Ridge Holland, a proud member of The Brawling Brutes, recently shared his experience working with Sheamus and Butch and explained how it’s a good time for tag teams in WWE.
Speaking with Sean Ross Sapp for a new interview, Holland reflected on the success of The Brawling Brutes and revealed what’s in store for the faction ahead.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On the group needing to take it to the next level: “I think it’s just that the Brawling Brutes have always been the bridesmaid, never the bride. So I think we need to win this gauntlet match, then we need to go on and we need to go on, the night before Money in the Bank to beat KO and Sami, then cheer on Butch the day after that as the new Tag Team Champions. That’s the goal. We’ve floated along for a bit, but we really need to get going now. The Brawling Brutes need to get going. We’ve done okay, but there’s still a ton of fuel in the tank. I think we’ve only just scratched the surface with this faction, with this stable. That’s not disrespecting any of the competitors that are in this gauntlet because they’re all top tier talent.”
On tag team division in WWE: “I’ll just point out, Pretty Deadly have come straight up with a bang. It’s gonna be great to get in there and tangle with them again. The O.C. speak for themselves. The Street Profits, they always bring the energy. As you alluded to, LWO, hot at the minute with that Latino heat, it’s real. They’re having a good run. It’s fantastic to see. So the one thing that I’ll say, Sean, is that we’re very spoiled at the minute by the abundance of talent that we have, not only in the tag team division, but across all rosters. It’s a good time to be in the company.”
On working with Sheamus: “I suppose, rather than verbal lessons, he leads by example. He’s one of the most passionate people that I’ve met. Even after all these—what is it? Thirteen / fourteen years—that he’s been with the company, he still wants to go out there and surpass anything that he’s ever done. It’s testament to that passion. I guess just never give up, really. He’s always scratching and clawing. He’s always wanting to put on the best show. He’s always wanting to outdo himself. He’s a stalwart, man. An absolute stalwart. Certified Hall of Fame career without a doubt.”
On the group being over with fans: “Even though he’s had a great career up until the Brawling Brutes, I think this is the first time we’ve been purely, organically over. I’m really happy that he’s having this run because the reaction that he’s getting from the fans, it comes from a place of familiarity because he’s been with the company for this so long, but also a place of respect because of what he’s done, the matches he’s produced and how he is. I think just go out there and kill out and try to kill it every time he walks out there.”
