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Nic Nemeth or Moose — who is the best man to represent TNA Wrestling?
This is the question posed to both men during a recent interview with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard.
The two will square off in the ring with each other at Victory Road on Friday. In honor of the first 2024 United States presidential debate, Moose and Nic Nemeth were asked to argue their case for being the best leader and champion of TNA.
Nemeth, the current TNA Champion, led off the debate by talking about the equity he’s built in his pro wrestling career. Nemeth can do it all, whether it’s as Dolph Ziggler or “The Wanted Man.”
Nic Nemeth: “I feel like the equity built into my character, whatever the name is, in the last 19-20 years, has been someone that can do anything in the business. There’s a lot of Superstars in the world and there’s a lot of great wrestlers, and they’re like, ‘Oh they’re really good at talking’ or ‘They’re really good at giving you goosebumps’ or ‘[They’re] really good at doing these moves’ or good at tapping people out, or talking on PR moves on interviews. Or really good at guest starring on shows, or really good at talking about politics. And then there’s people like me, who are really good at all of those items.”
Nemeth praised Moose for being a respectable TNA Champion, but said it’s time to keep pushing forward and improving with him at the helm.
Nemeth: “What is it? Two-and-a-half years [Moose was] undefeated? Knocked everyone down, but there’s a little bit of an asterisk, Barry Bonds-style, where it’s like, ‘Well, he was the champ, but there’s always two, or three or four people watching his back and helping him out. And I go — I’m notorious [for saying] I’m not a legacy. When I was in [WWE], I didn’t have anyone in the meetings pulling for me. And if he was, everyone else was pranking on him and making me lose instead to make it all even.
“So you have this person who’s genuinely a 10/10 out of every score card, if you’re creating a wrestler, and someone who loves doing it, can still go, somehow still looks like this at 44. I feel like [I] am the perfect person to lead TNA into another era of fantastic success.”
Nemeth is an ambassador to TNA, whether he’s champion or not
Nemeth said Joe Hendry could also make a case, noting how the Scot had more views on social media than The Rock and WrestleMania. However, Nemeth is the champion now and a great ambassador for the TNA brand. The evidence is in the sold out events and fan feedback, and he wants to lead the company to even more success.
Nemeth: “Moose did fantastic, and now he is no longer champion. Now I am and we continue to move on, we continue to get great gates, we continue to get sold out shows, a lot of buzz from fans. I don’t know the critics, I don’t know the situation at all. I know the fans are behind this product because they know how hard the roster works. And I always say this, in a business where every roster works hard, people are talking about TNA’s roster going above and beyond, and that is a big deal.
“I’d love to be this representative and ambassador because I frickin’ am to the business no matter what, whether I am champion or not. But as champion, with the company on my back, Moose did a great job but it’s time to go a little farther. I’m the Wanted Man and I approve this message.”
Moose responds
Moose said Nemeth made a lot of sense in his argument, but he has one glaring problem with it.
Moose: “I think what Nic said about himself is very true. He checks off every box, he’s doing great as champion. There’s only one problem I see with him being champion — when you hear the name Nic Nemeth, you don’t think TNA. You think WWE. When you hear the name Moose, I’m synonymous with TNA. I’ve been here for 8-9 years, I’ve had plenty of chances to work for the company he came from. I’ve had plenty of chances to go work for other companies but I decided every time my contract was up to stay with TNA.
“My goal is to make my name the number one name you think about when you hear those three great letters. I think right now, people think of AJ Styles when you hear TNA. I think I’m a close second. That’s my only pitch and the only pitch I need to be a four-time TNA World Champion, and I have the opportunity to do that this Friday.”
Did we just have a healthy debate that saw the nominees share compliments and not trade digs at each other?
Not so fast…
“I like that your pitch to be champion is you’ve been there a long time,” Nemeth quipped. “Great call! I love that. I guess I should have been WWE Champion 25 times, I was there for 20 years. That’s a great pitch.”
Moose said he doesn’t have to sell his skill level, effort, hard work or determination because everyone already knows that.
“The only thing I have to tell people is, once you hear the letters ‘TNA’, the active person on the roster that you think of is me,” Moose replied. “And that’s the truth.”
Nemeth said Moose is right, you think of AJ Styles or Bobby Roode, or Moose, when you think of TNA. Despite that, this alone should not decide who the champion or leader is.
Nemeth said he’d love to have his name mentioned with TNA in the same respect in twenty years when he’s done. He praised the roster and other backstage names like Tommy Dreamer and Gail Kim for helping make TNA a success by group effort. However, Moose’s tenure should still not decide a leader.
Moose challenges Nic Nemeth for the TNA World Championship at Victory Road on Friday, October 13. Watch our full interview with Nic Nemeth and Moose below:
