‘I Missed A Lot Of Lessons’ – Former WWE Star Thinks He Got Called Up From NXT Too Soon

WWE

A former WWE star has explained why he feels his call-up from NXT to the main roster came around too soon for him.

Being called up to WWE Raw or SmackDown is typically one of the most exciting stages of a superstar’s career, with it often coming after substantial spells in NXT that have helped a talent build a name for themselves that can then launch them towards long-term success on the biggest stage.

While the majority of WWE’s biggest current names have followed this path, others have either bypassed NXT altogether or spent far less time on WWE’s third brand before moving up the ladder.

Speaking with Sports Jedi Network, former WWE star Luke Menzies (Ridge Holland) discussed how he feels he didn’t get the necessary reps and lessons in NXT before he was brought up to SmackDown in 2021.

When asked when he felt it clicked for him in WWE, Menzies responded:

“Honestly, probably the middle of my main roster run. Because if you think about it, I haven’t had that many matches, with the injuries and things like that. It comes with reps and that was one of the things that really annoyed me.

“Going back to that NXT period where we had all those names and those great individual performers. I was gonna be amongst that and start getting a little bit of a push as it were, going into WarGames and working with the likes of Adam Cole and these people, and then I got hurt and then when I came back from my injury I got called up.

“So, I feel like I missed a lot of lessons out and that integral part of your career, where you’re learning from people that are much better than you, who are very giving, and Adam Cole would have given, the other guys would have been giving to make sure I come up.

“But then to go to the main roster where things are a little bit more cagey, they aren’t that forthcoming to help because there’s money to be made, there’s people at the top of the card, they’re doing their own thing.

“So, I feel like it took me a bit longer than what it should have done. And I always regret getting hurt that time because I feel like I missed a lot out on my wrestling apprenticeship as it were.”

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The injury Menzies mentioned came in October 2020, with the former Rugby League player suffering injuries to his left ankle and right knee after taking a dive from Oney Lorcan in NXT.

While Holland initially rejoined NXT upon his return in the Summer of 2021, he found himself on SmackDown by November, and spent two years on the blue brand before returning to NXT in 2023 for a sustained singles run.

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• nxt
• wwe
• Ridge Holland
• luke menzies

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