Last night on “WWE Raw,” TNA’s Nic Nemeth was the surprise entrant in John Cena’s “Last Time Is Now Tournament,” where he wrestled under the name Dolph Ziggler for the first time since leaving the company in 2023. The former World Heavyweight Champion failed to advance in the competition by losing to Solo Sikoa, but his shocking return prompted fans to question if he would be sticking around going forward. Unfortunately for those fond of “The Showoff,” it seems like his return to “Raw” was strictly a one-off appearance.
Similarly to Zack Ryder, who lost in the first round of the tournament after returning to “WWE SmackDown” last week, Fightful Select is reporting that Ziggler is not signed to a new contract with the promotion and is still considered to be with TNA. Multiple sources within TNA have suggested that Ziggler prefers to compete for their company where he can accept a number of short-term contracts with other promotions, which he prefers over being tied down to WWE. Earlier this year, Ziggler claimed that he was satisfied with his current position in the wrestling business and is dedicated to helping TNA grow in the future, but doesn’t consider many other opportunities unless it’s to gain exposure for the company.
Although Ziggler will not be returning on a full-time basis, Fightful noted that WWE was pleased with his performance against Sikoa on Monday. Moving forward, there doesn’t seem to be any other surprise entrants scheduled in the “Last Time Is Now Tournament,” with the quarter-finals of the competition set to begin next week after the final two matches of the first round take place on “SmackDown” this upcoming Friday.
