Matt Riddle On How His Lifestyle Has Changed In NXT From The Indies

WWE NXT Superstar Matt Riddle recently spoke with Byron Saxton for the WWE website at this link. Below are highlights:

Speaking of character, when we see you perform, you come off as a pretty laid-back guy. Where does your demeanor come from?

"That's just exactly who I am. When I first started, I had a mullet and I was trying to play a hillbilly persona. While it was fun, it wasn't me. I decided the best move was just to be me and turn it up a little bit. I'm 100-percent me when I'm out there. Sometimes I feel like I shouldn't even be getting paid because I'm just being myself all the time."

You've had a few months now to settle into the NXT lifestyle. What has it been like for you to train at the WWE Performance Center?

"Dude, it's awesome. Before I got to NXT, I was lucky to get a couple days in a gym, let alone a ring. I was flying from Florida to Germany, Germany to England, England to Boston, Boston to California, then back to Pennsylvania where I'd sleep for a few days, and then be somewhere like Iowa or Indiana next. Now I get to train full-time and learn from the best coaches in the world. I went from doing push-ups on a wrestling mat in my house when I had spare time to training with the best of the best. It's a good feeling."

What message do you have for the people who are watching you live the dream in this world we call sports-entertainment?

"I wanna take over and change the game. If you don't know who I am, by the end of my match you will. By the end of my match, you'll be saying "Bro" just like everyone else around you."