Dolph Ziggler has been one of the most reliable wrestlers in WWE over the past decade, but there are some rumblings that he could decide to part ways with the only company he’s worked with.
In 2018, Dolph Ziggler enjoyed quite the ride. Even though his sudden appearance in the No. 30 spot at the Royal Rumble yielded nothing, Ziggler got back on the map in WWE by teaming up with Drew McIntyre, who debuted from NXT on the Raw after WrestleMania. Though the end game was to put McIntyre in a position to be viewed as a future Universal Champion, Ziggler reaped plenty of rewards, grabbing the Raw Tag Team Championships and yet another Intercontinental Championship reign.
Despite a successful year that included several great matches involving Seth Rollins, there’s speculation that Ziggler may be interested in leaving WWE. PWInsider.com’s Mike Johnson wrote this morning that while sources say he’s still under contract, Ziggler declined an offer from WWE to be a backstage producer and hasn’t traveled with the company lately.
Per Johnson, “some” close to the situation think that Ziggler is finished with the company, and they’ve pointed to the final day of January as the date to watch.
These rumors surrounding Ziggler come on the heels of Fightful’s report that some in WWE are worried The Revival will leave, as well as Pro Wrestling Sheet’s report that Maria and Mike Kanellis recently asked for their release.
With All Elite Wrestling coming into focus and Ring of Honor aggressively signing big stars like PCO, Rush, and Bandido, there are plenty of opportunities in the wrestling world. And given that AEW is backed by the Khans and has already inked Chris Jericho as a headline signing, there should be plenty of money in addition to on-screen opportunities.
Ziggler is a six-time Intercontinental Champion, two-time World Champion (technically), two-time United States Champion, and two-time Tag Team Champion. This makes Dolph one of WWE’s most successful wrestlers in the modern era, but, of course, he’s never quite reached the heights some feel he could have, especially after his tremendous reception from the crowd on the Raw after WrestleMania when he cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase; it’s recognized as one of the greatest pops in recent memory.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Ziggler, who was recently destroyed by McIntyre in a rivalry-ending steel cage match. In matches with McIntyre and Rollins, Ziggler has shown that he still has it in the ring, though the 38-year-old comedian and former amateur wrestler is likely headed for his final few years of high-level pro wrestling success. If he chooses to continue wrestling, promotions like AEW would almost certainly want his signature, especially since they may feel they could get the experienced and athletic wrestler.
With Ziggler, of course, there are always rumors. He’s signed so many deals worth a certain amount of money over the past year or two that his future or contract status are always up in the air. Since there are so many rumored departures, though, Ziggler’s status is once again worth monitoring this winter.