Matt Riddle Involved in Altercation with Fan at Independent Wrestling Event

Former WWE wrestler Matt Riddle was involved in a physical altercation with a fan at a Boca Raton Championship Wrestling event on Sunday, March 1, 2026. The incident, captured on video and shared widely on social media, occurred during Riddle’s match against Stallion Rogers.

The Confrontation

The fan, identified as James Michael Oja, Jr., who refers to himself as a “lousy-ass construction worker” on his Instagram account @bigoja321, has been publicly challenging pro wrestlers, including Riddle, Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, and AJ Francis. During the match, as the action moved near the barricade, Riddle approached Oja, exchanged words, and then shoved him in the face. Oja remained standing and did not attempt to retaliate, keeping his hands on the barricade throughout the interaction. Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline first reported on the incident.

Background on Riddle and Oja

Matt Riddle initially gained prominence as a mixed martial artist, competing in Season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter and achieving seven wins in the UFC, including “Fight of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” awards, before testing positive for marijuana and being released. He transitioned to professional wrestling, training at the Monster Factory, where he received Rookie of the Year and Most Improved awards in the 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards.

Riddle joined WWE in 2018, achieving success with the NXT Tag Team Championship, the United States Championship, and two reigns as WWE Raw Tag Team Champion with Randy Orton. He was released from WWE in 2023 following an incident at JFK International Airport. He has since been competing on the independent circuit.

Oja has been actively provoking wrestlers online through Instagram videos, repeatedly taunting Riddle, Goldberg, and other members of the wrestling community. eWrestlingNews reports that Riddle responded to Oja’s challenges with a warning, stating, “I’m showing up to your job site bro.”

Aftermath and Reactions

The incident has sparked discussion among wrestling fans online. As of March 3, 2026, neither Boca Raton Championship Wrestling nor Riddle have issued official statements regarding the altercation. WrestlingNewsSource notes that video of the shove is circulating widely.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.