Seth Rollins explains real-life issues with Matt Riddle ahead of WWE Clash at the Castle

During an interview with Ariel Helwani to promote Clash at the Castle, Seth Rollins explained his real-life issues with Matt Riddle.

The issues between Rollins and Riddle date back to a 2019 Instagram post where Riddle’s ex-wife body-shamed Becky Lynch and other women on the WWE roster. Riddle told TalkSport last year that he apologized to Rollins at Survivor Series 2020 for his ex-wife’s Instagram post.

Rollins said in his interview with Helwani that he’s never really liked Riddle’s attitude, and Riddle gets himself in hot water by saying things he shouldn’t.

“As long as I’ve known the guy, I’ve never really liked his attitude. I never really kind of liked the way he goes about his business. A lot of the ways that he sort of disrespected guys that were way above his pay grade when he was down at NXT — the Booker Ts, the Goldbergs, the Brock Lesnars — I’m just like, ‘Dude, pay your dues, work your way up, you’re so good.’ He’s so ultra-talented in the ring, just like he was in the Octagon. But that’s never been his issue, his issue is his head, just getting himself mentally where he needs to be able to consistently perform. He’s trying to talk his way to the top, which I respect in some ways. But at the same time, you’re going to get there, just work your way up the right way. So, I never really liked that,” Rollins said.

“It really kind of kicked off, there was an incident with his now ex-wife where he was kind of taking her side as she was — for better or worse — body-shaming, that’s the only way I can put it, my wife and some of the other girls in the locker room, completely unprovoked. I understand, as a husband, you’ve gotta take your wife’s side, but you also can zip your trap sometimes. I felt like him taking her side, I just was like, ‘You gotta shut up.’ Essentially, the cat opens his mouth when he shouldn’t. Says things that he shouldn’t, when he shouldn’t, and it gets him in some hot water. I don’t like the way he conducts himself.”

Rollins said the Instagram post from Riddle’s ex-wife wasn’t part of a storyline and he doesn’t understand why she thought her opinion was necessary.

Rollins told Helwani that he didn’t want to work with Riddle when Riddle was called up to the main roster. When asked if he has an issue with working with Riddle now, Rollins called himself a professional and said he handles things accordingly on both sides of the camera.

“I’m a professional, and so I get the job done,” Rollins said. “I think anybody that I’ve ever worked with, you could ask, no matter what has gone on backstage, when the red light is on and we’re out there in front of the crowd, it’s a different person. Backstage is a different situation as well. There’s Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle backstage, like we’re never going out, hanging out, going to bars, partying, doing anything like that — probably not even sharing a slice of pizza. And there’s Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle in the ring. Like I said, I’m a professional, so I handle things accordingly on both sides of the camera.”

The history between Rollins and Riddle has been worked into the storyline for their match at Clash at the Castle. On Raw earlier this week, a heated war of words between the two ended with Rollins mentioning Riddle’s ex-wife. After Riddle brought up Lynch’s name, Rollins responded by saying Riddle doesn’t have a family because his wife left him, took their kids, and they don’t want to see him anymore.

Clash at the Castle takes place at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales this afternoon. The pay-per-view streams live on Peacock/WWE Network starting at 1 p.m. Eastern time.

Part one of Helwani’s interview with Rollins was released this morning and can be seen below: