Ryan Nemeth has filed a lawsuit against AEW, Tony Khan, and CM Punk, in the latest chapter of the Best in the World’s controversial time with the promotion. Nemeth’s lawsuit was filed on February 14 in California. The complaint is for assault, breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and intentional interference with prospective advantage.

This isn’t the first time Nemeth has taken aim at Punk and his AEW tenure. In December 2024, it was reported that Nemeth had alleged the use of threats and harrasment in AEW which involved Punk. Fightful reported at the time that Nemeth had detailed these issues in a complaint dated September 12, and provided emails, texts, and call logs as evidence.

In the lawsuit, Nemeth makes a series of startling claims, including that Punk assaulted the Young Bucks “in early 2023.” This would come after the altercation at All Out 2022 that resulted in Punk, the Bucks, and others being suspended.

Nemeth alleges that in April 2023, he contacted AEW executives, concerned that Punk would return from suspension to assault him. He adds that despite this, AEW didn’t hesitate in bringing Punk back. Nemeth alleges that on June 21, 2023, Punk assaulted him, despite Nemeth’s efforts to de-escalate the situation.

Punk faced no punishment for assaulting Nemeth, the lawsuit adds, while Ryan feared being “benched” by AEW. The promotion’s attorneys assured Nemeth that this would not be the case, but it would be another two months before he was used in any capacity.

Nemeth adds that he learned that Punk had insisted that he be ‘benched,’ despite not having done anything wrong. The suit adds that when Nemeth was booked to return in August, Punk spotted him and fired off a text. Nemeth was informed shortly after that he would not be used.

When Tony Khan fired CM Punk in September 2023, the AEW President blameed Nemeth, the suitn adds. It is claimed that Khan and Punk have embarked upon a campaign to “blackball” Nemeth from professional wrestling. Khan has “used his significant resources to make sure that Nemeth can never again make a living in wrestling” the lawsuit adds.

Punk returned to WWE in November 2023, where his conduct has reportedly been exemplarly. While Punk is focused on this weekend’s Men’s Elimination Chamber and a potential title match at WrestleMania 41, the issues stemming from Punk’s AEW tenure continue to haunt the Chicago-Made Superstar.

Ryan Nemeth has raised serious allegations against All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and former colleague CM Punk (Phil Brooks), citing threats, abuse, and harassment during his tenure with the company. According to a document obtained by Fightful, Nemeth detailed these issues in a complaint dated September 12, which included emails, texts, and call logs as evidence.

The conflict reportedly began after Nemeth referred to Punk as “literally the softest man alive” in a tweet, which he claims was made in character. This led to a backstage confrontation where Punk allegedly threatened Nemeth. Despite Nemeth’s attempts to address the situation with AEW’s legal representative, Megha Parekh, he felt the company failed to respond adequately. Instead, he was encouraged to cut a promo against Punk on television.

Nemeth expressed concerns about being “silently fired” as his paid-per-appearance deal neared expiration. He received support from fellow wrestlers like The Young Bucks, who assured him that his relationship with AEW wouldn’t be affected by the incident. Ultimately, Nemeth was let go from AEW. He stated that he doesn’t believe Punk was the sole cause of these issues, suggesting that similar problems would have arisen with someone else eventually.

This incident adds to the series of backstage controversies involving CM Punk during his time with AEW, including altercations with The Young Bucks and Jack Perry, which contributed to his departure from the company.

Ryan Nemeth has revealed how Bray Wyatt was exceptionally kind to him during the latter’s second run with WWE’s development territory.

The AEW star recently had an interview with the Developmentally Speaking podcast. He talked about things such as his love for storytelling. Ryan revealed that his AEW contract features a clause that allows him to take off whatever time he needs for his outside projects without being punished for it.

Speaking about his time with rival promotion WWE, the Hollywood Hunk detailed his start with the company. He specifically remembered getting invited to a week-long tryout at FCW, after impressing John Laurinaitis:

“I remember how great to me everyone in that roster was. It was like such a welcoming group of people. In particular, someone at the time who went by the name Husky Harris was so great to me. He would go on to change his name to Bray Wyatt. I loved him. He was great.”

Everyone There Was So Great: Ryan Nemeth

Ryan Nemeth then told a story about the talent that would eventually become Bray Wyatt. He recalled how Wyatt was exceptionally kind to him during one of their interactions:

“I remember doing this really really long grueling endurance drill. It’ll be like one man in the middle and everyone else would switch out every two minutes. I was in there for 37 minutes straight maybe at one point.

But he as we’re locking up just goes ‘Just take it slow, breathe, don’t worry, relax.’ I thought ‘Man this is really nice; I am your competition basically and you can be a dick to me if you want.’ Everyone there was so great.”

The AEW star started his wrestling career with a run in OVW back in 2010. After his tryout with the company, he was offered a WWE development contract for FCW in 2011.

The Eater of Worlds returned to the brand around the same time after his Nexus run. He first adopted the character of hockey mask-wearing Axl Mulligan before developing the much-loved Bray Wyatt persona in 2012.

Dolph Ziggler was released from WWE in September, but Nic Nemeth is already in NJPW. He may pop up in any number of places at this point, and his brother, Ryan Nemeth, is more than happy to see it happen.

Ryan Nemeth is Excited About Nic Nemeth’s New-Found Freedom

“I’m very excited about it,” Ryan Nemeth said on Busted Open Radio. He continued to say that he had a flashback to when that question is asked a question about a match, and he only has, “Well, you’ll have to wait and see,” to say. Right now, Nemeth can’t contain his excitement about getting to team with his brother.

It also turns out that Ryan has told his brother, the former Dolph Ziggler, to leave WWE for a very long time now.

“I can’t wait. Is there something or isn’t there? I’ve been telling him to leave WWE for like over a decade now. I think it’s always great to leave and reinvent yourself or leave and just do something else. “

Ryan highlighted the advantages of departing from WWE to embrace reinvention and explore diverse creative paths. The prospect of wrestling alongside his brother and the creation of fresh content is also on the horizon. The Nemeth Brothers are ready for this new career chapter, with Ryan proclaiming, “Nemeth Bros forever, baby.”

Ryan Nemeth continued to say that he is excited to team with his brother, Nic, and also do more comedy shows with him. He went on to plug the Wanted Man project, and there is more to come.

“I’m psyched to tag with him, I’m psyched to do more comedy shows with him. We just shot Wanted Man, which is incredible and getting a huge positive response to launch his new character. We have 3 million views on social platforms. I’m so psyched about the positive response. Some horror websites are doing write ups on it. That kind of stuff is what I’m psyched about and you can’t do that kind of stuff when one of you is trapped in a very intense WWE schedule. I’m very excited to start wrestling with him, doing events with him, and shooting more stuff. Nemeth Bros forever, baby.”

Nic Nemeth After WWE

Nic Nemeth made very good money in WWE for a long time. He also made the kind of money that Vince McMahon paid people that he didn’t want to leave. He is financially comfortable and can pick his own projects. That could add up to result in a lot of future projects for the Nemeth Brothers.

Some were surprised by Dolph Ziggler’s WWE release, but he is not going to be hard to find with everything he seems to have on deck.

WWE released a lot of Superstars in September 2023, and Doph Ziggler’s name was arguably the most shocking to make the list. Although Ziggler stayed silent about his next move in pro wrestling, fans found out what he had in store at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 18 event.

Dolph Ziggler’s NJPW Debut

Nic Nemeth, also known as Dolph Ziggler from his long WWE run, made a significant impression with his brother Ryan Nemeth during their debut in New Japan Pro Wrestling at Wrestle Kingdom 18. 

Their entrance before the Winner Take All IWGP & NJPW Strong Tag Team Title Match caught everyone by surprise, not only astonishing the audience but also creating a buzz of excitement backstage among fellow wrestlers.

As the Nemeth brothers took front-row seats to witness the highly anticipated showdown, their unannounced presence backstage brought shock from both fans and the pro wrestling world.

.@HEELZiggler appears in NJPW.

Sign up Now & Stay tuned to https://t.co/CeQLGjTmZ5#njwk18 #NJPW #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/g35eSbTB13

— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) January 4, 2024

Internal Reaction Nic Nemeth’s NJPW Debut

Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net provided an interesting note about Nic Nemeth’s appearance at Wrestle Kingdom. It was said that this was a surprise backstage at the Tokyo Dome as well.

Sources backstage at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 18 relayed to me that Nic Nemeth’s appearance was just as much a surprise backstage as it was for everyone else. One source stated, “Where the f*ck was he hiding?” Another source added, “Never saw him or anything until he went out.”

The Wrestle Kingdom 18 event marked a new chapter for the Nemeths, leaving an indelible impression with their unexpected and strategic debut in the world of New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Ryan Nemeth in AEW

Ryan Nemeth has appeared for AEW over the past few years, with infrequent appearences in recent months. His most recent match took place on the November 4th episode of ROH on HonorClub, where he, along with Peter Avalon, lost an eight-man tag team match. 

Ryan Nemeth was also a regular participant on Being the Elite, a show that concluded late last year. At this time, it appears that his name has a lot more hype in NJPW after Wrestle Kingdom 18. 

Former WWE Superstar Nic Nemeth caused quite a stir when he made his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling at Wrestle Kingdom 18. 

Nemeth, best known to wrestling fans as Dolph Ziggler, was dressed to impress as he appeared in front of the crowd in the Tokyo Dome. The former Superstar was accompanied by his brother and AEW star Ryan Nemeth. 

.@HEELZiggler appears in NJPW.

Sign up Now & Stay tuned to https://t.co/CeQLGjTmZ5#njwk18 #NJPW #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/g35eSbTB13

— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) January 4, 2024

Nemeth’s Appearance Kept A Surprise

According to Cassidy Haynes of BodySlam.net, Nemeth’s presence was kept a secret from virtually everybody. Two sources who were backstage at the Tokyo Dome relayed that Nemeth was not in public view before he appeared on the broadcast and most of the wrestlers on the card found out along with the fans watching at home around the world.

Nemeth and Finlay brawled backstage, all but guaranteeing that this was more than just a cameo:

Acknowledging he doesn’t even go here, Nic Nemeth says he has pride for the IWGP Global Title…while he understands using “questionable” tactics to win, what Finley did was disgraceful. If given the opportunity to wrestle for it and win it, he will make it the pinnacle #njwk18 pic.twitter.com/uJ1ojAceWE

— Issa 🇵🇷🇩🇴🇵🇸 – PWI 📸 Contributor (@IssitaMarie) January 4, 2024

Nemeth’s arrival in New Japan comes months after his surprising release from WWE in September of 2023. The first wave of releases after the launch of TKO Group Holdings, Nemeth was cut alongside Mustafa Ali, Shelton Benjamin, Matt Riddle, Emma, Riddick Moss, Aliyah, and other Superstars. 

What’s Next? 

Nemeth watched on as David Finlay faced Jon Moxley and Will Ospreay to crown the first IWGP Global Champion. After the match, Finlay got in the face of Nemeth, who had some choice words for the new champion. The two would brawl at ringside. 

.@THEdavidfinlay × @HEELZiggler "Next Battle?"

Sign up Now & Stay tuned to https://t.co/CeQLGjTmZ5#njwk18 #NJPW #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/AO2znYwWxl

— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) January 4, 2024

This post-match incident is seemingly setting Nemeth up as a future challenger for the IWGP Global Championship. It’s possible that the match could come as soon as NJPW Battle in the Valley which will take place on January 13. 

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 also saw the crowning of the second-ever NJPW World TV Champion. Click here to find out more. 

Ryan Nemeth has released his short film called “HEEL.” He started working on the passion project prior to him joining AEW. It looks at some of the more gritty nature of pro wrestling behind the scenes and more. 

It’s directed by Maggie Levin and is rated mature for language and content. The plot of the film reads like the following: 

“Beyond the flashy outfits and bodyslams, pro wrestling can be a dark and lawless world. HEEL is a narrative short that explores this world, and touches on the sensitive topics of addiction and sexual assault.”

HEEL from ryan nemeth on Vimeo.

Nemeth spoke about the real-life inspiration for this film in a post on Instagram from last August: 

“In March of 2018 I discovered very unsettling news about some of the people in my little indie pro wrestling social circle. I immediately cut ties with those I no longer wanted to be associated with. I stopped doing certain shows, I moved, I no longer communicated with certain people. (Sadly, as it turns out, the little I did know was only the tip of a disgusting iceberg. I wouldn’t know that until years later.) I was so mortified I stopped doing shows altogether. I didn’t know what to do- it’s not an option really to speak up for those who wish to remain anonymous- that’s their story and their choice. Jump to March of 2019: @anna_lore challenged me to write about it. So I did. I sent filmmaker @maggielevin a script I wrote called HEEL. It dealt with sexual assault and harassment in indie wresting. If I couldn’t directly address the issue, maybe I could make a piece of art that could attack it from a different angle. Maybe that would inspire others. Maybe that would help to expose those rotten characters who needed to be exposed. Maybe it would lead to something, anything. Soon after, I ran a 30-day campaign on @seedandspark and with the help of 800 or so pledges from around the world, we raised the budget. Maggie was in. We shot HEEL in a week. As we went into post-production (editing, sound, color, etc), the world went into a covid shutdown. I was privately worried that my film would upset fans and supporters of some of the wrestlers they loved, and this whole venture would get me blacklisted from the business for speaking up. Fine by me- a business that allowed people like that to thrive isn’t one I wanted to be part of anymore. Then the #speakingout movement hit wresting. I realized people were ready to talk about this stuff and that this film might be received better than I imagined. It’s now August of 2021. I didn’t get blacklisted. HEEL has premiered on the film festival circuit- it has screened & won awards in the USA and multiple other countries. I’m so proud of how well it turned out. I am endlessly grateful to every single member of the team: cast, crew, backers- everyone involved. Art can give a voice to those who don’t have one. Go make your art.”

Nemeth is the younger brother of Dolph Ziggler. He first signed with WWE in 2010 and worked in developmental until 2013 when he departed. He made his AEW debut in January 2021. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ryan Nemeth (@ryrynemnem)

Dolph Ziggler is having some fun after his brother, Ryan Nemeth, received AEW merchandise.

Dolph performs under the WWE banner, while Ryan works for AEW. The two have been known for roasting each other on social media and the antics certainly haven’t shown signs of slowing down.

Dolph Ziggler Roasts His Brother

AEW has rolled out some new merchandise for Ryan Nemeth and it’s available on ShopAEW. It’s a big deal for Ryan and he made sure he let Dolph know about it.

“Ha! @HEELZiggler you see this?”

Dolph responded and as expected, he had some fun with it.

“Wow!!! Big Patty Mayonnaise meets Don Martin, vibes.”

Dolph also had one more brotherly jab for the road.

“DESTROY IT!”

Dolph Ziggler has had a long career with WWE. He signed a contract with the company back in 2004, developing under Ohio Valley Wrestling. He made his main roster debut as Chavo Guerrero’s caddie. Chavo had undergone a gimmick change and was known as Kerwin White.

The ball started to get rolling with Dolph when he joined the Spirit Squad. Eventually, Dolph became a singles competitor and captured multiple championships in WWE. This included a brief World Heavyweight Title run.

More recently, Ziggler became the NXT Champion. The reign fell short of lasting a full month as Dolph was pinned by Bron Breakker on the post-WrestleMania episode of Raw.

Ryan Nemeth made his AEW debut during a Dynamite episode back in January this year. Though this wasn’t really his first match for the promotion.

The brother of WWE superstar Dolph Ziggler recently appeared on the Talk Is Jericho podcast. He was asked how he ended up in AEW and he revealed that he actually used to help babysit Brodie Lee Jr.

Nemeth showed up at an AEW event where they were celebrating the birthday of Lee Jr. He was then offered a 6 men tag team match at AEW Dark but Tony Khan ended up deciding not to air the bout:

“We did a six-man Dark, and then Tony [Khan], as we were going back through a tunnel; he came halfway through the tunnel and said, ‘We’re not going to air this. I want you to figure something else out.’ I was like, alright.”

• Ryan Nemeth Reveals The Origin Of AEW’s Wingmen Faction

While Ryan Nemeth thought that he had somehow blown up his opportunity, Tony Khan had something else in mind. He was then called up for a match with Hangman Page on national television:

“I interpreted that as, aw, I really blew it. I must have sucked, something went wrong, and the next morning, Jess Palombo was talking on the phone but looking at you [Chris Jericho]. She goes, ‘Hey, it’s you and Hangman tonight,’

And she walked off and I was like, ‘What? Why? I mean, great. Okay, cool.’ I don’t know [what Tony saw], but I’m happy about it.”

Ryan Nemeth made his official AEW debut during the 27 January episode of Dynamite. The former WWE star faced Hangman Page in a losing effort.

Not every wrestler in a company needs to be a champion. There are all kinds of wrestlers, from jobbers and comedic relief to midcarders and main event stars. All have a role to play and are important to a company brand and dynamic. Ryan Nemeth and the Wingmen are one such group. They serve a purpose in AEW. They can put on a good match and are entertaining characters, but rarely will they be main event players.

Talking on a recent episode of Talk is Jericho, Ryan Nemeth spoke about how the Wingmen came to be. Admitting that it wasn’t even his idea, but rather, Christian’s.

Ryan Nemeth had no idea a plan was being made for him and his friends until he was ordered to visit Tony Khan’s Office.

“I remember walking around Dynamite one day and three people said, ‘Hey, did you talk to Tony yet? Go talk to him.’ I was like, ‘Alright’, so I go and knock on the door, and he goes, ‘You’re going to be the Wingmen, okay? Christian thought of this. He thinks you guys look kind of funny together and it can be funny. You can be funny, ya know? You’ll figure it out, right?’” Ryan Nemeth explained.

Ryan Nemeth Has Christian to Thank for The Wingmen

The next task for Ryan Nemeth explaining the gimmick to the others in his group. “And I was like, ‘Alright,’ so I went back and gathered everyone around and I said, ‘Alright, so we’re The Wingmen now,’ and they said, ‘What does that mean?’ ‘You know, like when you go to a bar and you help a guy meet a girl. We’re just that.. just, all the time. And it’s not really ever about women.”

The Wingmen are a talented group of individuals. JD Drake is a wrestler very easy to underestimate and yes, Peter Avolon is also. You need skills to play such a fool in such a dangerous profession. Under his Hollywood Hunk moniker, Ryan Nemeth is leading the group as they irritate their way through the AEW ranks.

Ryan Nemeth, AEW star and brother of WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler, recently appeared on Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast. The former FCW star discussed several topics on the podcast, including how his brother may have run into issues after ‘anti promoting’ AEW a few months ago.

“I think he got in trouble for tweeting so much”, Ryan Nemeth revealed on the show, discussing how his brother would tweet some ‘encouragement’ for his AEW debut matches.

“He would always anti-advertise for Dynamite by posting ‘do not watch this show, this guy sucks’ and it’s (a picture) of me”, Nemeth continued. “‘Don’t tune in to TNT at 8 pm tonight.’ I think, after a few months, maybe he got a talking to.”

Ryan Nemeth on Dolph Ziggler

Jericho himself then revealed that he actually wanted Dolph Ziggler to be part of his cruise. ‘Le Champion’ didn’t want Ziggler to appear to wrestle; he wanted him on tour as a comedy act.

“I was going to book him on my cruise at one point, and it was like, ‘You can’t book him on your cruise.’ ‘Why? He’s coming as a comedian,'” Jericho stated on the podcast.

With Chris Jericho having an affiliation with AEW for the first cruise and then having signed with the company for the second, it’s easy to see why WWE would chose not to let Ziggler make an appearance.

“Hollywood Hunk” Ryan Nemeth picked up a win over Marko Stunt on AEW Dark last night. He is scheduled to take on PAC on tonight’s show. Nemeth recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet about how he ended up working in Jacksonville. He noted that he has a lot of friends from his time in NXT that are now in AEW including the Huber family.

“Being there is kind of like a huge reunion,” Nemeth said about AEW. “I have so many friends from NXT or other parts of wrestling. Walking in the locker room felt like home. I went to AEW to see Amanda Huber (the late Jon Huber/Brodie Lee’s wife) because I knew there was going to be a birthday for Brodie Jr, I thought I would surprise her and say happy birthday, I used to babysit him in Tampa.”

“I wanted to say hi to her, I also secretly had my gear with me. They asked me “since you’re here do you want to wrestle?” And I said sure. I think it went well, I blacked out but I think I won (laughs). I was honored to debut on Dynamite. It felt great to be back in the ring. During shutdown I have been doing a lot of wrestling but not in front of a live crowd. It’s been a lot of stunt work or coordinating for TV shows. AEW are super into promoting creativity, very motivational and positive environment.”

Ryan Nemeth On His Older Brother, Dolph Ziggler

Nemeth’s older brother, Dolph Ziggler, has been jokingly ribbing him online about his time in AEW. He spoke about his relationship with Dolph during the interview as well.

“We grew up wrestling for the same school together. But I will say I’ve spent my entire wrestling career looking and dressing the exact opposite of him. He had blond hair, I dyed mine black. He wore pants, I wore shorts. No matter what I do, for a decade, any time I’m in a match, the Internet says I’m a carbon copy of him. But we’ve had pretty different lives.”

Ryan Nemeth On Sexual Assault In Wrestling

Nemeth has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement. His upcoming movie “Heel” deals with sexual assault in pro-wrestling.

“The plot of the film deals with sexual assault in the world of indie wrestling. It comes from a very real place. I was ambushed with stories about assault. That’s why I took a break from wrestling. It was really close to home for me. I can’t speak on behalf of these people. Legally, imagine the trouble I would be in if I did speak on behalf of victims. But I can use art to encourage conversations about these things. I love wrestling and the people in it but there are some bad eggs that do bad things and get away with it. There is not one solution to it, but it’s one that I can try to help with. I would love it to expand to a feature or a series.”

You can view the full interview in the player below:

Ryan Nemeth wrestled Hangman Page on Dynamite this week. Nemeth is the younger brother of WWE’s Dolph Ziggler. The Nemeth brothers have been sharing a few interesting interactions on social media relating to Ryan’s AEW debut over the last few days.

It started when Dolph requested that people not watch his brother’s match:

Then when someone remarked to him that his brother “killed it” on Dynamite, Ziggler had the following response:

Ryan then took issue with Dolph Ziggler’s fans.

“I have no problem with you (even tho Mom & Dad play favorites) but I do have a problem with deranged Dolph Ziggler “fans” who are too stupid / mentally dense to know if they’re supposed to like me or hate me, stumbling over their own shoelaces to defend you. THAT is pathetic,” he Tweeted at his brother.

Ryan also noted that he will delete Twitter if he receives any more messages calling him “Baby Dolph.”

“If one more person calls me Baby Dolph I will delete this app from my phone,” Ryan Tweeted. “Not playing.”

Dolph then casually revealed when his contract is up.

Ryan also recently Tweeted out a link to a short film he did with his brother.

Dolph also posted this zinger directed at his younger brother:

Ryan Nemeth, aka Hot Young Briley, is scheduled to make his AEW debut next week on Dynamite. AEW announced on its social media feeds that Dolph Ziggler’s brother will be facing Hangman Page Wednesday night.

Nemeth’s older brother, Nic Nemeth (aka Dolph Ziggler), reacted to the news that his younger brother will be making his AEW debut next week:

Ryan Nemeth is an 11-year pro out of the Cleveland area. The 35-year-old is 5 years younger than his older brother. He was trained by Rip Rogers and has performed for promotions such as Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore, Nuclear Heat Wrestling, and Millennium Pro Wrestling. He also wrestled regularly for Bar Wrestling but would later express ethical concerns regarding the owner of the promotion.

From 2012 to 2013, Nemeth was under contract with WWE. He performed in OVW, FCW, and eventually NXT under the ring name Briley Pierce. He was released in May of 2013.

Shortly after Brodie Lee’s passing, Nemeth posted the below story to his Twitter account:

In addition to Hangman Page vs Ryan Nemeth, the following matches are also booked for next week’s Dynamite:

• Britt Baker vs Shanna
• Jungle Boy vs Dax Harwood
• Chris Jericho & MJF vs the Varsity Blondes
• The Young Bucks & The Good Brothers vs The Dark Order
• Eddie Kingston vs Lance Archer