'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Nic Nemeth, formerly known as Dolph Ziggler, received his release from WWE in September 2023 after almost two decades with the company. In an exclusive interview, the 43-year-old shed light on why he decided to leave.
Nemeth was widely viewed as one of the most underutilized wrestlers in WWE. The Showoff won several honors throughout his career, including the World Heavyweight Championship and the Money in the Bank briefcase. However, many believe he should have been booked more prominently due to his charisma and impressive in-ring ability.
Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling's Riju Dasgupta, Nemeth addressed whether he was disappointed to depart WWE:
"No because the last couple of years I've been kinda [saying], 'Hey, I'm gonna get out of here, take a break, leave.' I go, 'I'm sitting on the bench a lot.' And that's okay, sometimes that's your place, and I was constantly a 'break glass in case of main-eventer emergency,' and I appreciate that to a point, but even then at that point I had to go, listen, it's one thing to where people think I might not win but we'll see, but when eight-year-old kids are going, 'You're gonna lose, we know,' I can only do so much." [5:10 – 5:46]
Watch the video above to hear Nic Nemeth reflect on his SummerSlam 2019 match against Goldberg.
Why Nic Nemeth stayed in WWE for so long
In recent years, Nic Nemeth attempted to take a break from WWE multiple times before being convinced to stay.
The popular wrestler added that lucrative contracts and the chance to work with up-and-coming talent prolonged his WWE career:
"I got to a point where I said, 'Hey, listen, I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I have the greatest career. I'm so proud of everything. I need to leave, whether it's for six months, a year, permanently, and maybe come back, maybe not,'" Nemeth stated. "And I was talked out of it a couple of different times, and every once in a while a wheelbarrow full of money came by too, and I'm like, 'Okay, I guess I could stay for one more year and help some people out,' which is fun and funny." [5:47 – 6:09]
Toward the end of his WWE run, Nic Nemeth felt like local enhancement talents were capable of performing in the same role as him:
"I got to a point where I said, 'Hey, listen, I'm doing three-minute matches. You can do this with locals or someone else and get the exact same out of it. So I need to leave, please let me do this,' and two weeks later I was released." [6:09 – 6:27]
Since leaving WWE, Nemeth has appeared in GCW, NJPW, and TNA. He also faced Puerto Rican legend Ray Gonzalez at WWC's Euphoria event on January 20.
What would you like to see next from Nic Nemeth? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit Sportskeeda WrestleBinge and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.
