Nic Nemeth says he didn't pursue AEW, chose TNA instead

Nic Nemeth, the former WWE star known as Dolph Ziggler, said in a recent interview that he never seriously pursued a contract with All Elite Wrestling after his September 2023 WWE release and instead chose to sign with TNA Wrestling because it felt like the better fit for his career. Speaking on the Insight podcast with Chris Van Vliet, Nemeth recounted conversations with AEW leadership and praised the promotion's impact on the industry, but said he did not view an AEW deal as likely or desirable for his in-ring style.

"I wasnt," Nemeth said when asked how close he came to joining AEW. He added that he respects many performers there and watches the show weekly, but questioned whether his approach would fit AEW's longer, intricate match structures. "It has so many moving parts and pieces to it that I dont know that I could, from my old style," he said, while acknowledging he could adapt to different formats.

Nemeth described his decision to join TNA as both personal and strategic. He cited admiration for Kurt Angle's 2006 move to TNA and said he hoped his presence might help the promotion grow even modestly. After meeting the locker room and backstage staff, he said, he was...