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What's the story?
Former WWE World Champion, Dolph Ziggler has been one of the most influential superstars on the WWE roster, however, in a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, 'The Showoff' seemingly confirmed his current status with WWE.
In case you didn't know...
During the 2018 Superstar Shake-up, Dolph Ziggler was drafted to Monday Night Raw and on his first night on the red brand, the former World Champion allied himself with former NXT Champion, Drew McIntyre who made his main roster debut following an attack on Titus Worldwide.
Not only did Ziggler's alliance with McIntyre help the former to win the Intercontinental Championship but the two men eventually captured the Raw Tag Team Championships in September before losing them to the reunited duo of Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose.
In December, the alliance between Ziggler and McIntyre officially ended before the latter went on to defeat 'The Showoff' in a Steel Cage Match on the final episode of Raw in 2018.
The heart of the matter
While interacting with Chris Van Vliet, Dolph Ziggler provided an update regarding his current WWE status, if he will compete at the Royal Rumble, and what the future holds for him in the Pro Wrestling industry. (Quote via Wrestling Inc)
On his current WWE status:
According to Dolph Ziggler, for the first time in his 10-year WWE career, he has finally had a weekend off and confirmed that he is currently on hiatus with WWE. Ziggler noted that he has had a handshake agreement with the company officials and what remains to be seen is if there is anything left for Ziggler to do in the WWE.
"For now I am on a hiatus with WWE. It took me like 10 years to get a weekend off and this is it. So we'll see where it goes from here. Like I said we have a handshake agreement which is different from what's on paper. I've given everything and we'll see if there is more for me to give, I'll be happy to be a part of it."
If he will compete at The Rumble:
Dolph Ziggler confirmed that he isn't scheduled to compete at this year's Royal Rumble event and hasn't been booked for the show, meaning that a chance to appear at the 30-man Rumble match is definitely off.
"Technically I am still under contract, yes, but I am not scheduled to be at the Royal Rumble."
Thoughts on possibly signing with AEW:
Dolph Ziggler is definitely considering signing with the newly inaugurated All Elite Wrestling promotion where he will be working alongside his former WWE colleague in Cody Rhodes and some of the best Pro Wrestlers in the world who have already signed with the promotion.
Ziggler stated that going to AEW is definitely an option and feels that he would be the biggest signing for AEW as well. 'The Showoff' further added that he would be a great addition to the AEW roster.
"I wouldn't say I would be the next big signing, I'd say I would be the big signing I would have to say. But I have some other things going on at the moment but that should always be an option for anybody especially someone like me who has been around for a long time and as Drew McIntyre says, maybe I was riding his coattails and I gotta get the hell out of here. So you never know. I think it would be great, I think it would be a great addition to that company which seems to be for true wrestlers who love the sport and the business. It's a great idea."
What's next?
As mentioned by Dolph Ziggler himself, he is currently taking some time off from the WWE and is expected to make his return to the WWE. However, signing with AEW also remains as an option for the former WWE US Champion and only time will tell what the future holds for him.
