WWE Name Claims Dolph Ziggler ‘Didn’t Change With The Times’ Before Being Released

WWE

Dolph Ziggler being released by WWE came to some as a surprise after his nearly 20 years with the company.

One WWE name though noted that Ziggler had seemed ‘on cruise control’ for at least the last decade.

On his Hall of Fame podcast, discussed this week’s WWE releases, with one of them being Dolph Ziggler.

Booker T said:

“It seems like he’s been on cruise control for like the last ten years. It seems like he got to a point where he just said, ‘I’m just going to ride, pretty much ride the thing as long as I can.’

“Dolph is one of those guys that really never changed. You know, his look, he always was the same guy all the time.

“And for me, I always said if you don’t change with the times, the times will pass you by.

“You got to know how to really be able to keep up with what’s going on out there in the music world, entertainment world and whatnot.

“And I think Dolph Ziggler just stayed that one character throughout his whole time now.”

Continuing on, Booker T was complimentary of Ziggler’s reliability in his in-ring performances, to help support and shine other talent.

Booker T said:

“Was he a guy who could go out and perform at a very, very high level in the middle of that squared circle? Oh yes.

“Dolph was a guy that could go out and work with anybody, but then Dolph became that guy that if you needed to get somebody over, you would call Dolph. 

“And I say that because sometimes you can put you can literally find yourself putting yourself in that position when you do not know how to change with the times.

“But there again, I think Dolph Ziggler is a guy that will be okay too. I think Dolph, he’s smart. He’s a smart dude. He’s a college-educated dude as well. He’s not just a wrestler. So I see Dolph being okay in life, period.

“He’s a guy that you could call, and you could trust Dolph Ziggler to go out there and make sure the job was done properly. And one thing about this business, you need guys like that.

“That’s why Dolph stayed around for more than 20 years. You got to be smart to stick around for more than 20 years in this business as well as people got to like you people, people like Dolph Ziggler. He was a guy just like Shelton. You’re not going to hear Dolph in the news. you haven’t heard any scandals along his career.

“He’s been a guy that like me, puts his hard hat on, his boots, comes to work, gets the job done, and goes home. But I tried to change with the times at the same time.”

Multiple WWE stars were released from their contracts on Thursday, September 21, 2023, nine days after the UFC/Endeavor merger to form TKO.

WWE announced the next day that Matt Riddle had also been released.

You can see the full list of releases at this link.

Transcription via 411Mania

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