Former WWE star Ridge Holland has spoken out further on the accident that caused Big E to suffer a serious injury on SmackDown.
On a SmackDown taping in 2022, Holland gave Big E an overhead suplex on the outside of the ring, which caused the former WWE Champion to suffer a broken neck. While Big E has maintained a high quality of life since then and is still able to walk and function normally, he has not been cleared to wrestle. Now more than 3 years later, Big E has yet to return to the ring, and it appears that his in-ring career has come to a premature end.
Although Big E has stated on numerous occasions that the incident was an accident and part of wrestling, and holds no ill will towards Holland over what happened, it appears that certain members of the company saw things differently.
“It Made It Very Difficult To Get Past That”: Ridge Holland On Big E Injury
While appearing at a signing for K & S WrestleFest, Holland was asked if he felt like the injury was held against him by the powers that be:
“I felt it a little bit,” Holland responded when asked if it felt like those in WWE held Big E’s injury against him. “I felt it did affect my career from going forward. I never really got started. I think it probably was a black cloud that was hanging over me, from certain members in the hierarchy. Not mentioning any names but, I think it kind of put a black mark on me going forward and it made it very difficult for me to get past that in the eyes of some people in the company.”
Holland was first informed that his contract would not be renewed in October. After speaking out on the way that the situation was handled, as he is currently recovering from injury, the company released Holland in early November. Holland has since undergone neck surgery, which he said that WWE paid for.
Despite not being able to wrestle, Big E has remained a part of the company as a pre- and post-show analyst.
H/t to Fightful for the use of transcription.
Featured image: WWE
