Dolph Ziggler on His 2015 So Far, How His Body Is Holding Up, Daily Routine, Stand-Up Comedy, More
– Dolph Ziggler spoke with Isaac Kozell of Savage Henry Magazine earlier this year and they’ve just now published the piece. It should be noted the interview was done before he re-signed with WWE. The full interview is available at this link. Below are highlights:
Isaac Kozell: 2014 was a big year for you. You were sole survivor for the second time in your career and were named Wrestler of the Year by Rolling Stone. How do you feel 2015 is treating you so far?
Dolph Ziggler: 2015 is actually going pretty well. A lot of this business is timing and luck. There are hundreds – maybe thousands – in the world who are better than me, yet here I am 11 years later, just a step outside that coveted gold circle, fighting for my career every step of the way. It’s not always about wins and losses, but winning two Survivor Series matches is something I will never forget.
IK: I imagine that you rarely have breaks in your schedule. Give me a Reader’s Digest version of your daily routine.
DZ: I measure my time off in hours. Usually 36-40 a week at home. Friday morning [I] fly out to show. Land. Get rental car. Find food. Find a gym. Find food to go, get to arena. Do show. Drive on to the next town and repeat until Wednesday morning. That day I fly home, only to fly out Friday morning again. It’s nonstop and there’s no off season. We never stop! WWE does over 300 live events a year and that’s not counting charity events and outside appearances.
IK: You’ve been wrestling since high school. At 34, how is your body holding up?
DZ: I’ve actually been wrestling since five years old. The first time I saw a WWE show, I told my dad I wanted to start wrestling. At five, I wrestled once or twice a week. It became much more vigorous and nonstop going into high school and all through college. I’m 34, and except for two concussions and some teeth knocked out, I’ve had no serious injuries. I’ve been very fortunate. Several other superstars have had countless injuries and taken time off, but I have not. I think I’ve missed maybe 3 weeks in almost 11 years – because of said concussions – which is probably the least amount of time of any WWE superstar ever … that’s been here for 11 years. Google it. (Laughs) My body holds up because of my core workouts. I have been circuit training and intense cardio training since college, years before CrossFit became a thing.
IK: There has been a lot of recent speculation about you leaving the WWE. If – and this is purely hypothetical – if you were to leave, what would be your next move?
DZ: In the last year I got an agent and a manager, just because I’m constantly asked to be a part of different outside projects. Even though I only get a few days off, I do not stop. Whether it’s getting some stage time at an open mic, or flying to L.A. to watch a ton of stand-up shows. I’m slowly moving into movies and tons of outside projects in the next few months. I’m finally starting to book some stand-up dates too. At the end of the day, it’s just to be a better WWE superstar [and] also make myself a bigger asset, that is in demand. There’s a few months left on my current contract and I’m in the process of deciding. I love this business more than anything; hopefully it loves having me.
IK: Does the WWE have any issues with you pursuing stand-up?
DZ: WWE has no issues with my stand-up. I do not miss work for any reason and will continue to work around my schedule because I’m a professional and do not allow complacency or laziness.
