WWE Pulled Off A Big Move To Stop Ex-World Heavyweight Champion From Joining AEW
A former WWE World Champion thinks he was given a contract extension to avoid signing with AEW.
Dolph Ziggler is a former WWE superstar who had a 20-year run with the company, during which he won many championships, including two World Heavyweight Title reigns. One of those World Title reigns only lasted about an hour, while the other one was just 69 days, even though Ziggler had one of the most memorable Money in the Bank cash-ins ever.
By the late 2010s, Ziggler wasn’t being pushed heavily and was thinking about getting out of his WWE deal, but he was then offered a new deal right around the time Tony Khan launched AEW in January 2019.
There were many reports at the time about WWE paying talent big deals because they didn’t want them to go to AEW.
When the former Dolph Ziggler, who wrestles in TNA using his real name Nic Nemeth, was on Off The Ropes with Jonathan Coachman, he confirmed that the last deal he signed with WWE in the late 2010s was likely done to keep him from going to AEW.
“My last contract was to keep me from going to AEW. That was it. It was winked at and not said, but it was completely understood.”
Nemeth added that when he negotiated that deal with WWE, he set a very high amount and didn’t think the company would agree, but they did.
“I’m like, I’m asking for this elaborate amount because I know you won’t pay me what I’m worth.”
I’m going to make a move and go elsewhere. They’re like, ‘Nope, we’ll do it.’ I’m like, ‘What? Okay.” (H/T Ringsidenews)
Dolph Ziggler Realized Vince McMahon Gave Him “Chicks” In WWE, But Not World Titles
When Nic Nemeth spoke about his WWE run as Dolph Ziggler in the past, he summed up the push that he received. According to Nemeth, former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon would book Ziggler to be with attractive women like AJ Lee and Lana, but not necessarily to make him a World Champion.
“I got to a point where I’m like, ‘Oh, okay. Vince likes my work, but doesn’t think I should be the world champion; but my reward is to get chicks or something.’
In his mind, I think that was real, like he’s too small to be world champ, but he gets ladies, or I don’t know. By the way, the “reward” it’s not like real-life kissing; there are cameras, and everyone’s there, and everyone’s uncomfortable. Everybody’s dating somebody else, and everyone’s standing there, and you’re like, ‘This is the worst thing ever…’
That’s it. It’s like not a title. You’re not going to win, but you made out with that chick afterwards. Okay, I guess it’s all right.”
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