Below are some top news stories of the day, involving Dolph Ziggler and CM Punk.
• Speculation is growing about a potential romance between TNA World Heavyweight Champion Nic Nemeth (formerly Dolph Ziggler) and AEW star Mina Shirakawa.
The buzz began after Mina shared a photo from Waffle House, which prompted Nemeth to suggest they enjoy the restaurant’s menu together. Mina playfully agreed, hinting they should dine together next time, with Nemeth covering the bill.
Here’s the exchange:
Nic: Yessss! Now let’s get that all star special (smothered and covered) plus a pecan waffle, next time.
Mina: Great!! Next time, let’s eat that menu together! Of course, it’s on you (kiss emoji).
While neither has confirmed any romantic connection, their lighthearted exchange has caught fans’ attention.
Both stars are also preparing for major title matches: Nemeth will defend his TNA World Championship against AJ Francis at Final Resolution 2024, and Shirakawa will challenge Mariah May for the AEW Women’s World Championship at Dynamite: Winter is Coming.
WATCH: Dawn Marie Suffers A Major Wardrobe Malfunction At WWE Judgment Day 2004 (Part 2):
• The long-standing feud between CM Punk and Colt Cabana reportedly traces back to a dinner Cabana had with Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens during Punk’s legal battle with WWE and Dr. Chris Amann.
Punk, frustrated by Cabana’s friendliness with WWE talent at the time, saw this as a betrayal. Their falling out marked the beginning of a series of events that significantly impacted the wrestling industry.
Their friendship had been strong, with Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast being the platform where Punk made explosive claims about WWE, leading to a costly lawsuit. Punk initially covered Cabana’s legal fees, but the two eventually sued each other after their relationship soured.
The fallout extended to Punk’s wrestling career, including his infamous backstage altercation at AEW’s All Out and ongoing tensions with various industry figures.
The Wrestling Observer noted that if Punk hadn’t reacted so strongly to Cabana’s dinner outing, the wrestling landscape might look entirely different today:
“If Punk hadn’t gotten so mad at Cabana for going out to pizza with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, the entire wrestling business would be different today. I don’t know what it would be, but it would be different.”
