Last month, Ridge Holland was informed that WWE would be letting his contract expire in the coming weeks. The wrestler spoke out online about his situation, stating that he felt it unfair that the company wouldn’t continue to pay him through an injury he suffered working a TNA event without any extra pay. Then, a report emerged this week indicating that WWE let Holland know he was being released early (and therefore paid less) because of the statements, which they viewed as a breach of contract.

Speaking on “Wrestling Observer Radio,” Dave Meltzer summarized the series of events and added some further context. He reiterated that Holland was going to be let go back in 2024, but the performer asked WWE to offer him an NXT deal at a much lower financial figure. Meltzer believes the company had likely long planned to let Holland’s deal run out this year.

“I’m sure they were gonna cut him and it wouldn’t have been an issue, because they would’ve just not renewed his deal. Then he got hurt and it changed everything,” Meltzer noted. “In your deal, you’re not supposed to talk badly about the company in public, and so they felt that they now have the right to fire him. … I guess they felt that they – however you want to look at it. They wanted to send a message to anyone out there that, if you say anything bad, you can be cut, and that’s what happened.”

According to Meltzer, Holland’s deal was set to fully expire on November 14, meaning the early release will result in him losing out on pay for one or two weeks. The wrestler has been open about the fact that he will be unable to wrestle as he recovers from multiple injuries, and though WWE is paying for his upcoming surgery, he has no means to support his family at the moment. Holland has posted a GoFundMe for fans who felt inclined to donate to his cause.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Wrestling Observer Radio” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.