• TNA Roster’s Initial Reaction To NXT Stars Winning Their Titles
WWE and TNA’s ongoing partnership continues to shake up the wrestling world. The deal allows NXT wrestlers to appear on TNA iMPACT and TNA stars to compete on NXT programming.
Since the collaboration began, several wrestlers from both companies have crossed over and even captured championships. Trick Williams from NXT won the TNA World Championship, while Kelani Jordan from WWE’s developmental brand currently holds the TNA Knockouts World Title. Meanwhile, The Hardy Boyz, while representing TNA, recently captured the NXT Tag Team Titles.
Speaking on the No Contest Wrestling podcast, TNA World Champion Mike Santana discussed the initial locker room reaction to NXT stars winning major TNA titles. Here’s what he said:
“They definitely weren’t jokes. Everybody was straightforward and pi$$ed off. Especially the original core guys like me, Eddie Edwards, Moose, Kazarian. We were like, ‘Yo, we have to change this.’ You don’t like to listen to what other people are saying, but that kind of gets to you.
I feel like the best thing that came out of it was it motivated everybody. The fire that was lit backstage was, ‘We ain’t popping off like this. This is not happening.’ We all banded together and were like, ‘We have to do something about it.’
That’s when everything started to kick off and we started making more moves. It just motivated the hell out of everybody.”
NXT, TNA and AAA stars will be in the same building for Gold Rush.
• WWE Fires Ridge Holland Over Recent Posts
Ridge Holland’s WWE contract was set to expire on November 14, but the company has reportedly released him 9 days early following a series of social media posts criticizing his treatment while injured.
According to Fightful Select, WWE officials viewed Holland’s recent posts as a breach of his talent contract, leading to his early release. He was told that he won’t get paid for the remaining period.
The former NXT Tag Team Champion underwent surgery for a Lisfranc injury he suffered while working a match against Moose at a TNA taping in September. Holland had been representing WWE under the ongoing partnership between the two promotions.
The 37-year-old’s one-year extension signed last year came with a $200,000 pay cut, bringing his salary down to an “NXT-level” deal. Despite appearing on TNA programming, he did not receive any additional payment from WWE.
While the company is covering the costs of his surgery and rehabilitation, Holland was told he would not be paid during his recovery after his contract expires. Frustrated by the situation, he took to social media and said that he was struggling financially and felt abandoned by the company after getting hurt while representing them.
He expressed disappointment, calling the situation “brutal” and saying he felt “hung out to dry.”
Holland took to X on Tuesday to announce that he is now available for media and signing appearances. He is scheduled to appear at Game Changer Wrestling’s Fan Slam event on November 22.
