5 things you probably did not know about WWE star Ridge Holland

Ridge Holland stunned the WWE Universe as he appeared on the latest episode of NXT and announced that he was taking time away from in-ring competition indefinitely.

Holland cited mental health issues as the main reason for his temporary absence after repeatedly receiving backlash from fans, who believed he was the one to blame for Big E's serious injury a couple of years ago.

Thus, Ridge Holland wanted to cater to his mental health, and that led to him leaving professional wrestling indefinitely. Before leaving the ring, Holland thanked everyone for their support and help during that journey.

With that in mind, let's take a look at five things that fans may not be aware of regarding Ridge Holland.

---

#5. He trained with professional boxer Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury once joined WWE to take on Braun Strowman. The match took place at WWE Crown Jewel back in 2019 and marked Fury's professional wrestling debut.

Holland revealed that he had trained with Fury, which helped the latter prepare for his match with The Monster Among Men. He admitted that he was impressed by the athleticism and physicality of Tyson Fury.

The 35-year-old boxer is undefeated in his professional career with 34 wins and just 1 draw. As for his match against Strowman in Jeddah, Fury defeated the WWE Superstar via count-out.

---

#4. He is not related to actor Tom Holland

English actor Tom Holland is known for his participation in the latest Spiderman movies, where he played the main character, Peter Parker. The 27-year-old celebrity is considered one of the most famous actors in the world, and Ridge Holland was asked if he was related to him.

"No, I am not. I don't even have time to watch the movies," Ridge Holland said in an interview with Cultaholic Wrestling.

Tom Holland comes from Kingston upon Thames in southwest London, while Ridge Holland comes from Liversedge in West Yorkshire.

---

#3. He is a dog person

Ridge Holland does not prefer having a cat and is more of a dog person. He even revealed that he wants to have a dog going forward.

Holland revealed that he grew up with Rottweilers and English bulldogs in his house and that an English mastiff is his favorite type of dog.

---

#2. He played for 8 Rugby teams in England

Before joining WWE, Ridge Holland was a professional rugby player in England. He played the sport for nine years, from 2006 to 2015, and signed with eight teams during this time.

He started his career with Battley Bulldogs before moving to Hull Kingston Rovers, Oldham, Dewsbury Rams, Hunslet Hawks, Swinton Lions, Salford Red Devils, York City Knights, and Halifax, respectively.

After that, he pursued a career in professional wrestling, first in independent circuit (2016-2018) and then in WWE and NXT (from 2018 until 2024).

---

#1. Ridge Holland paid tribute to WWE Superstar Sheamus twice during in-ring action

Ridge Holland and Sheamus teamed up with Butch to form The Brawling Brutes, who was part of the tag team division in both RAW and SmackDown.

Holland paid tribute to Sheamus twice during in-ring action by doing some of The Celtic Warrior's signature moves. The first time this happened was back in November 2023, when he used Sheamus' Brogue Kick, and the second one was during a tag team match against Austin Theory and Grayson Waller.

The Brawling Brutes decided to go separate ways a few months ago, with Ridge Holland asking to move back to NXT, where it all started for him. He said this was a redemption move for him, but it appears it did not work the way he wanted it to.

As a result, he is now leaving WWE indefinitely and will look to get over his mental issues and the backlash he received from fans, including death threats, after Big E's neck injury. Ridge Holland did not win any championships in singles or tag team competitions during his time with the Stamford-based promotion.