When Ridge Holland made his surprise return to NXT in December in order to get in the ring and, potentially, right a few wrongs with the Champion, Ilja Dragunov, it turned heads around the WWE Universe.

Sure, Holland's rationale made some sense, as he did have a bad reputation for injuring wrestlers with his less-than-safe in-ring style, but what did that have to do with Dragunov, and how would working a match together prove anything at all? Factor in the decision by NXT creative to really lean in on Holland's past wrestling issues on commentary, a series of premonitions that proved true when the Brawling Brutes member injured Dragunov in the main event of the show and suddenly, it felt like WWE was making light of their own in-ring issues, which is a pretty odd decision, considering Big E had his wrestling future called into question due to a poor suplex by the West Yorkshire native.

Stopping by New Year's Evil to discuss his return and Dragunov's injury, which kept him out of the main event of the show, Holland explained that his return to NXT is about redemption, as he needs professional wrestling to help feed his family.

“Yeah, you know, Sarah, you’re spot on, you hit the nail on the head. It’s true, I am no stranger to injuries, mishaps, and accidents in the ring,” Ridge Holland explained on NXT. “Just as my career was starting to take that upward trajectory, that upward climb, that first kind of rung on that big ladder. You now, I remember we were building to WarGames 2020, I was gonna be on the same team as Pat McAfee, and then tragedy struck and I blew both my legs out. You know, a fractured and dislocated left ankle, a dislocated kneecap, and ruptured patellar tendon on my right. And in that moment I thought it was all over. When I laid on the ramp just looking up at the lights and thinking ‘Is this how it’s gonna end?’ How can I go home and tell my wife, who was pregnant with my twin boys at the time that ‘sorry, love, I dragged you away from your family, I’ve pulled you away from your home to try out this new life in the states.’ How can I go home and tell her that ‘It’s done. I need to go back?’ This has been how I feed my family. This has been how I pay my bills, how I keep a roof over their heads.”

Whoa, interesting stuff, right? Well, guess what? That isn't all, as Holland had plenty more to say about his status in the Brawling Brutes and his future in NXT now that Sheamus is out of action indefinitely.

Ridge Holland wants to become a babyface in NXT.

Turning his attention from his initial run in NXT to his time joining the Brawling Brutes, Ridge Holland called his pairing with Sheamus and Butch “bittersweet,” as he suffered an injury and gave a few out too.

“It’s kind of bittersweet, because although I appreciate the opportunity with Sheamus and Butch, I get flashbacks to that first PLE, Day 1,” Ridge Holland explained. “Two years ago yesterday, when I got my nose smashed all over face. That injury bug strikes again, you know, I got that black cloud. I get home, I had to have reconstructive surgery.”

So, with Dragunov on the shelf right up there with Sheamus, what does Holland want to accomplish within the WWE Universe? Well, as it turns out, he just wants to introduce fans to the real him and prove he isn't some caricature monster.

“Look, I respect Ilja immensely, okay? And every word that came out of my mouth two weeks ago, I meant it,” Holland said. “And when that bell rang later that night, whatever happened happened. There was no malicious intent, there was no ill will, cause Sara, at the end of the day I’m a dad. I’m a husband, I’m a friend, I’m not a monster, I’m not someone who goes out and aimlessly tries to hurt people, tries to take away someone’s career, because I know what that feels like, I know how fast things can be taken away. Just like that. I don’t have that in me to do that to somebody else, it’s not in my DNA, but the point still stands that I’m in NXT for a reason and that is to prove to everybody and show everyone who Ridge Holland really is, and I will go through that roster, man by man, to prove myself, to find redemption, and to show the NXT Universe who Ridge Holland truly is, with no perceptions.”

Will Holland be able to prove his goal in NXT? Will the WWE Universe finally forgive him for injuring Big E, among others, and take him seriously as a babyface hero capable of a strong, pseudo-realistic offensive skillset in the vein of Goldberg and Bron Breakker? Fans will have to tune into NXT moving forward to find out.