Dolph Ziggler's Past Comments On Hating John Cena For Real, Part-Timers Taking WrestleMania Spots
On episode 115 of Sam Roberts' Wrestling Podcast, professional broadcaster and professional wrestling enthusiast Sam Roberts shared an interview he conducted with Dolph Ziggler right before WrestleMania 29. The interview was apropos in light of Ziggler's recent shift in attitude on WWE SmackDown Live. During the interview, Ziggler said he hates John Cena for having the spot atop WWE. Also, Ziggler talked about so-called part-timers returning to WWE for WrestleMania season.
According to Ziggler, he hates Cena because even though he is a better wrestler than Cena, Cena has a better connection with the fanbase. looking like a movie star and being a great wrestler does not necessarily create a connection with the fans
"I hate [Cena], and, like, for real. Yeah, I hate everything he stands for. I hate how awkwardly he runs. I hate that I'm better at wrestling, but he has this awesome connection with the fans and I'm so great at wrestling and I haven't made that great connection with all the fans that aren't in New York." Ziggler added, "there has to be some substance to a character and we know John. We know his 'Hustle, Loyalty, Respect'. We know he's not going to back down. He's the face of the company. What do we know about me? I'm jacked, shredded, look like a movie star, and have great matches. That doesn't connect with everyone."
Ziggler explained that he hates Cena because he wants Cena's spot.
"He is the face of the company for a reason. He does all those Make-A-Wish [wishes] for a reason. He's constantly in some main event, perhaps WrestleMania's main event, because he is our poster guy. He is our guy and it's great. That's why I hate him. I want to be in that spot and one day I'm going to be. It is so frustrating, especially when I'm like, 'but I'm so good!' It drives me. It's fun and we have a nice little rivalry where he does things his way. We don't always see things eye-to-eye and it makes things that much more fun."
On the subject of 'part-timers,' Ziggler said that it made him mad that they come back and eat up WrestleMania spots, but it fuels him and that he understands the business behind bringing back former stars.
"It drives me. It really makes me mad. But everything my whole life has been a chip on my shoulder, like, 'ah, you're too short,' or 'we're going to keep you here,' or 'we're going to make you a cheerleader – good luck getting out of that one'. And then it's like, 'oh yeah? I'm going to be better than everybody else.' And you get there and you see there is a draw, a reason these guys come back every time because we, I, grew up watching those guys. I feel that connection that you don't always have with younger generations right now and they're, business-wise, it's a smart move. It makes the biggest movie star in the entire world who is main eventing our pay-per-view, our WrestleMania, so that's eyes that we somehow don't see, who don't know who Dolph Ziggler is, they're going to get a chance to see me, so you have to see the positives in it. Man, it makes me so mad, but there is a positive spin to it in the end for business, in the long run. Hopefully, it make me a bigger star down the line."
According to Ziggler, his time will come once all the 'part-timers' clear out and that his outspoken attitude has "probably" held him back in his pro wrestling career.
"I feel like once those part-time guys start to fade away, once we open it up again, that tends to be a time where, 'alright, you talked all this crap, go deliver.'"
Click here to check out the podcast. If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit Sam Roberts' Wrestling Podcast with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Source: Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast