Career Timeline of Matt Rife: Major Achievements and Milestones

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 6, 2026

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Matt Rife made an impact.

Matt Rife is an American comedian and actor recognized for his stand-up comedy and appearances in television. He gained prominence through self-produced comedy specials such as 'Only Fans,' 'Matthew Steven Rife,' and 'Walking Red Flag'. His recognition expanded with Netflix specials, 'Natural Selection' and 'Lucid', and a Christmas special, 'Unwrapped'. Rife also had a recurring role on the sketch improv comedy and rap show 'Wild 'n Out'.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

2015: Cast Member on Wild 'n Out

In 2015, Matt Rife became a cast member on "Wild 'n Out".

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2017: Host on TRL Reboot and Appearance on The Challenge

In 2017, Matt Rife hosted the short-lived reboot of TRL and appeared on MTV's "The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars".

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2018: Role in Black Pumpkin

In 2018, Matt Rife played a role in the B-movie slasher film "Black Pumpkin".

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2019: Featured on Bring the Funny

In 2019, Matt Rife was featured on the television series "Bring the Funny", where he advanced to the Semi-final Showcase but was eliminated in week 8, and the Netflix special "Natural Selection".

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2021: Only Fans Special Release

In 2021, Matt Rife self-produced the comedy special "Only Fans".

December 2022: Signed with Creative Artists Agency

In December 2022, Matt Rife signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

2022: Labeled as Struggling Comedian

In 2022, The New York Times described Matt Rife as "just another struggling road comedian" before his rise in popularity on TikTok.

April 2023: Released Matthew Steven Rife Special

In April 2023, Matt Rife released a self-titled special "Matthew Steven Rife" on Valentine's Day.

June 2023: Released Walking Red Flag Special

In June 2023, Matt Rife released another special titled "Walking Red Flag", focusing on crowd-work.

November 15, 2023: Release of Natural Selection

On November 15, 2023, Matt Rife released his Netflix standup special "Natural Selection", which received mixed reviews.

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2023: Comedy Specials Released

In 2023, Matt Rife self-produced the comedy specials "Matthew Steven Rife" and "Walking Red Flag". He also had guest roles on the sketch comedy and improv game show series Wild 'n Out, as Brandon Bliss on the comedy television series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and as Logan on the sitcom television series Fresh Off the Boat.

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