More Backstage Details on WWE Terminating Ridge Holland’s Contract Early, WWE ‘Wanted To Send a Message’ With Firing

As previously reported, WWE terminated the contract of Ridge Holland ahead of its expected November 14 expiration date due to his recent public comments, which were considered to be a breach of contract. Dave Meltzer provided more details on the situation during today’s edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.

As noted, the wrestler and former NXT Tag Team Champion noted his disenfranchisement with WWE opting not to renew his contract, revealing that he felt hung out to dry by WWE in light of his recent Lisfranc injury and likely having to undergo neck fusion surgery later on. Holland stated on social media, “Add to that my contract not being renewed, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to wrestle for 7 months. This is brutal. Yes, they are taking care of the surgery and physical therapy, but let’s be honest, that’s the bare minimum after what we sacrifice for the company.”

According to Dave Meltzer, WWE had initially planned to cut Ridge Holland much earlier in his WWE run, which was about a year ago. However, Meltzer reported that Holland worked out a one-year renewal deal with WWE at a much lower rate.

Under his new deal, Holland would remain under the NXT banner for one year because he was already part of NXT at the time, but he would still be paid less than what he was receiving a year before. He was likely under a main roster contract at that point due to his time on SmackDown as part of The Brawling Brutes with Sheamus and Pete Dunne (formerly Butch).

Meltzer stated on WWE renewing Holland a year ago, “So they gave him another year, and they probably, you know, in reality had already probably decided that, okay, well, his name might help NXT a little bit because he’s got main roster value. It didn’t really help them, you know, he wasn’t that over. I mean, he did get over a little bit with the — got over with the Andre Chase thing, but then I mean, I don’t think that they ever really expected that to get over, and they didn’t follow up and do anything with him.” He continued, “I mean, he was he had been a lame duck for a while. Then he got hurt.”

Meltzer indicated that rather than cut Holland, WWE simply opted not to renew his contract once it expired later this month, with WWE planning to continue paying him through November 14, but Holland getting injured at a recent set of TNA Impact TV tapings in September “changed everything.” Meltzer noted that wrestlers under their WWE contract are “not supposed to talk badly about the company in public,” so Holland’s recent statements allowed WWE to terminate his contract early.

Meltzer added on WWE’s position, “So they felt that they now have the right to fire him.” He journalist noted that WWE terminating Holland’s contract early after his recent statements was meant to send a message to contracted talents not to speak badly about the company in public. He went on, “I mean, however you want to look at it, they wanted to send a message to everyone out there that if you say anything bad that that you can be cut and that’s what happened.”

Additionally, Meltzer speculated that there won’t be much of a demand for Holland in AEW or independent promotions, stating, “I don’t see him fitting in with AEW. I don’t see — the independent scene is not anywhere near what it used to be. TNA, maybe yes, maybe no.”

Meltzer explained that the problem with Holland potentially migrating to TNA Wrestling is TNA’s current association with WWE, and Holland suffered his recent injury while working there under a WWE contract. Meltzer stated, “The problem with TNA is that they’re so beholden to WWE and they may just think that, ‘Well, we don’t want to get WWE — [mad]… Um, I don’t — not that I think WWE would be mad at them if they used him, but they [TNA] may think that he probably hurt himself with TNA, because of all this.”

That said, Meltzer expressed his opinion that, looking at the company’s recent profits being “through the roof,” there was no reason not to keep Ridge Holland under contract to WWE through his rehab period. He also pointed out that Holland got hurt while he was under contract and on the job for WWE.

A GoFundMe campaign was recently launched, organized by Susan Chapman of Saint Cloud, Florida, to help raise money for Holland. The campaign has currently raised $4,685 of a $60,000 goal.

If using any of the above quotes, please credit Wrestling Observer Radio, with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.