File pic of Luke Menzies
Luke Menzies, formerly known as Ridge Holland, was the eleventh guest in our Wrestleshadow podcast. The former one-time NXT tag team champion and a member of the Brawling Brutes opened himself up on a myriad of topics like his TNA injury, his recent surgery, and much more.
Here are the edited excerpts for clarity.
I had two surgeries, actually. The first was on my foot. I had a Lisfranc injury—a mid-foot dislocation—that happened while I was wrestling Moose for TNA. Prior to that, I was having neck issues, but the foot became the priority once it got hurt.
While I was sidelined, I decided to get the neck looked at. I ended up having the foot surgery in October and the neck surgery in November. For the neck, I had a two-level artificial cervical disc replacement. I just got cleared last week. It has been a while, but I feel good. The neck feels great, and I look forward to getting back in the ring.
I have always been a fan of wrestling and always wanted to do it. Being involved in rugby in the UK made it hard to find a way in. However, while I was on my honeymoon, the rugby club I was playing for let me go. That same night, I saw a tweet from William Regal talking about the guy who trained him, Marty Jones, who lived in England not too far from me.
I emailed him from my hotel room in Cancun and received a reply. I flew home three days later and had my first wrestling practice. I trained with Marty for about six months, had a WWE tryout, and the rest is history.
I definitely caught some flak for it in the UK. People poked fun and asked why I wanted to do it, calling it "fake." But when I started gaining success, those same people asked me for tickets. It went full circle.
When something is new or unconventional, people are often ignorant and turn their noses up until it becomes the norm. I just committed to it, and eventually, people accepted it.
The WWE Performance Center is based in Orlando. Once WWE signed me, they required me to relocate to the States. I had to move my wife, my daughter, and myself over. Initially, you fly to Orlando to complete medicals to ensure you are healthy. I sold my house in the UK—I’m from the Leeds/Bradford area—to prepare for the move.
However, my first visa application was declined. Since I had already sold my house, I had to move in with my grandfather. I worked on the Indies and sent my posters and advertisements to the US government to prove I was coming over to be a wrestler. My second attempt was accepted a year later, and I reported to the Performance Center in July 2018.
The old European "World of Sport" style used rounds—usually ten to fifteen five-minute rounds—where each round told its own story. Modern North American wrestling is bell-to-bell with one fall to a finish. Back in the day, British rings were much harder, so the style was more technical with more holds rather than big bumps.
I think WWE is often like a casting call (on why some European wrestlers succeed while other struggle). They look for a person who fits a specific spot. Sometimes it is luck or happenstance. The company picks who they want to elevate.
I am biased, but I always think British and European wrestlers are the better workers. It’s a style I enjoy watching. It is great to see guys like Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate, Finn Bálor, and Sheamus succeeding.
I am doing a lot better. I managed to get a job online coaching, which has helped. We are just trying to make things work. Hopefully, once I am back wrestling, things will change further. It is tough, but everyone goes through challenges. I am taking it one day at a time.
The plan remains that as soon as I can recoup the money donated (via my mother's GoFundMe campaign), I will give it to charity or offer it back to the individuals who donated.
A family member set it up thinking they were doing a good deed because we needed the help. Due to the negative backlash on social media, I decided to work with my own agents instead. The donations were a massive help—they covered two months of payments—but I ended the GoFundMe because I was tired of the online negativity.
It can be a big learning curve (The hidden costs of being a pro-wrestler in North America). I knew those expenses would fall on me, but I didn't fully realize the total cost. You could spend $100,000 on expenses alone, and then you still have to pay taxes.
The cost of living in Florida is sky-high. If you have a family, like I have three kids, that money goes quickly. Wrestlers need to be prepared because prices keep rising, but company wages don't always align with inflation.
I moved from the main roster back down to NXT with about five or six months left on my deal. When it came time to renegotiate, the company offered a reduced deal. At that time, I didn't feel I had enough collateral or "steam" to earn a living elsewhere.
I wasn't willing to sign for three years at that rate because it was a huge pay cut, so I bet on myself and signed for 12 months. I wanted to get back to the main roster, but unfortunately, injuries happened.
That was actually my idea (moving from Smackdown to NXT) because we weren't being used. I would rather go to NXT and try to reinvent myself than collect a paycheck sitting in catering.
I didn't feel creatively fulfilled on the main roster. I felt that Pete Dunne and I were not being utilized to our full potential. I chose to take two steps back to hopefully take five steps forward. Sometimes you have to take a risk to find out if it is the right decision. This was a risk that didn't pay off.
We actually didn't have that match put together until about 20 minutes before we went out. It was a rush. I can't remember exactly what was planned or where, but we made it work. There were enough experienced people in that match to fill the gaps and ensure the big moments, like Roman’s entry, landed perfectly.
I think Pete Dunne came up with that (Beats of Bodhran to all the members of the Bloodline). He has a fantastic brain for wrestling. If a match needs a bit of magic, he is the man to provide it. There was obviously a big Sheamus influence there as well, since that is his signature. It worked perfectly and the crowd went bonkers.
They were all very concerned. Some of the wrestlers and a couple of people from management reached out. However, things move fast in this business. When someone gets hurt, the priority is just getting them the best care possible.
One thing that stands out: I was on the plane and my foot was killing me. Mustafa Ali was in first class and he gave me his seat for the flight home. That was a fantastic gesture.
The contract was not going to be renewed anyway. However, the comments I made on Twitter definitely sped up the process and caused them to terminate the deal two weeks early. I own that. I don't regret what I said because I was speaking the truth as I felt it, but I accept that it caused the early termination.
Yes, they covered both surgeries and the rehabilitation. Legally, they have to. It has only been about ten days, so I am concentrating on getting back into ring shape. I made some connections at WrestleCon in Las Vegas.
I have a booking in Belgium on June 28th and a 10-day tour of the UK later this summer. I’m staying relevant on social media and sharpening the sword.
Since Shawn took over, NXT has become much faster-paced with shorter matches, almost a "TikTok style" for the newer generation. It is hard as a wrestler because you want time to tell a story, but you have to do your best within the time you're given. Both gave me opportunities, and I am grateful for that.
I didn't get that from any particular wrestler (being labelled as an "unsafe wrestler"). It was more my own anxiety thinking people might feel that way. Fans think they know about wrestling, but they don't. If they want to think I'm dangerous or unsafe, that’s fine. People who know me know my talent. I look forward to proving on the independent scene that I am much more than what people saw in the WWE spotlight.
I probably wouldn't have cared as much (on doing one thing differently in WWE if given the chance). I always wanted to be the model employee and was constantly anxious about being fired. That stifled my creativity.
I wish I had been more free, more outspoken, and vouched for myself more. Instead of just being the "good employee," I should have pushed myself forward and recognized that I am as good as, or better than, the next guy.
I would be stupid to say no (if WWE called me today), especially from a monetary side. However, I would operate in a different way now. My goal right now isn't even about that. It is to go out, have fun, and be the pro wrestler I have always wanted to be. I want to prove myself on an independent stage.
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