WWE's Ridge Holland Stepping Away From Wrestling
Weeks after abandoning Butch (aka Pete Dunne) in a tag team match, Ridge Holland returned to his old stomping grounds in "WWE NXT" with the aim of reshaping the perception of his in-ring work, which many fans have labeled as unsafe. Unfortunately for Holland, his efforts didn't quite produce the results he was looking for. As such, he has now decided to take a step back from professional wrestling.
Holland first announced this move on Tuesday's episode of "NXT" as he delivered an emotional promo in the center of the ring. Holland's parting speech began with an offering of gratitude to the "NXT" talent and crew, including William Regal and the head booker of "NXT," Shawn Michaels. Holland then stated that he was aware of the negative perception that followed him into "NXT." With that in mind, Holland tried his best to create a new narrative, one that was based on redemption. As the backlash toward him continued, though, Holland said that he had to endure two challenging conversations. One involved his loved ones, while the other was an introspective dialogue in front of the mirror.
😔😔😔@RidgeWWE has announced he is stepping away from in-ring competition indefinitely. #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/vutKD5YVwt
— WWE (@WWE) March 27, 2024
Coming out of those conversations, Holland admitted that his physical and mental resilience had been waning, so in the interest of his mental health and the welfare of his family, Holland made the difficult decision to step away from in-ring competition indefinitely. Before departing from the ring, Holland issued a final round of thanks to the "NXT" Universe for their support and for allowing him to take "one last shot at redemption." There is no word on whether Holland's upcoming hiatus is part of a storyline or real-life plans.