Nic Nemeth Is 'Blown Away' By How Much This WWE Star Has Improved

Roman Reigns has had a fascinating trajectory since he first joined WWE, and he was a divisive figure among fans up until a few years ago. Nic Nemeth (formerly known as Dolph Ziggler) was around to see Reigns' rise, and he admitted on today's "Busted Open Radio" that he once had doubts about the wrestler's abilities. That's no longer the case, though, with Nemeth praising Reigns for his work on Monday's "WWE Raw."

"I knew Roman when he was good. Now, he's incredible," Nemeth said. "I'm blown away, because for years, I was like, 'Alright, we're going with this guy. He's okay. This is fine.' And then watching him absolutely just bust out of that and become this unstoppable force, I'm very impressed with him."

Nemeth noted that it's obvious that Reigns has matured in several different ways, and he commands respect and attention wherever he goes. Looking back on his past in WWE, Nemeth remembered feeling frustrated when Reigns would get a sustained push despite being booed by the fans. Now Nemeth believes Reigns has proven those doubters wrong, including himself.

"Slowly but surely, after those years go by, he has become everything that the boss thought he would be, and then some," Nemeth continued. "He's next-level with his character work."

Reigns opened up Monday's "Raw" after making his return to end the previous week's show. The former world champion was confronted by Bronson Reed and Paul Heyman, with an exchange of words leading to a match booked for WWE Crown Jewel this weekend. Reigns will face Reed in an Australian Street Fight, referencing the fact that the match will take place in Reed's home country. It'll be the first time Reigns has wrestled one-on-one since January of this year.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.