Richard Holliday has heard the online discourse that independent wrestling has no real stars left — and he takes it personally. On the Direct Discussions podcast, the indie veteran declared that he is living proof the claim is wrong: “I take full offense of that because I’m a star.”
Richard Holliday (Credits: RingSide News)
“I’m the Guy Now”
Holliday listed the standout opponents he has shared the ring with during his packed 2026 run — Karrion Kross, Mike Santana, Matt Riddle, Nic Nemeth and Matt Cardona — saying matches with Kross and Santana in particular have been “magic” every time. But he flipped the conversation: he no longer sees himself as the indie wrestler lucky to face bigger names.
“Now I’m the guy,” Holliday said. “I’m the guy who other wrestlers are saying, ‘This is a high-profile match for me.'” When his name gets announced, he says opponents routinely cut promos calling it one of the biggest matches of their careers — the biggest test they will face.
Cocky, but Earned
Holliday freely admitted the confidence sounds cocky, but he believes it is a requirement for surviving the business. “In this industry I think you have to be a little cocky. You have to believe in yourself,” he said. And in his view, the resume backs it up: years of building Richard Holliday into a business and a brand outside the major companies.
The major companies have noticed. Booker T publicly pushed for Holliday to get another WWE opportunity, and speculation ran hot earlier in the year when Holliday left his boots in the ring after a GCW match. Those WWE expectations have since cooled, with his status remaining unsettled — but Holliday is not waiting around for a label. “I’m in that position right now in the independents,” he said, and he intends to keep proving it one booking at a time.
Also Read: Richard Holliday Shuts Down Claims AEW Is Responsible for Independent Wrestling’s Success
Source: RingSide News — read the full story there.
