Add as a preferred source on Google Nic Nemeth, the current TNA World Champion, believes his latest title win with the company carries a different kind of weight than his historic Money in the Bank cash-in in WWE back in 2013.
Nemeth defeated Mike Santana in the main event of Slammiversary on June 28 after announcing in advance that he’d be cashing in his title opportunity that night. The match saw interference from Ryan Nemeth, who distracted the referee and gave Nic the opening to nail Santana with the Call Your Shot trophy before putting him away with the Danger Zone. The win kicked off his second reign as TNA World Champion.
In a recent interview with Rewind Recap Relive, Nemeth compared the two moments, explaining that while the crowd turned his WWE win into something unforgettable, his current standing in TNA makes this title victory feel like a more natural fit within the story.
“Here’s the difference. I’m not speaking negatively. I loved my time in WWE, but I was a guy who lost probably 95% of the time. And then I had AJ Lee and Big E with me, and I lost 96% of the time. I went, ‘This is not someone the crowd would want to get behind.’ But because of the crowd refusing to just go, ‘Oh this guy is not a winner,’ they respected the work, the work ethic I think, and they stuck with me.
So when that cash-in came through, when the bad guy was attempting to pin a good guy who had already wrestled a match and couldn’t stand up on one leg, they’re cheering their asses off. I’ll never forget that feeling. The crowd made that. That could be great, that could be good, the crowd made that because they refused to give up on me. That’s what made that moment so special. So when you have that moment, I go, ‘Man nothing felt better than that in my life’.
But when it comes to this one where I’m calling my shot, and it’s like I I could also call my shot at the end of a show, walk out there and do it. But in this case, there’s more equity built into me as a person that contributes positively to TNA.
I win 60% of the time, maybe 65, I don’t know the exact percentages. But I’m not the guy that loses 99% of the time and you have to suspend all belief that I’m good at wrestling and let me be champion. This is a guy who wins more than not, but not much more, but also with the story going through. ‘You’re too emotional, Santana. I’m letting you know how good I am by letting you know here’s where I’m calling my shot to beat you one-on-one and put you out.”
Nemeth and Frankie Kazarian had won the Call Your Shot trophy at Bound for Glory 2025 following a simultaneous pinfall.
In WWE, still working as Dolph Ziggler, he cashed in the briefcase on April 8, 2013, during the first Monday Night RAW after WrestleMania 29. Alberto Del Rio had just wrestled Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter, leaving that match with a leg injury.
Now, Nemeth is set to face Jeff Hardy, confirmed as his challenger for the TNA World Championship on the live edition of iMPACT! set for July 30 in Philadelphia.