Alex Hammerstone talks Richard Holliday's battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
In December 2022, Richard Holliday revealed he was being treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma after being away from MLW for the majority of the year. Prior to his treatment, Holliday was embroiled in a rivalry with his former tag team partner and current MLW World Heavyweight Champion, Alex Hammerstone.
Speaking with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Hammer reflected on his matches with Holliday and sensed that something was off with Richard in their second match.
"I knew coming into that second match, he hadn’t been feeling the greatest. But typical, stubborn hard headed athlete type, ‘Oh, maybe my nutrition’s just off,’ or ‘Maybe I’m a little bit overtrained,’ or ‘I spent too much time in the sun,’ whatever we try to justify, ‘We just need to push harder. Our problem is we’re not trying hard enough.’ He can into that second match we had, I believe it was in New York, and he looked awful. Not like, ‘Oh, man, you look ugly,’ but he looked physically unwell," Hammerstone recalled. "His color wasn’t right. You can tell he looked kind of clammy. He didn’t have that typical full look to his musculature. I’m just like, ‘Man, has he been slacking on his health and diet?’
"Then in the match, he was pushing himself, but he got a little banged up in that match, I’ll put it that way. Not to peel back the curtain too much. I’m trying to drag him through to the finish line, and I remember getting to the back and thinking, ‘What the hell, man? C’mon, this is a main event match. Where you at?’ I felt so bad. Come to find out, a couple weeks later, he starts calling me and—I don’t want to give out too much of his personal business—but he’s getting different tests done. He thinks it’s this, he thinks it’s that," Hammerstone continued. "They’re trying to figure out exactly what is going on with him ‘cause something’s off. Then when I heard it was cancer, my heart just freakin’ sank because I dealt with that with my girlfriend. Growing up, most people think they’re never gonna have to deal with that personally. Then to have two people very close to me, back to back."
Still, Hammerstone says that Holliday maintained a positive attitude and fighting spirit during his ordeal. On February 18, 2023, Holliday announced his cancer treatment completion, thanking those who supported him throughout the process.
Now, Hammerstone believes that an announcement concerning Richard's return to the wrestling ring could come within "the next couple of weeks."
"I always say it was incredible to hear that very first conversation with him because people probably get hit by that news, and they might be able to build themselves up, but he talked to me so matter of fact, pragmatically. He’s like, ‘Yeah, this is what I have to do. I’m starting the treatment at this time.’ He already knew that," said Hammerstone.
"I’ve had to take some time off wrestling for stupid, minor things, and it kills me. He understood that the universe was presenting him with an obstacle, and he could either falter or he could run through it, and he said, ‘Alright, let’s go.’ Now we’re approaching the time where I’m pretty sure within the next couple of weeks, we’re gonna be announcing his comeback to the ring."
Holliday hasn't wrestled since June 23, 2022, when he faced Hammerstone in a Falls Count Anywhere match for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.
Fightful continues to wish Holliday the best in his recovery. We will provide any updates on HolLiday's condition and return to the ring as more is known.
Fans can stay up-to-date with Hammerstone and Holliday by watching MLW Underground, which airs every Tuesday on REELZ at 10 PM ET.
