Speaking on a recent edition of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, Nic Nemeth, previously known as Dolph Ziggler in WWE, stated that he had been preparing for his release for a long time, something that happened in September.
Now, Ziggler is working for NJPW after appearing at Wrestle Kingdom 18.
Nemeth said, “I was prepared. For the last six, eight, ten months going, ‘At some point, I have to make a change here.’ As you get ready to go and see you don’t have a chance to be in a PPV match and steal the show. You don’t have a chance to have a six-minute match to steal the show.
You have a match and it’s three minutes and you don’t get an entrance and everyone knows who is winning. Can I find a way to have that work? Once that started happening, even a couple of years ago when Roode [Bobby Roode] and I were tagging, I was thinking, ‘At some point, I have to be ready to go. Will my shape and stamina still be there?’
I have been preparing so long and getting things ready to go, it wasn’t ‘What? What do I do now? I’m free.’ I was planning for half of this entire last contract going, ‘I know at some point, I’m being paid way too much to sit at home so I’m gonna have to get out of here.’ I always wanted to be ready to go, just in case they said, ‘I know you’ve been doing 90-second matches, can you do 30 minutes with The Undertaker?’ You’re damn right I can. I was ready to go anyway, I just wanted to have every option available.
It wasn’t out of the blue. I had sent emails to the boss over the last few months saying, ‘I have to move on to somewhere else, can you let me do this?’ Eventually, without exact back and forth, that’s how it worked out. It wasn’t weird because it was so six, eight, ten months in place going, ‘Here it comes.’ Now, I have 90 days sitting around, which broke my heart, but I just got extra workouts.”
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Former WWE superstar Nic Nemeth, known by his ring name Dolph Ziggler, recently spoke about his release from the company and his plans for the future. In a podcast interview with “Busted Open Radio,” Nemeth revealed that he had been preparing for his departure for quite some time before it actually happened in September.
Since leaving WWE, Nemeth has found a new home in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). He made his debut at Wrestle Kingdom 18, one of NJPW’s biggest events of the year. This move has allowed him to continue his wrestling career and explore new opportunities outside of WWE.
During the interview, Nemeth discussed the reasons behind his decision to leave WWE. He expressed his frustration with the limited opportunities he had towards the end of his tenure with the company. Instead of being able to showcase his skills in longer matches and steal the show, he often found himself in short matches where the outcome was predictable.
Nemeth explained that he had been mentally and physically preparing for a change for several months leading up to his release. He wanted to ensure that he would still be in top shape and have the stamina to perform at a high level in case he received an opportunity elsewhere. He had been anticipating the end of his contract and knew that he needed to be ready to move on.
The former WWE superstar also revealed that he had been proactive in reaching out to WWE management about his desire to explore other opportunities. He had sent emails expressing his need to move on and asking for permission to do so. While there may not have been direct back-and-forth communication, Nemeth believes that his efforts played a role in his eventual release.
Despite the initial disappointment of having to wait out a 90-day non-compete clause, Nemeth is using the time to focus on improving himself physically. He mentioned that he is putting in extra workouts to stay in shape and be ready for his next venture in the wrestling industry.
Nemeth’s story serves as a reminder that success in any field requires preparation and foresight. By recognizing the need for change and taking proactive steps to make it happen, he has been able to continue his wrestling career and pursue new opportunities. As fans, we can look forward to seeing what he accomplishes in NJPW and beyond.
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