Richard Holliday has heard people say the independent wrestling scene doesn’t have any real stars left, and he’s not buying it for a second. In fact, Holliday takes that claim personally because he believes he’s living proof that it isn’t true.
During an appearance on the Direct Discussions podcast, Holliday was discussing the massive workload he’s taken on in 2026 and the caliber of wrestlers he’s shared the ring with along the way. He named Karrion Kross, Mike Santana, Matt Riddle, Nic Nemeth and Matt Cardona among the opponents who have stood out during his run. Holliday said matches with Kross and Santana in particular have clicked whenever they’ve stepped into the ring together.
“You know, some of my favorite opponents that stick out would be Killer Kross. Anytime I get in the ring with Killer Kross, it’s magic. Santana, Mike Santana, now Cruz Montana, anytime with him was magic. Matt Riddle. I’ve been able to share the ring with Nick Nemeth, Matt Cardona on several occasions.”
That’s when Holliday flipped the conversation. He isn’t looking at himself as simply another independent wrestler lucky enough to work with recognizable names anymore. He believes he’s reached the point where getting Richard Holliday on the other side of the ring is now the big match for somebody else.
“But now I’m the guy. So I’m the guy who other wrestlers are saying, ‘This is a high-profile match for me,’ because on the independent scene, you know, people say that there’s—I always see, you know, discourse of there’s no stars on the independent scene. I take full offense of that. I take full offense of that because I’m a star.”
Holliday didn’t stop there. He said the proof comes when opponents get matched against him and immediately start selling the bout as one of the biggest opportunities of their careers.
“And there’s a reason that when I get announced for a match, my opponent will make a promo saying, ‘This is one of the biggest matches of my career, if not the biggest match of my career. This is the biggest test of my career going up against Richard Holliday.’ It just is, you know?”
Holliday admitted there’s some cockiness involved in saying that out loud, but he doesn’t see anything wrong with it. To him, surviving and succeeding in professional wrestling requires believing you’re good enough to be the attraction.
“And I don’t mind being a little cocky because I really believe that, and in this industry I think you have to be. I think you have to be a little cocky. It’s a tough industry. You have to believe in yourself, and if that gets misconstrued as cockiness or actually presented as it, I don’t think that matters too much.”
He made it clear that he believes his current position has been earned.
“But yeah, man, you got to be confident, and I just—I’m in that position right now in the independents.”
That confidence hasn’t exactly come out of nowhere. Holliday has spent the past few years aggressively building his name outside the major companies. Earlier in 2026, he said that Richard Holliday had become a business and a brand while acknowledging that WWE and other major promotions were watching him.
The WWE conversation around Holliday only got louder as the year went on. Booker T publicly pushed for Holliday to get another WWE opportunity, saying he was pulling for the longtime independent wrestler to finally get his shot.
There was also plenty of attention after Holliday left his boots in the ring following a GCW match, which immediately raised questions about whether his time on the independent scene might be nearing its end. Those WWE expectations have since cooled, with his status remaining unsettled.
For now, Holliday is still out there proving his point the old-fashioned way: taking bookings, wrestling recognizable names and making sure fans know exactly who he is before he leaves the building. People can argue all they want about whether the independent scene still produces legitimate stars, but Holliday isn’t waiting around for anyone to give him that label. As far as he’s concerned, he’s already earned it.
Do you think Richard Holliday has reached the point where he can legitimately call himself one of the biggest stars in independent wrestling, or does he still have something to prove? Let us know what you think and leave your feedback in the comments.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
