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By Ella Jay/Jan. 26, 2024 1:14 pm EST
Nic Nemeth's post-WWE career is off to a hot start as he boasts a lineup of notable appearances at New Japan Pro-Wrestling, TNA Wrestling, and GCW. Given that he had spent his entire professional wrestling career in WWE, though, Nemeth was initially unsure of how to approach his free agency. Luckily, one of his former colleagues helped steer him in the right direction, specifically in regard to establishing contact with NJPW.
"Right after WrestleMania [33], Shinsuke [Nakmura] comes up [to WWE's main roster], does whatever he does. We're overseas where we do that two-week overseas [tour] that we used to do before COVID times. We're bouncing around in buses and things," Nemeth told "Talk Is Jericho." "Him and I had to stay and do the dark match after TV and everyone else went on, so him and I are just in this car, sitting next to each other. We put a couple of matches together, but I'm not really outspoken. We're just sitting there, looking at our phones, and I had requested a bottle of jackfire whiskey, and we had that for the ride. It was like, 'Hey, you want a sip?' It was like, 'Yeah,' and we just start talking. We had a couple of whiskeys, and we were buddies. It was so great because he's the biggest sweetheart in the world, and he's like an ass-kicker ... We had a good bond, and I liked wrestling with him."
Following his release from WWE in September 2023, Nemeth revealed that he turned to Nakamura for some guidance when considering his next moves. Nakamura, a three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, then helped Nemeth get in touch with NJPW veteran Rocky Romero, who serves as an ambassador of sorts for the promotion.
Through Nemeth's subsequent conversations with NJPW, both parties were eventually able to plan for Nemeth to make his debut at Wrestle Kingdom 18. Coming off his NJPW debut, Nemeth is now slated to challenge David Finlay for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship at The New Beginning in Sapporo event on February 23.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Talk Is Jericho" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
