WWE: Backstage Update on Bronson Reed’s Bicep Tear Injury & Return Plans, Luke Menzies (Ridge Holland) Says He Was Asked To Take A 56% Pay Cut In WWE, John Cena on How He Thought His Firefly Fun House Match With Bray Wyatt “Was Going To Be My Last Match”

Backstage Update on Bronson Reed’s Bicep Tear Injury & Return Plans

As noted before, “Big” Bronson Reed has been out of action for WWE since this past February due to a distal bicep tear injury and surgery. Reed recently posted a photo on Twitter of his new muscular physique he has been working on while training for his in-ring return. WWE currently has plans for Reed to be presented as a main event-level heel when he returns from his injury.

WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that Reed’s return to WWE is currently considered to be very close.

It was reported that those spoken to stated that WWE officials creative plans for Reed’s return has been progressing and confirmed that the current expectation is that he will be featured as a top-level heel.

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Luke Menzies (Ridge Holland) Says He Was Asked To Take A 56% Pay Cut In WWE

As noted before, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston departed from WWE this past May following a mutual decision over New Day not accepting a new restructured deal offer to stay in the company. Kofi and Austin Creed made their official debut for AEW at this past Sunday’s AEW All In 2026. Kofi and Creed had revealed in a recent interview with The Ariel Helwani Show that WWE’s pay cut offer was more than 50 percent.

In response to a recent tweet from former WWE and current TNA talent AJ Francis, Luke Menzies, former Ridge Holland in WWE, revealed that WWE had asked him to take a 56% pay cut if he wanted to stay in the company in 2025.

“Honestly I think I may have been the first to experience the new TKO version of “contract Negotiations”

56% paycut…. OUCH!”

Honestly I think I may have been the first to experience the new TKO version of “contract Negotiations”

56% paycut…. OUCH! https://t.co/WHseg3MwVI

— Luke Menzies (@LDMenzies) September 3, 2026

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John Cena Comments on How He Thought His Firefly Fun House Match With Bray Wyatt “Was Going To Be My Last Match”

The Metro held a recent interview with John Cena. One of the topics discussed included Cena’s thoughts about how he had felt at one point that his Firefly Fun House match against Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36 would have been the last match of his in-ring wrestling career.

“Honestly, no kidding. I thought the Firefly Fun House was going to be the last match of my career. I really did think that the Firefly Fun House match was going to be the tail end, and that was kind of a meta journey for me through facing all of my demons, and then letting go.”

Cena competed in his official retirement match against Gunther at this past December’s WWE Sunday Night’s Main Event show in Washington, D.C.