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John Cena took to social media to pay tribute to Dolph Ziggler following the two-time world champion's unexpected WWE departure.
Ziggler was one of many wrestlers to receive their release from WWE on Thursday. The 43-year-old joined the company in 2004 and became one of the longest-tenured superstars on the roster. He competed in more than 1,500 WWE matches, with dozens of those coming against Cena.
Writing on X, Cena referenced the number of in-ring encounters Ziggler amassed during his 19-year WWE run. The 16-time world champion also made it clear that he respects his former on-screen rival:
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Ziggler is one of the most surprising names in WWE's latest releases. Aliyah, Elias, Emma, Mustafa Ali, Rick Boogs, Shelton Benjamin, and Top Dolla are among the other wrestlers whose exits have been confirmed so far.
Dolph Ziggler and John Cena's history
The two men frequently crossed paths on WWE television and at live events in the early-to-mid 2010s. One of the biggest wins of Dolph Ziggler's career came at TLC 2012 when he defeated John Cena in a ladder match in the main event.
Another notable moment in Ziggler's career occurred in 2014 when he was the sole survivor for Team Cena against Team Authority at Survivor Series.
In 2013, Ziggler revealed in an interview with Sam Roberts that he legitimately disliked certain things about Cena. However, he also admired how his rival built a bond with the WWE Universe:
"You know what? I had a blast working with John, yeah, because I hate him like for real," Ziggler said. "[You do?] yeah. [Why?] I hate everything he stands for. I hate how awkwardly he runs. I hate that he's bad at wrestling, but he has this awesome connection with the fans and I'm so great at wrestling and I haven't made that great connection with all the fans that aren't in New York."
In 2015, Ziggler attempted to win back Cena's then-girlfriend Nikki Bella during an extraordinary scene on the Total Divas reality series. The Showoff previously dated Nikki for five years before her relationship with Cena began.
What do you want to see next from Dolph Ziggler? Let us know in the comments section below.
