Big E has spoken out in defense of Ridge Holland, the man whose move resulted in his career-altering neck injury, asking fans to end the harassment Holland received in the aftermath.
Big E suffered a broken neck in March 2022 after taking an overhead belly-to-belly suplex from Holland on SmackDown. Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, the former WWE Champion revealed that the two spoke shortly after the incident, and that Holland faced an ugly backlash.
“He got a lot of hate, he got threats,” Big E said. While he understood the fans who were upset on his behalf, Big E made clear he never blamed Holland. “I know what I signed up for. I know things go awry. It was never malicious. It was never intentional. I felt for him and continued to feel for him.”
Big E shared that Holland reached out with an unusual but heartfelt apology. “He actually sent me a 10-pound box of meat as an apology, which felt like a very manly thing to do,” Big E said, noting that he was not eating much red meat at the time and passed it along to his creative partner, Johnny. “Someone enjoyed it, at least.”
The two have stayed in touch, and Big E said they crossed paths at WrestleMania this year. “I actually ran into him briefly at the MGM Grand in Vegas for Mania this year,” he said. “It seemed like he was in a better place.”
Big E noted that he made a point of publicly clearing the air on Holland’s behalf. “I tried to put out a statement or two to tell people there’s no ill will whatsoever, please leave this man alone,” he said. He noted that Holland has endured plenty of his own hardship. “He has a family to take care of. He has kids. He dealt with a devastating injury of his own. He dealt with losing his job. I really felt for him.”
For Big E, who has repeatedly stressed that he is at peace, the lingering resentment toward Holland is something he wants to see end.
“I’m in a great place, I’m very thankful. I still am continuing with the company, doing broadcasting work. I am good, I am truly, truly good,” he said. “I really hate that his tenure in WWE, for the most part, a lot of it’s going to be defined by the injury and his role in it. But I really feel for him and for his family, and I truly hope he’s in a better place. I hope that’s all come to an end, because a lot of people crossed the line and went too far.”
