Dolph Ziggler [Nic Nemeth] Discusses WWE Release: “It Wasn’t Out Of The Blue”

Nic Nemeth, previously known as Dolph Ziggler in WWE, has been preparing for his release for a long time.

Arguably the most high-profile release in the September 2023 round of cuts, Nemeth knew that the dreaded phone call would eventually happen but wanted to remain ready for whatever came next.

Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Nemeth admitted that as his ring time gradually decreased and was featured less prominently the years prior there was going to be a point where he was going to be released. As such, the former WWE Superstar needed to remain in top condition to make an impact elsewhere:

“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?’

Nemeth continued, stating that for a lengthy period of time he just remained ready to compete just in case WWE needed to slot him into an impromptu match:

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.

Concluding the discussion, Nemeth stated that he had been in communication with higher-ups stating that he wanted to continue wrestling, even if it wasn’t in WWE:

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,”

Many were incredibly supportive of Dolph Ziggler when the WWE release was announced, including The Rock.

Dolph Ziggler Makes Surprise Appearance Overseas

Although many had their predictions as to where Nemeth turned up next, few would have predicted he would be at the biggest show on NJPW’s calendar. As was seen at Wrestle Kingdom 18, the former WWE Superstar appeared live in The Tokyo Dome and confronted IWGP Global Champion David Finlay in the process.

Recently Nic Nemeth revealed which WWE Superstar helped him make his debut in NJPW.

Having recently debuted for TNA, Nic Nemeth explained why he chose the promotion as his next destination.

H/t to Fightful.