Posted By: Ben Kerin on Apr 14, 2026 
Ridge Holland, known outside the ring as Luke Menzies, has received a major boost in his wrestling future after being officially cleared to return to in-ring competition.
If you reference any quotes from this piece, please attribute them to the original source, and kindly credit WrestlingNewsSource.com (h/t) for the transcription.
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Posted By: Ben Kerin on Apr 14, 2026 
The April 14 edition of WWE NXT
If you reference any quotes from this piece, please attribute them to the original source, and kindly credit WrestlingNewsSource.com (h/t) for the transcription.
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Bully Ray feels Carmelo Hayes could gain by not being on the WrestleMania 42 show.
One noticeable absentee heading into WrestleMania 42 is Hayes, who, until recently, was primed to be on the card when he was the United States Champion. But following his title loss to Sami Zayn, his place on the card was taken by Zayn, who will face Hayes’ former rival, Trick Williams. Ray, on “Busted Open,” argued that his absence from the card could actually benefit him.
“And if that’s the case, and the fans get behind him, they’ll get behind him organically, and that’s how you want the people behind you. If I’m Carmelo Hayes, I’m almost hoping that fans get on my side because they see that creative has left me off a show, despite the fact that I go out there every single week, and I earn my right to be on a show like WrestleMania. So hopefully it works in his favor,” said Ray.
The WWE Hall of Fame drew parallels between Carmelo Hayes’ situation and that of IYO Sky and Tiffany Stratton, both talented, former world champions, who also don’t have a spot on the WrestleMania 42 card.
“Sometimes you find yourself at the top of cards, sometimes you find yourself not on the card at all, just because of the way the stories line up. It’s hard to sit out of WrestleMania, especially when you’ve been there before,” he explained. “Personally, you know, having some very high-profile matches at WrestleMania, and then the very next year being involved in the old quintessential four-corner tag team match, which you know doesn’t mean nearly as much as what you did the year before, you just got to roll with the punches and go with it. I know it sucks, but it’s just the nature of the beast.”
Ray, though, isn’t worried about what lies ahead for them, as he feels they have a bright future ahead of them, and expects them to be on future WrestleMania cards.
The “HIM” era of Carmelo Hayes launched in “WWE NXT,” and propelled toward explosive heights on “WWE SmackDown.” Understanding that he had become a big fish in a small pond after winning most of what was available in “NXT” at the time, Hayes was handed a new script, when he was chosen as the third overall pick in the 2024 WWE Draft to join the blue brand. While happy how the trajectory of his career is going so far on the main roster, Hayes recognizes the night and day differences between his old developmental home and where he is stationed now.
“I just think the machine is a lot bigger,” the former NXT Champion said about the main roster on “Battleground Podcast.” “It was a lot of adjustments, but I think it had a lot to do with just a learning curve. And just like the enormity of what the main roster is compared to, you know, mom and pop of ‘NXT,’ in a way where…it’s a little bit more low-key, and they have a little bit more control on you, as far as you’re more clued in on things, and you kind of have a better idea of what is what. And the main roster is kind of like every man for themselves.”
Upon his first day on the blue brand, Hayes tried to shoot his shot for the Undisputed WWE Championship, but was unsuccessful in his quest. From there, he engrossed himself in a best-of-seven series matches with former star, Andrade, which became the most-watched and talked about feud on the Friday night program. After dumping The Miz, who was holding him back from his potential, Hayes went on to become the Men’s United States Champion, carrying a 98-day reign, with nine defenses and nine “Match of the Night” contenders. Sami Zayn would end his reign. As of this report, Hayes does not have a scheduled match on “The Grandest Stage of Them All,” WrestleMania 42, next weekend in Las Vegas.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Battleground Podcast” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Paul Wight has shared a wild behind the scenes story from his early days in wrestling, recalling the moment Hulk Hogan personally called him out after an unexpected high flying move in Japan.
During an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Wight explained how he once pushed the limits of what a seven foot giant was “supposed” to do inside the ring. While competing in Japan, Wight hit a shocking dropkick off the top rope, showing off athleticism that went against the traditional big man style many veterans expected.
That decision quickly caught the attention of Hogan, whose real name Terry Bollea appeared in a message waiting for Wight back at his hotel.
“I had Hogan call me in Japan. I threw a dropkick in Japan off the top rope and hit Yasuda with it. And I got to my room, there was a blinking light in my hotel, in my room, and the message says, please call Mr. Bollea when you get to your room. Oh, hell, they didn’t even Hulk it. It’s Mr. Bollea. Sh*t, I’m in trouble. So I called Terry collect, Japan, back then. He goes, ‘brother, did you just do a dropkick off the top rope in Japan?’ I went, ‘Yeah, I did.’ He just, ‘brother, you ever do that again, I’ll never work with you.’ Click.”
The moment summed up the pressure Wight faced early in his career. Veterans wanted him to follow a strict blueprint, modeling himself after legendary giants like Andre the Giant, Kane, and The Undertaker, rather than embracing his unique blend of size and agility.
“There were guys that they wanted Andre, you know, I wasn’t Andre. I wasn’t Kane or Taker either. Those guys are tremendous athletes. Like Kane and Taker, in my opinion, they’re the two of the best big men ever. So I wasn’t them either. I was kind of a weird hybrid. So we tried to find along the way.”
Wight also revealed that Vince McMahon once fined him 500 dollars for jumping over the top rope, reinforcing the idea that giants were expected to wrestle in a slower, grounded style.
Interestingly, Hogan’s influence showed up again later in Wight’s career in a very different way. When auditioning for the role of Captain Insano in The Waterboy alongside Adam Sandler, Wight admitted he landed the part by doing a full Hogan impression.
“I just took the verbiage and did Hogan, ripped him off, and then she said, ‘oh my God, that’s what we’re looking for. That’s it. Congratulations, you’re Captain Insano.’ Oh, I’m like, okay, what did I just do?”
