, they won the RAW Tag Team Championship twice.
However, Riddle was known for finding himself in controversy. In 2020, indie wrestler Candy Cartwright accused Riddle of sexually assaulting her. Riddle denied the allegations and even filed a restraining order against Candy Cartwright. In 2023, Riddle found himself in another bit of controversy after he alleged that he was sexually assaulted at JFK airport by security. An investigation revealed that the former WWE star was intoxicated at the time and was causing a scene. This eventually led to his release from the Stamford-based promotion.
Since his release, Matt Riddle has been working in the independent scene and will now compete against Carlito in a Big Time Wrestling event on July 25, 2025. Carlito recently departed the sports entertainment juggernaut after his contract expired. This will be his first match since leaving the promotion.
"🚨MATCH ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨 Battle for the King of BTW - The King of the Bros MATT RIDDLE vs. The King of Cool CARLITO Meet STING and all the stars for photos and autographs from 5-8 PM. Belltime is 8 PM. Get your tickets now! www.btwtix.com."
Carlito highlights major regret following WWE exit
Most fans feel that the most memorable part of Carlito's WWE second run was his storyline with Judgment Day. After joining the group, the former WWE star was involved in many storylines and matches with the group. However, his departure from the company was so sudden that he didn't get to see this storyline through.
During a recent edition of the Busted Open Radio, the former WWE star stated that he wasn't surprised that his former employer didn't renew his contract. He also noted that while his run with WWE went better than anticipated, he wished he had gotten to finish his storyline with Judgment Day.
"I wasn't too surprised or too shocked, you know what I mean? I signed for two years, and it actually went better than I thought it would go. The only thing is I'm a professional. They could have told me, and I would have then at least let me finish out the story for The Judgment Day. So they can keep on going... I think it's a disrespect to the fans that they sometimes just dropped the storylines," he said. [From 0:54 to 1:21]
It will be interesting to see what's next for Carlito after his WWE exit.
