• Vince McMahon Wanted Dolph Ziggler’s Kisses To Be “Gross”
On Chris Van Vliet’s Insight podcast, Dolph Ziggler aka Nic Nemeth talked about his infamous on-screen romantic storylines in WWE – including his kisses with AJ Lee, Vickie Guerrero, Lana, Summer Rae, and Maria Kanellis.
He revealed that Vince McMahon specifically wanted the kisses to look “gross” and over-the-top, as part of his character’s cocky, villainous image.
Ziggler said he took Vince’s instruction seriously and went all-in with AJ during live TV segments. The performances were so intense that McMahon later told them to tone it down.
He explained that while fans thought those moments looked fun, they were often awkward and uncomfortable to perform, especially with everyone watching backstage.
Ziggler laughed while recounting that he always made sure his co-stars were comfortable and viewed the scenes as just another part of storytelling.
He added that Vince saw the “gross makeouts” as Ziggler’s reward instead of title wins.
Also Read: Matt Riddle Reveals What Roman Reigns Texted Him After He Said He Can Beat Roman In A Real Fight
• WWE NXT Destroys AEW, Dynamite Draws Lowest Viewership Ever In Head-To-Head Battle
The latest round of the WWE vs. AEW ratings war ended decisively in WWE’s favor this week, as NXT topped AEW Dynamite in both total viewership and the key 18–49 demographic.
According to the latest Nielsen data, the NXT vs. TNA Showdown special averaged 625,000 viewers – up 9.3% from last week. Despite the increase, it still marks the brand’s second-lowest total viewership since July 15, largely due to Nielsen’s recent shift in its tracking methodology.
Meanwhile, AEW Dynamite: Title Tuesday, which aired outside its usual Wednesday slot, drew only 321,000 viewers – a staggering 31% drop from last week and the lowest audience in the show’s history.
In the coveted 18–49 demographic, NXT posted a 0.12 rating, up 20% from last week. While that ties for its second-lowest demo number of 2025, it was still comfortably ahead of Dynamite, which recorded just a 0.07 rating, down 22.2% week-over-week. The figure represents an all-time low for AEW’s flagship program.
It’s important to note that these results come amid significant changes to how television ratings are measured. Two weeks ago, Nielsen introduced its new “Big Data + Panel” system, combining data from millions of devices with its traditional household panel.
Since the change, nearly all wrestling programming – including WWE SmackDown, NXT, and AEW Dynamite – has seen substantial declines in reported viewership.
Still, in this week’s head-to-head matchup, WWE NXT emerged the clear winner, almost doubling AEW Dynamite’s audience and continuing its strong momentum with crossover appeal from the ongoing NXT vs. TNA storyline.
