Nic Nemeth now reigns supreme as the TNA World Champion. However, he recently revealed that he initially agreed to a ten-date deal with the company.
WWE released Nemeth, formerly known as Dolph Ziggler, in September 2023. The former World Heavyweight Champion then arrived in TBA at TNA ard To Kill in January. He won TNA’s world title at TNA Slammiversary in July.
In an interview with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, Nic Nemeth discussed signing with TNA. He detailed Scott D’Amore saying they wanted him. Nemeth also looked back on his mindset about joining the company. (H/t Fightful for the transcription)
“Scott D’Amore was like, ‘We want you here.’ I go, ‘Listen, I appreciate that. I can’t do it.’ He goes, Here’s what we got in the background. Here’s the long-term storytelling. Here’s all the bits and pieces. Here are the people behind the scenes. The locker room’s so good.’ All these people from the locker room are texting me. I go, ‘I love it so much, I don’t want to be tied down. Like, what if I’m not helping you guys? Or what if I hate it? Or it doesn’t work out?
“I don’t want to sign a three-year deal.’ He goes, ‘How about a year?’ ‘No.’ ‘Then how about 10 dates?’ I go, ‘Alright, that I can do. Let’s do 10 dates and if you don’t think I’m worth it, cut me out. Or if I say this sucks, I can’t, I don’t like this company.’”
Nic Nemeth Loves Being In TNA
Nemth continued by saying that he loves being in TNA, and he spoke highly of the locker room. He also praised the infrastructure and the behind-the-scenes team.
“I love it so much. Everybody’s great,” he said. “In a world where every locker room is pretty friggin’ awesome and hard working. Like there’s no wrestling locker room where people are like, ‘Oh nobody works hard here.’ It’s every place you go is like these guys are busting their ass to make something special happen.
“That is the exact same case with TNA. The infrastructure behind the scenes is really awesome. I love Gale Kim. I love Tommy. But like not even because I’m saying because I worked there. I actually know them and like them a lot. I go, ‘Okay, and there’s some of the people who get it.’”
Nic Nemeth Wants To Go All In
Nic Nemeth then emphasized that he wanted to make this count. He stated that he aimed to help the company and see how far he can go.
“I go, ‘Man, the storytelling and the bits and pieces and the behind the scenes work,’ and they go, ‘We’re basically building this up from the ground again,” Nic Nemeth said. “I go, ‘Put me on every possible media thing. If you need me to fly in three or four days early to do something, I will do it, absolutely. Because I wanna go all in and make this count as much as possible.’ So go, ‘That’s the case.’
“That’s always been the case and I keep re-upping for long-term. I’m not going to like sneak out of here or like take off with the title or like leave them hanging. I want to see how far I can go and help this company while they are kicking ass and on the upward slope.”
The video can be seen here:
Nic Nemeth is set to defend his title against Josh Alexander at TNA Emergence on August 30.
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