ANOTHER Major WWE Raw Superstar Set To Quit This Month?
Yet another potential want-away for All Elite Wrestling to pursue?
Dolph Ziggler may be the latest main roster star open to walk away from the McMahon empire after turning down a recent offer to work as a producer as his full-time career with the company winds down.
PWinsider first reported that he rejected WWE's recent offer, noting how January 31st could be an exit date should he not put pen to paper on a new deal. Noting that he'd been cautious about his future during an interview conducted last year with 'The Show Off', they said; "There has been a lot of talk in the last week that Ziggler is done with WWE after turning down an offer to become a producer. His last appearance was the beat-down he took in a steel cage on Raw against Drew McIntyre last month...He has not been on the road for WWE in recent weeks. As of today, sources claim he remains under a WWE deal (and some there have denied he is exiting at all) but others have been some pointing to 1/31 as an exit date."
This most recent contract conjecture ties in with a recent move by Ziggler to reframe his online persona in line with an upcoming stand-up comedy tour - wrestling is a secondary concern on his official Twitter page. Amongst posters and press around upcoming dates, his decision to go by his real name suggests further divestment from his life as Dolph.
A favourite of many for several years, Dolph's up-and-down WWE run peaked with a Money In The Bank cash-in victory the night after 2013's WrestleMania 29. Success since has been fleeting, with booking often not helping his cause even when he appeared more interested in the work itself.
Though strictly speculative, Dolph may be mindful of the potential comings and goings on the table as result of All Elite Wrestling's impending arrival. Amidst rumours of release requests and tantalising talent trades, Ziggler may be a free man at exactly the right time, and would bring with him an extremely dedicated following that may already be committed to the AEW cause as much as he himself would be to helping old friend Cody's new venture get off the ground.