On a recent episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Nic Nemeth detailed his journey to TNA Wrestling following his WWE release. He explained that his initial goal was to remain a free agent, but he was relentlessly pursued by then-TNA President Scott D’Amore and was quickly won over by the company’s locker room.
“I didn’t want to sign anywhere because I just got out of a long-term relationship, and I didn’t want to get out of a 20-year marriage and go right down to being engaged like six months later,” Nemeth said, comparing his WWE departure to a divorce. “I really needed to have the freedom that I could go to Mexico, I could go to Japan… and not have to be based on someone else’s schedule.”
However, D’Amore was persistent. “Scott D’Amore was begging me. He’s like, ‘three years, two years, six months’… ‘Dude, you’re gonna love it here. Wait until you see the locker room. You would be a huge piece here.’ And, I mean begging,” he recalled.
Nemeth eventually agreed to a short-term, eight-date deal to test the waters. It didn’t take long for him to be convinced. “I was like, ‘All right, I’ll give it a shot.’ I go, ‘eight dates.’ And one day in, it’s not even fake, it’s real. I’m like, ‘Oh, this locker room kicks ass.’ Everybody is open to creative ideas and they’re really looking for some little spark… One taping in, I’m like, ‘Man, everyone’s so great. Locker room’s ridiculously nice.’”
Ironically, D’Amore was removed from his position just one taping into Nemeth’s run. “I was like, you tried to get me to sign a three-year deal, and you’re leaving the next week,” he joked.
Nic Nemeth made his surprise debut for TNA at the Hard To Kill pay-per-view in January 2024. He has since become the TNA World Heavyweight Champion and one of the top stars of the promotion.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Insight with Chris Van Vliet with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
