Matt Riddle makes NXT in-ring debut at house show

Editor’s note: JJ Williams contributed to this article.

Matt Riddle made his NXT in-ring debut at tonight’s house show in Sanford, Florida.

In his first in-ring appearance for WWE, Riddle defeated Fabian Aichner in a back-and-forth match. Riddle was over with the crowd, wrestled barefoot (like he did on the indies), and got the win after using a powerbomb where he followed up by hitting a knee strike.

Riddle signing with WWE was officially announced when he was shown sitting in the front row at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV last month. He has yet to appear on NXT television since then, but Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Riddle facing Kassius Ohno was planned for TakeOver: WarGames in Los Angeles, California on November 17.

Tonight was the first time that Riddle has wrestled since facing PCO at Joey Janela’s Lost in New York on August 17. Riddle is set to make one final indie appearance at PROGRESS Wrestling’s show at Wembley Arena in England on September 30. Riddle will be facing Mark Haskins at that event.