WWE’s massive contract pay cuts aren’t just a Kofi Kingston and Austin Creed story anymore. Former WWE star Ridge Holland says he was asked to take a brutal 56% pay cut during his own contract negotiations with the company.
Luke Menzies, who worked in WWE as Ridge Holland, jumped into the conversation Thursday after New Level’s WWE exit put the company’s contract negotiations back under the microscope. Menzies suggested he may have experienced the same type of situation well before Kingston and Creed reached the negotiating table. Taking to social media, Menzies revealed the exact percentage he says WWE/TKO wanted him to give up.
“Honestly I think I may have been the first to experience the new TKO version of ‘contract Negotiations’ 56% paycut…. OUCH!”
The claim adds more context to what Menzies previously revealed about his final WWE contract. He said WWE wanted to lock him into a three-year deal at substantially less money, but he instead negotiated a one-year agreement. Ringside News previously covered Menzies’ claims about the reduced offer and the circumstances surrounding those negotiations. Ridge Holland Claims WWE Tried to Lock Him Into 3-Year Lowball Deal
Holland’s WWE run eventually came to an ugly end in November 2025. His contract was originally scheduled to expire November 14, but WWE cut ties early after his public comments surrounding his situation. Ringside News covered both WWE terminating Holland’s deal early and the company later moving him to the alumni section of its roster.
Now his 56% figure lands at an interesting time because Kingston and Creed have revealed that WWE also wanted them to accept a massive reduction before they left the company. Kingston confirmed that the offer was even worse than the 50% number that had been circulating.
“I don’t know what’s out there, but yeah, I will say it was more than 50%! A lot of people don’t know it was more.”
Ringside News previously covered Kingston’s confirmation that WWE wanted Kofi Kingston and Austin Creed to take more than a 50% pay cut before they ultimately decided to walk away. Menzies isn’t saying his 56% figure proves exactly what WWE offered Kingston and Creed. What it does show is that another former WWE talent says he was staring at a reduction greater than half his previous pay during the TKO era.
There was already plenty of smoke around WWE restructuring talent deals, but Menzies just threw another number into the fire. A 56% pay cut isn’t a small adjustment—it completely changes what someone is being paid to do the same job, and Holland decided that wasn’t a deal he wanted to live with.
What do you make of Ridge Holland saying WWE/TKO wanted him to take a 56% pay cut? Do you think these massive reductions are becoming part of WWE’s new contract strategy? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments.
