Former WWE Superstar Alex Riley is set to return to the ring soon.
Riley posted some in-ring training videos on his Instagram account over the summer, and this week he announced that he will be back in the ring on Thursday, December 8 in Lynbrook, NY at the Holiday Toy Drive 2022 event hosted by Create-A-Pro and The Major Wrestling Figures Podcast.
Riley will fight alongside NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Tyrus against VBU’s Jack Tomlinson and Dante Drago.
According to a new report from Fightful Select, Riley has told people that he wants to return to pro wrestling. Tyrus sent Riley to the Create-A-Pro school, owned by Impact star Brian Myers and AEW Vice President of Talent Development Pat Buck, when Riley decided to return to the ring, and he’s continued to train there. Riley has recently appeared on Tyrus’ FOX News Radio podcast.
Riley’s social media shows that he has recently done in-ring training with Jay Lethal, Big Kon (Konnor), and David Mercury at their Florida school, The Wrestling Lab.
Riley appears to be wrestling for the first time since losing to Shinsuke Nakamura at the WWE NXT TV tapings on April 28, 2016. Riley stated in 2017 that he wanted to focus on acting, and he eventually landed a few minor roles, including one in the Netflix series GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling).
Riley signed a WWE developmental contract to work for FCW in 2007, and he once held the FCW Florida Heavyweight Title. He went on to work the second season of NXT under The Miz’s mentorship. Riley and Miz later worked together on the main roster, including Riley’s infamous Steel Cage loss to John Cena on RAW on February 28, 2011. He continued to make main roster appearances after splitting from The Miz in the 2011 Supplemental Draft and being assigned to SmackDown. Riley also worked some NXT matches before moving into commentary in the summer of 2013. He tried out for a few more roles and worked for NXT and the main roster until he was released on May 6, 2016, along with other cuts.
Riley’s Instagram post about his upcoming match, as well as a few recent training posts, can be found below:
