In a recent episode of Francine’s podcast “Eyes Up Here”, professional wrestler Nic Nemeth, popularly known as Dolph Ziggler in WWE, disclosed that after his departure from WWE he engaged in discussions with AEW but ultimately decided to join the independent wrestling circuit. Nemeth has showcased his skills at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom and has also performed on TNA Impact following his WWE exit. He expressed his sentiments as,
“Tony and I communicated quite a while back and he emphasized, ‘Be aware that you have the freedom to pursue anything you wish while you’re a part of this network.’ His preference is for everyone to enjoy themselves and strive for excellence. That’s commendable, and many did assume that I would join AEW. I respect a lot of individuals in AEW, I admire AEW and think Tony is incredible.”
He further expanded, “I was simply assessing my alternatives and trying to formulate a plan. I’m driven by this idea in my mind. I aspire to carve a niche for myself in the independent wrestling world. Just to assess my ability to thrive outside of this New York comfort zone… I’m curious to see if I can compete, or excel, or even emerge as the best worldwide… I just concluded a long-term relationship, I’m not in a rush to get committed, or poised to engage.”