Dolph Ziggler was a mainstay in WWE for two decades but was released by the company in September. 2023. It was clear for years that there were never any plans to push him as a top star again, a shame after his run as World Heavyweight Champion was ended prematurely by a concussion following one of the best cash-ins.
Now a free agent, Ziggler - who is using his real name, Nic Nemeth - began the next chapter of his pro wrestling career by appearing at New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom, and has made repeated appearances there and for TNA.
Talking on Konnan's Keepin' It 100 podcast, Nemeth was asked why he didn't sign with All Elite Wrestling, a company which has wasted no time in signing up talent who have either left or been released by WWE after being poorly utilised by the sports entertainment giant.
"In the past, some [talks] but I had a plan that I've been working on for probably the last year and a half. I didn't want to go anywhere. I appreciate that several companies reached out immediately. I [said], 'I have this one plan, I want to do this on my own,' and even so, Scott D'Amore was so insistent because the locker room was so strong and somebody in the locker room of TNA reached out and I go, 'Man you guys are really making this hard...let's do some dates.' I'm not gonna sign for 3 years but I said I just wanna bounce around and be a hired gun. I'll go with anybody and do anything."
"[I said] I just got out of a long-term relationship, 19 years. I don't want to sign a paper that says you can't do this. I can still represent companies, I am a great brand ambassador. I just don't want to be locked in. I did it for too long. I stayed a couple extra years to get the good money. Now I'm rested up, I'm in the best shape of my life mentally and physically. I think I timed it out perfectly, no matter what any fans tell me on Twitter. I did my plan exactly how I want to do it and I want to bounce around."
"I thought I was gonna bounce around for 6 months and then look around. I think I'm gonna do a year, maybe longer, and then settle down somewhere. So far, Japan has treated me so well. That locker room is awesome."
Nemeth also had good things to say about TNA's locker room and the way he's been booked by the company thus far.
"The business model behind the scenes is so close to WWE like long-term booking, having pieces in place, having people in place to where you don't just always have to go to bits. You can go to someone and go to someone else and make a move here. I don't always want to bother the most important boss with a small thing because I'm new. All the pieces in place in that business model is long term booking and storytelling and I go man, that's what I can sink my teeth into the most."
The former WWE Superstar has talked candidly about being unhappy there during his final few years with the company, and that's really no great wonder when he was stuck in limbo for such a long time and used only sporadically.
Vince McMahon seemed to lose faith in Ziggler as the years passed and, for whatever reason, Triple H couldn't find a place for him either. Now, though, Nemeth can make his mark in Japan, in TNA, and on the independents, establishing himself as more than just a "WWE Superstar."
Plus, we have to believe the door could be open to him one day making a return...unless he changes his mind about being "All Elite," of course!