Dolph Ziggler Opens Up About Tagging With Robert Roode, Time Away From WWE

Dolph Ziggler helped SmackDown earn one of their only victories during last night’s Survivor Series pay-per-view. Alongside his tag partner, Robert Roode, the two emerged victorious from a 10-team Interbrand Battle Royal during the Kickoff show.

In a recent interview with The Mirror UK, Ziggler reflected on teaming with Roode as well as what he learned during his time away from the ring.

“I can’t say we’re the greatest of all time because we’ve only really had a couple of weeks of working together. […] When Bobby Roode shows up from NXT, of course he fought me because that’s what you do when you show up from NXT, which I get. But immediately I recognized, he understands our style and what’s happening, he’s really smart and has a brain for this, I think this is going to be a blast, and it was. We became friends and started texting, and there’s only a handful of those people that on a regular basis I text.”

Regarding his relatively recent time away from WWE, Ziggler confessed he learned how much he needed a vacation after 14 years in the company. He hinted at how, after about 11/12 years non-stop, working 5 days a week, WWE’s demanding schedule had become exhausting.

“[…] being one of the people like Kofi and Sheamus and Miz that did five days a week, every week for a couple of years in a row, and then were doing the rallies and PR. Miz gets a break to do a crappy movie. So I go ‘I have to go away’. For a year or two I kept getting told ‘sure’ and then right as I was getting ready to go, they said ‘we need you’. I’ve never heard ‘we need you’ more than anything from any other company my whole entire life, but it’s so great to hear, to know that I’ve made an entire career out of them needing me to be here.”

When it comes to his longevity within pro wrestling, Ziggler credits his ability to adjust at all times. He stressed having to be willing to commit to your role, no matter what it asks of you. He pointed at how The Miz is excellent at being a multi-talented talent and representative for WWE, adding “I can do that, plus the good wrestling.”