As PWMania.com previously reported, WWE terminated Ridge Holland’s contract ahead of its expected expiration date on November 14 due to recent public comments he made, which were deemed a breach of contract.
This decision followed Holland’s expressed dissatisfaction with WWE for choosing not to renew his contract. He felt abandoned by the company, especially given his recent Lisfranc injury and the likelihood of needing neck fusion surgery in the near future.
According to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE had initially planned to release Holland much earlier in his tenure, about a year ago. However, he negotiated a one-year renewal deal at a significantly lower rate.
Under this agreement, Holland was to remain under the NXT banner for an additional year, as he was already part of NXT at that time, but he would be paid less than he had been the previous year.
The report indicated that Holland was likely under a main roster contract due to his time on SmackDown as a member of The Brawling Brutes alongside Sheamus and Pete Dunne. WWE hoped that giving him another year would benefit NXT because of his main roster experience, but ultimately it did not, and he did not achieve significant popularity.
Holland did gain some traction with the Chase U storyline, but WWE failed to capitalize on that momentum, and he subsequently sustained an injury.
Moreover, Meltzer noted that instead of outright cutting Holland, WWE decided not to renew his contract once it expired later this month. The company planned to continue paying him through November 14; however, Holland’s injury—which occurred during a recent set of TNA Impact TV tapings in September—changed the situation.
Meltzer pointed out that WWE contracts prohibit wrestlers from making negative public remarks about the company, and Holland’s recent comments provided the grounds for WWE to terminate his contract early. This move was likely intended to send a message to other contracted talents regarding public criticism of the company.
Meltzer also speculated that there might not be much demand for Holland in AEW or other independent wrestling promotions, aside from TNA. However, joining TNA could present complications due to their current association with WWE, particularly since Holland sustained his injury while working there under a WWE contract.
Lastly, Meltzer highlighted that, considering WWE’s recent profits being “through the roof,” there was no justification for not retaining Holland on contract throughout his rehabilitation period. He also emphasized that Holland was injured while under contract and performing for WWE. Following these developments, WWE has since moved Holland’s profile to the Alumni section of its website, as reported by Fightful.com.
