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Back in 2011, Edge was the man to introduce Dolph Ziggler to the main event Championship picture with a world title match at the Royal Rumble event.
Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Dolph Ziggler opened up about how much that experience meant to him and how happy he is to see Edge return in such great shape, adding that he hopes to have one more match with him.
“Edge, that Royal Rumble match [from 2011] we had was so cool. I was a guy that lost 99% of the time. I didn’t talk—Vickie [Guerrero] talked for me,” Ziggler recalled. “When we got to the match, I was so fortunate to have traveled with and be friends with Adam and Jay [Edge and Christian], Tommy Dreamer and [Chris] Jericho. They’re so good, they’re so smart, and me being around them, I became almost as smart. We had this match, a guy that loses every week in a world title match against Edge, and there was no cool backstory. I didn’t cut a 10-minute promo with my life story, nothing like that. But we built this up for a couple weeks and maybe, maybe, I had a 1% chance of winning, which I’ve made a career out of over the past 15 years. I learned so much from Adam on the road during the live events we did together. I mentioned earlier that I wish I could have done a bunch of live events with Mandy, Sonya and Otis because I could have helped them even more. Getting that time with Adam meant so much to me.”
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He continued, “I almost forget how having fans sounds, but we opened the show that night at the Rumble with a world title match and the crowd was hot. Everyone knew I was losing that match for the first 10 minutes, but the rest of the match was back-and-forth. People weren’t sure what was going to happen, and no one sat down during those last 10 minutes. As much as I try to take credit for everything I do, that was just me trying to hang with Adam. Back then I thought I was great, but I go back and watch that now and there are a million little things that piss me off. But the reaction from that crowd, going from thinking I couldn’t win that match to not knowing if I was going to become world champion, that’s a credit to how good Adam is.
“I can’t speak highly enough about Adam, and that is one of my absolute favorite matches, which also has to do with our history outside of the ring. If there is a chance where him and I get to go toe-to-toe in the ring again, I would love it. Adam might be in the best shape of his life, which again, like Randy, is starting to piss me off. They’re out there doing 45-minute matches, crushing it, and looking like a million bucks. I need to step up my game.”
Next up for Dolph Ziggler is a WWE Championship match against Drew McIntyre at WWE Extreme Rules: The Horror Show.
Dolph Ziggler
What Has WWE Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler Been Up to Outside the Ring?
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SummerSlam Kickoff Party
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - AUGUST 11: WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler arrives at the WWE SummerSlam kick off party on August 11, 2011 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)
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SummerSlam Kickoff Party
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 16: WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler (L) and actor Clark Duke attend the WWE SummerSlam VIP Kick-Off Party at Beverly Hills Hotel on August 16, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images For WWE)
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Ziggler and Wade Barrett
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: WWE Superstars Dolph Ziggler and Wade Barrett attend WWE Superstars for Sandy Relief at Cipriani, Wall Street on April 4, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for WWE)
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Superstars for Sandy Relief
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler attends the Superstars For Sandy Relief at Cipriani Wall Street on April 4, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/FilmMagic)
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Superstars for Hope
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 15: Actor/former pro wrestler Steve Austin (L) and WWE wrestler Dolph Ziggler attend WWE & E! Entertainment's "SuperStars For Hope" at the Beverly Hills Hotel on August 15, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for WWE)
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SummerSlam VIP Party
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 15: Wrestler Dolph Ziggler attends the WWE SummerSlam VIP party at Beverly Hills Hotel on August 15, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
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Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
ROSEMONT, IL - AUGUST 11: Moderator Mo Lightning, wrestlers AJ Lee, Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat and Dolph Ziggler attends Day 3 of Wizard World Chicago Comic Con held at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on August 11, 2013 in Rosemont, Illinois. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
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2014 NHL Stanley Cup Finals
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Dolph Ziggler attends Game One of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Staples Center on June 4, 2014 in Los Angeles, California (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
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BREMEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 10: Dolph Ziggler challenges Rusev during WWE Germany Live Bremen - Road To Wrestlemania at OVB-Arena on February 10, 2016 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Joachim Sielski/Bongarts/Getty Images)
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CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 21: WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler attends Wizard World Comic Con at Cleveland Convention Center on February 21, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Patrick R. Murphy/Getty Images)
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BREMEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 10: Dolph Ziggler during WWE Germany Live Bremen - Road To Wrestlemania at OVB-Arena on February 10, 2016 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Joachim Sielski/Bongarts/Getty Images)
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BREMEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 10: Dolph Ziggler challenges Rusev during WWE Germany Live Bremen - Road To Wrestlemania at OVB-Arena on February 10, 2016 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Joachim Sielski/Bongarts/Getty Images)