WWE Rumors: ‘Raw’ Superstar Reportedly Signs Contract Extension With Company

Weeks after it was first reported that Monday Night Raw superstar Riddle was negotiating a new contract with WWE, it appears that the former UFC fighter has signed an extension with the promotion that will keep him working for Vince McMahon for the foreseeable future.

As cited by Ringside News on Wednesday, Fightful Select wrote in a members’ only report that Riddle “didn’t seem too interested” in renewing his contract with WWE after he was given an initial offer by the company. However, he supposedly liked the new terms he was offered, and had, as of last week, signed the extension just as officials hoped he would before the end of the year.

In a separate article, WrestlingNews.co cited an earlier story from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, who reported that Riddle had “pretty much agreed” to a three-year extension that would pay him a guaranteed $400,000 per year, with a bonus of $50,000 for each show that WWE holds in Saudi Arabia. The deal he originally signed in 2018 was reportedly set to expire in August 2021.

So far, Riddle has gone through multiple ups and downs since getting called up to the main roster earlier this year. Over the summer, the superstar faced allegations from an independent wrestler who accused him of inappropriate behavior, though WWE later issued two statements that stressed he would only be released by the promotion if he is found guilty of the accusations. Additionally, he got his ring name shortened not long after he got drafted to the red brand in October — during his time on NXT and Friday Night SmackDown, he had competed under his full name of Matt Riddle.

Although the name change was purportedly carried out because McMahon wants him to show a more serious side of his personality, recent reports have suggested that the WWE chairman and other officials enjoy his current gimmick, which has been compared to Sean Penn’s Jeff Spicoli character from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He has also gotten significant exposure on Raw since partnering with Jeff Hardy to form the “Hardy Bros” tag team.

Riddle is not the only prominent WWE superstar whose contract status had recently been in the news. As noted by Wrestling Inc., former world champion Daniel Bryan recently confirmed that his deal with the company will be expiring soon. While he did not disclose whether or not he plans to re-sign, he hinted at plans of transitioning to a part-time role as he shifts his focus toward fatherhood.