Nic Nemeth has recalled a famous WWE angle that nearly brought his career to an end there and then.
During an episode of Raw in September 2011, Nemeth, known in WWE as Dolph Ziggler, competed in a match against Zack Ryder. As the referee was distracted, the former World Heavyweight Champion was punched in the jaw by Hugh Jackman, allowing Ryder to pick up the victory.
Playing into the moment, Ziggler put out a social media that he might have fractured his jaw as a result of Jackman’s punch. While this was part of the storyline, higher-ups were not happy. As TMZ picked up the story and got in contact to verify if Ziggler was actually injured, there were follow-up conversations that took place.
Speaking on the Going Postl podcast, Nemeth looked back on the angle with the Hollywood star and recalled how he was reprimanded for his vague post:
The next day (after moment with Hugh Jackman on Raw), I said, ‘I have to go for x-rays. I may have a slight fractured jaw’ and by the time the next morning came around, I was being threatened with being fired from WWE because I had lied and TMZ was calling them to check on it and I go, ‘I’m just trying to protect the storyline.’
I said, ‘I didn’t say Hugh Jackman put me in a hospital or I’m having a heart attack. I was like, oh, there’s a chance there’s a hairline fracture and I’m gonna get x-rays to keep it vague’, because it’s wrestling… Because it was such a good punch and everybody was talking about it that night and the next day, I was so excited.
“It all worked out and Broski was on a tear, I was so excited about it, I go, ‘Let me add a little extra to it’ and then the second-in-command was like, ‘I don’t wanna have to fire you but you’re gonna have to recant and take this down…’
Nemeth continued, stating that if this happened a couple of years later then it would have been received a lot differently:
Meanwhile, cut to two years later or the rest of WWE’s existence, they’d be begging for that kind of publicity but whatever and I said it in a nice way but I took it down but, for the next couple of weeks, I wore mouthguards and did Miz’s punch in the face gimmick that he did for a month or whatever… and it was really, really fun. I think I had matches with Miz anyway or Broski and it was like, the whole thing was not to not punch me in the face because my jaw might be broken and it was the best. That stuff makes it so much fun on the weekends.”
Currently reigning as the IWGP Global Champion, Nic Nemeth is thankful that a former rival helped him get his foot in the door in NJPW.
Nic Nemeth Realls Wild Idea For Money In The Bank
One of Nemeth’s greatest moments during his time with the company was his Money in the Bank cash-in, which many still regard as one of the best. Although the former WWE Superstar did become World Heavyweight Champion after cashing in his contract, Nic Nemeth had an alternative plan.
H/t to Post Wrestling.