Ridge Holland’s WWE career didn’t just end quietly—it ended abruptly, and now it looks like that was the point.
On the November 6 episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer revealed that WWE’s decision to cut Holland a week early—while he’s still injured and unable to work—was more about punishment than paperwork. Alvarez read Holland’s tweet aloud, the same one that sealed his fate with the company:
“I feel like I’ve just been hung out to dry after getting injured working for another company on behalf of WWE. Add to that my contract not being renewed, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to wrestle for seven months is brutal. Yes, they are taking care of the surgery and physical therapy, but let’s be honest, that’s a bare minimum after what we sacrificed for the company. Plus the possibility of having to get my neck fused too. Talk about getting totally f**ed.”*
Meltzer confirmed the fallout was swift, “Then the next day they called him and fired him.” Holland was initially supposed to remain on WWE’s payroll through November 14. But after voicing frustration publicly, WWE used a contract clause to cut him early—losing him a week or two of final pay. And the move wasn’t random.
“They wanted to send a message to everyone out there that if you say anything bad, you know, that you can be cut. And that’s what happened.”
Holland’s situation had already drawn sympathy. He’s recovering from a brutal injury suffered during a TNA appearance—on WWE’s behalf—and now faces potential neck fusion surgery, a second operation in March, and months of recovery with no income. Meltzer also noted that WWE likely never had long-term plans for Holland after he signed a one-year NXT deal at a 55% pay cut in 2024:
“They were going to cut him a year ago… They gave him another year and they probably, in reality, had already decided. He wasn’t that over.”
But the moment Holland spoke up, everything changed. Even if he only lost a week or two of salary, it sent a very clear message about what WWE tolerates.
“There’s really no reason to at least keep him on through the rehab period given that he was injured on your job.”
With limited options in AEW, an uncertain future in TNA, and an independent scene that’s not what it used to be, Meltzer added:
“He’s not someone who is going to necessarily have a lot of options even when this is done.”
It’s a devastating twist in Holland’s story, and one that raises serious questions about how WWE treats performers when the cameras stop rolling.
What do you think about WWE’s decision to cut Ridge Holland early? Did the company cross a line by using his words against him—or were they just protecting their brand? Sound off and share your thoughts below.
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