Jinder Mahal responds to critics of Ridge Holland’s GoFundMe campaign
Raj Singh (formerly known as Jinder Mahal) responded to someone on social media recently who was critical of a GoFundMe campaign being launched to support former WWE wrestler Ridge Holland.
The GoFundMe to support Holland has raised over $10,000. Mahal is one of the largest donors to the campaign, having donated $1000.
Mahal recently responded to a user on X who commented on a story related to Holland’s situation and saying sports leagues and wrestling promotions should invest in financial training for its athletes. The former WWE Champion wrote:
“WWE does have financial education programs. Just curious — how much do you think NXT talent make when you subtract travel, wrestling gear, maintaining a professional athlete physique, gym, and supplements… now subtract taxes. Now, with what’s left, try raising a family, paying for groceries, rent/mortgage, car payments, and personal health insurance for you and your family. Now factor in not being able to earn income due to injury. Finally, add the fact that you no longer have WWE-provided health insurance for wrestling-related injuries — and you’re staring at a possible neck surgery.”
WWE wrestlers Omos and Chelsea Green have each contributed $1000 as a recurring monthly donation to the GoFundMe. AEW wrestlers Kyle Fletcher and Nick Jackson have each donated $1000 as well.
Dave Meltzer addressed the situation with Holland in Friday’s edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, stating that WWE’s side of this story is that Holland was going to be cut a year ago but he asked to move to NXT with a significant pay cut instead. WWE feels he should have known his contract likely wouldn’t be renewed when it expired this year.
Meltzer wrote:
“They felt that he should have known this probably wasn’t going to be a long-term thing and the idea is that he made a lot of money while he was on the main roster and should have prepared finances with the idea he may not be there much longer.”
Meltzer also addressed what Holland was likely making during his tenure with WWE.
“If you figure $350,000 to $500,000 is what he was making one year ago, and a cut of 55 percent would be $157,750 to $225,000 until he stopped being paid this week.”
Holland, who is not expecting to be medically cleared to return to wrestling for half a year, was informed in October that his WWE contract would not be renewed when it expired on November 14. He was then released from the company outright after expressing frustration with his situation on social media.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.