Samantha Tavel reportedly drops sexual assault lawsuit against Matt Riddle

One of the most high-profile wrestlers accused in last summer’s #SpeakingOut movement was WWE’s Matt Riddle.

Independent wrestler Candy Cartwright (real name Samantha Tavel) alleged Riddle made sexual advances while the pair were traveling with others after a 2018 Evolve show. When Tavel declined, she said he threatened her, and she eventually acquiesced to defuse the situation.

Riddle made public statements denying the allegation, but admitting to an extramarital affair with Tavel. While announcing a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Riddle, WWE, Evolve & Gabe Sapolsky last fall, Tavel’s lawyer said the incident was one of “a multitude of sexual assaults” committed against his client by Riddle from 2017 - 2020.

WWE, Evolve & Sapolsky were dropped from the suit earlier this year. Now, TMZ reports Tavel’s team has filed to have the entire case dismissed.

From their story:

It’s unclear if the two sides reached a monetary settlement ... Cartwright’s attorney, John Chwarzynski, tells us only, “The parties have put this in their past and are focused on the future.”

We reached out to Riddle’s attorneys for comment ... but so far, no word back yet.

While WWE only officially ever made general comments about the accusation against Riddle, the company continued to push his character on television throughout the legal process. He’s currently involved in a major storyline on Raw, and is set to compete in the Money in the Bank ladder match at this Sunday’s PPV in Fort Worth.