On a recent edition of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer praised Natalya’s surprise return to WWE NXT and Ridge Holland’s promo segment on Tuesday’s show.
Natalya defeated Lola Vice in singles action while Holland announced an indefinite hiatus from the ring. WWE also moved Holland to the alumni section of their website.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
Tommy Dreamer on Natalya coming back to NXT: “I loved … Natalya coming back to NXT. You’re gonna get better every time you step in the ring with someone like … Natalya.”
Bully Ray on Natalya being underrated: “Natalya, in my opinion, is extremely underrated and extremely underutilized. I think Natalya suffers from the same thing that happened with … Dolph Ziggler. [They’ve] been there for so long that they just become a part of the background.”
Bully Ray on how Natalya could excel as a heel: “Let’s turn Nattie heel. Let Nattie go out there and be a b****.”
Bully Ray on Ridge Holland’s promo on NXT this week: “I absolutely loved Ridge Holland’s promo. Loved, loved, loved. I loved it because I have no idea if it’s a work or a shoot. If it’s on TV, it is what it is. Everything he’s talking about is 1000% legitimate. If you do hurt a wrestler once, it’ll screw with you. If you hurt a wrestler twice, these things stay with you and makes you gun-shy and skittish, enough where you might want to reassess what you’re doing out there. You’ve got to think about your friends, your family, your fellow workers.”
On how the crowd reacted to the segment: “Then he brought mental health in too and how this could be affecting his mental health. Did you listen to the crowd? They were silent. They had no idea. This was so, so real. And I thought Ridge did a phenomenal job with his tone, his inflection, and his volume.”
Dreamer on WWE selling the angle: “Kudos to WWE for immediately moving him to the Alumni section on their website. The other part that Bully talked about is perception, but it’s also perception from the company. If you’re the guy that goes out there and hurts a lot of people, even if it isn’t your fault, then that becomes your perception.”
Dreamer on where the story could be going: “You could go a lot of different places with this as well. He could come back as a bigger babyface or he could come back with a vengeance and start being somebody who purposely goes out there and hurts people and has this moniker of a guy who [says], ‘You blame me for things that weren’t my fault, now I’m going to hurt the fan favorites that you guys like.’”
Natalya’s Surprise Return to WWE NXT and Ridge Holland’s Impactful Promo Segment Praised by Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer
In a recent episode of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, wrestling veterans Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer expressed their admiration for Natalya’s unexpected return to WWE NXT and Ridge Holland’s powerful promo segment on Tuesday’s show. The duo discussed the significance of Natalya’s presence in NXT and the potential for Holland’s storyline to take an intriguing turn.
Natalya, a seasoned wrestler, made her comeback to NXT by defeating Lola Vice in a singles match. Dreamer commended Natalya’s return, highlighting the opportunity for other wrestlers to improve their skills by competing against her. He stated, “You’re gonna get better every time you step in the ring with someone like Natalya.”
Bully Ray echoed Dreamer’s sentiment, emphasizing that Natalya is often underrated and underutilized in WWE. He drew a comparison between Natalya and Dolph Ziggler, explaining that their long tenure with the company sometimes causes them to blend into the background. Bully Ray proposed that Natalya could excel as a heel character, suggesting, “Let Nattie go out there and be a b****.”
The discussion then shifted to Ridge Holland’s impactful promo on the same episode of NXT. Bully Ray expressed his admiration for Holland’s performance, praising his ability to blur the lines between reality and fiction. Holland’s promo focused on the physical and mental toll that injuries can have on wrestlers, leaving the audience unsure if it was a scripted segment or a genuine expression of his experiences. Bully Ray commended Holland’s delivery, stating, “I thought Ridge did a phenomenal job with his tone, his inflection, and his volume.”
The crowd’s reaction to Holland’s promo was notable as well. The silence from the audience indicated that they were captivated by the authenticity of the segment. Bully Ray highlighted the inclusion of mental health in Holland’s promo, emphasizing its impact on both his character and personal well-being.
Dreamer commended WWE for their swift response to the storyline by moving Holland to the alumni section of their website. He emphasized the importance of perception, noting that if a wrestler is associated with causing injuries, even if it is not their fault, it becomes their perceived reputation.
The conversation concluded with Dreamer speculating on the potential direction of Holland’s character. He suggested that Holland could return as a beloved babyface or adopt a vengeful persona, intentionally targeting fan-favorite wrestlers. Dreamer proposed that Holland could use the narrative of being blamed for incidents that were not his fault as motivation for his new aggressive approach.
Overall, Natalya’s surprise return to NXT and Ridge Holland’s impactful promo segment garnered praise from Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer. Their analysis highlighted the potential for Natalya’s presence to elevate the skills of other wrestlers and the captivating nature of Holland’s storyline. As fans eagerly await future developments, it remains to be seen how these narratives will unfold and captivate audiences in the world of professional wrestling.