Former WWE star Ridge Holland has addressed the GoFundMe campaign that was recently launched to assist him and his family in the wake of his WWE departure, clarifying that it was set up without his permission.
Holland issued a public statement confirming that a family member launched the fundraiser without his knowledge and that any funds raised will ultimately be donated to charity.
“Thank you all for the incredible support shown through the GoFundMe campaign. However, I want to clarify that I was not aware the page was going live and had no prior discussion with the family member who created it. I’ve since requested that no further donations be accepted, and this change should take effect within the next 24 hours. Once we figure out how to move forward and I recoup the amount donated, I will be donating said amount to charity. I sincerely apologize if the page caused any upset or offense — that was never the intention. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.”
The GoFundMe page was created by Susan Chapman, who identified herself as the mother of Holland’s father. In an update on the fundraiser Sunday, Chapman explained that she set up the campaign independently, without informing Holland or his family beforehand.
“Hello everyone, I wanted to write this update to let you know that I’m the mum of the father that you all are supporting. I set this fundraiser up for the family without them knowing because I want to help. I also wanted to thank you all for your support, it is very much appreciated.”
Several names from the wrestling world contributed to the campaign, including Raj Singh, Omos, Kyle Fletcher, and Nick Jackson. WWE’s Chelsea Green also shared the GoFundMe link and donated $1,000, but her related social media posts were deleted shortly afterward.
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at F4WOnline.com that WWE’s stance is that Holland was originally slated to be released a year ago but requested to move to NXT with a reduced salary to remain with the company.
“Basically the WWE side of the Ridge Holland story is that they were going to cut him one year ago, but he asked to stay and work NXT with a significant pay cut,” Meltzer wrote. “They felt that he should have known this probably wasn’t going to be a long-term thing and the idea is that he made a lot of money while he was on the main roster and should have prepared finances with the idea he may not be there much longer.”
This past Friday, Holland released a full-length video explaining the entire situation via his official YouTube channel. You can watch the complete video via the YouTube player embedded below.
— Luke Menzies (@RidgeWWE) November 9, 2025
