WWE: Dolph Ziggler On Why He Hates John Cena For Real

02/02/2017 06:03 pm EST

Last week on Smackdown LIVE, Dolph Ziggler finally turned heel after losing yet another hard fought battle. In light of Ziggler's recent change in attitude, wrestling broadcaster, Sam Roberts shared an interview on episode 115 of his Wrestling Podcast that he conducted with Ziggler right before Wrestlemania 29. In it, Ziggler discusses real life animosity for John Cena as well as other part time superstars in for Wrestlemania season.

"I hate [Cena], and, like, for real. Yeah, I hate everything he stands for. I hate how awkwardly he runs. I hate that I'm better at wrestling, but he has this awesome connection with the fans and I'm so great at wrestling and I haven't made that great connection with all the fans that aren't in New York." Ziggler added, "there has to be some substance to a character and we know John. We know his 'Hustle, Loyalty, Respect'. We know he's not going to back down. He's the face of the company. What do we know about me? I'm jacked, shredded, look like a movie star, and have great matches. That doesn't connect with everyone."

Ziggler explained that he hates Cena because he wants Cena's spot.

"He is the face of the company for a reason. He does all those Make-A-Wish [wishes] for a reason. He's constantly in some main event, perhaps WrestleMania's main event, because he is our poster guy. He is our guy and it's great. That's why I hate him. I want to be in that spot and one day I'm going to be. It is so frustrating, especially when I'm like, 'but I'm so good!' It drives me. It's fun and we have a nice little rivalry where he does things his way. We don't always see things eye-to-eye and it makes things that much more fun."

On the subject of 'part-timers,' Ziggler said that it made him mad that they come back and eat up WrestleMania spots, but it fuels him and that he understands the business behind bringing back former stars.

"It drives me. It really makes me mad. But everything my whole life has been a chip on my shoulder, like, 'ah, you're too short,' or 'we're going to keep you here,' or 'we're going to make you a cheerleader - good luck getting out of that one'. And then it's like, 'oh yeah? I'm going to be better than everybody else.' And you get there and you see there is a draw, a reason these guys come back every time because we, I, grew up watching those guys. I feel that connection that you don't always have with younger generations right now and they're, business-wise, it's a smart move. It makes the biggest movie star in the entire world who is main eventing our pay-per-view, our WrestleMania, so that's eyes that we somehow don't see, who don't know who Dolph Ziggler is, they're going to get a chance to see me, so you have to see the positives in it. Man, it makes me so mad, but there is a positive spin to it in the end for business, in the long run. Hopefully, it make me a bigger star down the line."

Do you think the WWE Universe will ever connect to Dolph Ziggler the way they do to John Cena?

Listen to Comicbook.com's Over The Ropes podcast:

MORE WWE: WWE Teases Goldberg Vs The Undertaker / This Is What Old School Rock Would Look Like As Black Adam / The Rock On When Wrestling Is Fake / Bayley Reveals Her Dream WrestleMania Moment / New Roman Reigns Title Match Added To RAW! / Wrestling Our Way Through The NFL Playoffs /Former Champion Addresses Rumors Of A Rumble Return / Over The Ropes Podcast: Cena Makes Us All Recognize! / Another WWE Hall Of Fame 2017 Inductee Revealed

Disclosure: PopCulture. is owned by Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.

Latest News