Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Mike Johnson: A couple of years ago you were at the IZOD Center the day after WrestleMania when you cashed in Money in the Bank and won the World Title. What is it like being in the middle of the ring with the levels and the decibels of just that crowd reaction just exploding? I remember being there in the building and it being massive but what's it like being in the center of all that with everything directed at you for that big moment?
Dolph Ziggler: It's surreal. Once in a while, when someone sends me the clip I'll check it out - I get goosebumps, and I've been here 17 years, bitter, over it, doesn't give a damn, doesn't watch wrestling, doesn't care, backs it up in the ring, and I had that moment when my music hit, and this whoosh of like, bee stings hit my face and arms, I went, "Holy crap, what is this?" But my favorite part is, if you do a little homework, I was a losing bad guy who lost all the time, but I always made a good showing, and for some reason, I found a way in a ladder match to come away with that briefcase, and when I got that contract with Money in the Bank, I lost even more than I was losing then, I was still this bad guy who hated on the fans, and to have that reaction, not just cause it's a fun weekend, it's WrestleMania, we're all fired up, it's just overseas fans that are excited - these people, these fans in that arena, without them, I wouldn't have even been in the position to win the contract let alone have a chance at becoming World Champion. So when my music hit and I cashed in, to go, "Yes'! He's a bad guy, he loses all the time, he barely talks but d*mnit, he's our guy, we helped make this happen, this is such a load off our shoulders," and right away, when I almost lost, they go, "Of course, of course Dolph will be the first guy to cash in and blow it because he loses," and then it takes them on that entire roller coaster ride for 2 and a half minutes...it is one of the crowning achievements of my life. It is beautiful and it is beautifully done and Del Rio and myself crushed it I think, I'm very proud of that. But the fact that without their support cause, the company made it seem, "Don't cheer for this guy, don't care about him," and they said, "Screw that, we watch how good he is, we're going to do it,"
Mike Johnson: Is, to use your own words, bitter, being over it, is that the key to survival and being with the company for 17 years in a world where everybody's always pivoting to the next thing and everybody's always looking for the next young talent, in your mind what is the secret to surviving [in WWE] for so long?
Dolph Ziggler: I mean, it's different for everybody, man. I mean I talk a good game and say I'm bitter and over it and I don't watch wrestling, it's not all true but you have to get lucky, you have to be awesome, you have to be heartless at some point, you have to step in when someone else goes down, and even then with all those factors, you still might not be picked to be here. I could have been fired 8 or 9 or 10 years ago, because either I had nothing going on, you need to have people rooting for you, helping you, actively behind the scenes helping you, and even then you can get injured and it might not be your fault, and if it happens 2 times in 5 years, you may be written off as an injury-prone guy - anything can happen to anybody. I can't think of offhand anyone who has had this sustained career for 17 or 18 years, and the only time I've taken vacations was because I had done 15 years in a row and said, "Guys, I gotta either quit the company or I have to go away for a few months," and that is the only time I left. I think I missed, in 17 years maybe a handful of weeks? And even then, you know, you're fighting through injuries and different things like that without taking time off because you wanted to show them, "I can go no matter what, put this company on my back."
Mike Johnson: The level of excitement that you have for Stand and Deliver really comes through. How much do you think it freshened up your brain to have the whole NXT experience?
Dolph Ziggler: It's awesome. I famously don't watch, when I got down there I didn't know what to expect, and I just saw everybody working so hard, it's insane and I go, "You know what? I'm probably not going to become champion, but maybe I'll have a match with somebody and maybe they'll become better for it, and maybe I can get on the mic, something I don't get to do on Raw too often, spit some fire at everybody, let them know, oh my God, this guy can go, this guy can do what he wants, probably in the shape of his life, never gets tired, never goes down, how the hell can we not reinvigorate this and help us out at the same time?" It's a win/win for everybody.
Mike Johnson: Stand and Deliver is this Saturday - Dolph Ziggler vs Bron Breakker is the main event. Sir, there's obviously a lot of WWE programming this week between USA and Peacock and everything else - why should fans make sure they get up bright and early and watch Stand and Deliver prior to WrestleMania 38 Night 1?
Dolph Ziggler: If you think I am going to fight for the title in the main event of the NXT Stand and Deliver WrestleMania weekend, if you think for one second that I'm going to phone it in, or even give an A or A - attempt, no. If you don't walk out of that show saying, "Damn, I hope WrestleMania can compete with that because they just stole the show," then I didn't do my job, and I'll be damned if I've never done my job here.
Mike Johnson: Sir, thank you so much for the time, I know you got a busy week, we really appreciate you sitting down with us for a couple of minutes.
Dolph Ziggler: You got it man, I'm looking forward to stealing the show, and that's not just a catchphrase. I'll see you guys there.
WWE NXT Stand and Deliver streams this Saturday afternoon on the WWE Network and Peacock.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
