Dolph Ziggler was recently interviewed by Cleveland.com, here are the highlights…
When Did He Know He Wanted To Be a Wrestler?: “The Richfield Coliseum show I mentioned before, featuring Hulk Hogan vs. Harley Race in 1984 or 85. My dad took me, I was five years old. We saw that show and I told him ‘can I start wrestling?’. Two months later, he signed me up for wrestling. Just once or twice a week. But at five years old, I started and I never stopped. All the way through high school and college. I still go back around Christmas and wrestle around with the St. Edward guys sometimes. Been a huge fan all my life. I’m living my dream and I continue to do every single day.”
On His First Elimination Chamber: “Yeah, it was my first time. At least that’s what I told her. Honestly, that thing is crazy. I like to go above and beyond. I never give less than 100%. But that thing hurt like hell. I tried to sacrifice every ounce of my body to somehow stay in it all the way and ended up coming up a little short. But at least The Miz was out there. So at least he wasn’t in a gym or wrestling school somewhere, we know he was in that match.”
On His Hair Color Change: “Well, I was watching a lot of I.R.S. and Brooklyn Brawler tapes at the time. I really liked the way they closed-out matches. I got a little over-zealous and thought I could still be myself and kind of portray people I’m huge fans of. And obviously you got to go out there and stick with what you know and what you are. I got to be myself. So long, blonde hair bouncing around and taking care of business in the ring. I knew it was a little bit of a mistake. But without valleys, there’s no peaks. So, you got to go down to go up. I learned a lesson to just be myself out there.”
On His Dream WrestleMania Opponent: “Shawn Michaels, 1997. That’s someone who could actually hang with me for 60 minutes, Iron Man Match. Let everyone know who is the best ever, not just best in the world who puts it on a t-shirt or shows up for six months a year. But someone on the roster right now, it would be Tyson Kidd. Me and him go out there and tear it up. Show everyone what wrestling is really about. And still make them care. And have them come away knowing that’s the best match they have ever seen.”
