Grayson Waller’s latest verbal swipe at TNA has prompted a measured but pointed response from TNA World Champion Nic Nemeth.
During the September 1 edition of WWE NXT, Waller addressed Cruz Montana, the former TNA World Champion previously known as Mike Santana, and dismissed his accomplishments by calling him “TNA good.” The remark continued a running theme for Waller, who has used Montana’s history outside WWE to question whether his past success carries the same weight inside the NXT environment.
Nemeth, who is once again holding the TNA World Championship, addressed Waller’s comments during an appearance on Busted Open Radio. While Nemeth did not treat the remark as something demanding an immediate response, he said he understood the purpose behind it. Waller is the NXT Champion and is positioning himself against everyone placed in front of him, which naturally includes someone with Montana’s profile.
At the same time, Nemeth argued that the broader suggestion behind Waller’s insult does not reflect how professional wrestling careers actually work. WWE remains the ultimate goal for many performers, but Nemeth stressed that it is not universally the only measure of success.
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“He’s trying to call everybody out who’s associated in the ring with him right now or on their way. I get it,” Nemeth said on Busted Open Radio. “It’s an easy dig when you’re in the WWE bubble, to say any other company is inferior. I completely understand that, but sometimes in the wrestling world, the booker is not your best friend. And sometimes the end all be all is not WWE for so many people. It is for a lot, but it isn’t for some.”
Nemeth’s point was not that WWE lacks opportunity or stature. Rather, he emphasized that talent alone does not always determine who receives top positioning, major storylines, or a sustained chance to become a centerpiece of a promotion. Timing, creative direction, personal relationships, and the vision of the people making decisions can all shape a wrestler’s path.
That reality, Nemeth said, means strong wrestlers and strong talkers can sometimes be overlooked regardless of where they work.
“So some people are really good at their jobs and they get noticed, their boss rewards them, and it goes that way,” Nemeth said. “Pro wrestling, it doesn’t really happen that way. The best wrestlers and the best talkers are sometimes not on top because they’re not in the right position, or the right timing, or they weren’t friends with the boss.”
Nemeth Proudly Represents TNA as World Champion
Nemeth’s comments come from the perspective of a wrestler who is not merely discussing TNA from the outside. He is the reigning TNA World Champion, having regained the title by defeating Montana at Slammiversary in what was Montana’s final TNA match.
As champion, Nemeth said he takes pride in the title and in representing the company as a whole. He also made clear that he would welcome a match with anyone, Waller included, if an opportunity were ever presented for him to stand up for TNA in the ring.
That does not mean Nemeth believes every insult or passing comment needs to become a public feud. His willingness to address Waller directly would depend on whether TNA’s creative direction called for it. If TNA wanted him to respond and believed an exchange would help create interest, Nemeth said he could certainly make that happen.
“Unless TNA wanted me to and they said, ‘Hey, listen, if we get people talking a little bit, we don’t mind if you address this moment from NXT and Grayson Waller,’” Nemeth said. “But the way I see it is it’s so beneath me that I have nothing to say to even acknowledge it otherwise.”
For Nemeth, the fact that Waller’s NXT promo became a topic of discussion was enough. Beyond that, he does not see a need to elevate it into a major personal issue without a larger business or storyline reason to do so.
“Other than we’re talking about an NXT segment on this show right now, that’s where my interest ends because I have no reason to even bring that up to my level to make a comment about it,” Nemeth said.
The response is notable because it does not close the door on a possible WWE-TNA confrontation. WWE and TNA’s partnership has created a landscape in which wrestlers from both sides can share television space, and Waller’s remarks have naturally invited speculation about whether somebody from TNA could eventually answer him in person. Nemeth would be willing to participate if both companies wanted to use the issue to build attention.
However, he is not interested in making Waller the center of his own championship agenda simply because Waller mentioned TNA on NXT television.
Waller Has Made Montana’s Past a Repeated Target
Waller’s September 1 promo was not the first time he has attacked Montana by pointing to his TNA background. On the July 28 episode of NXT, Waller mocked the idea of TNA’s top star by comparing that position to being the best basketball player at a local YMCA. He also said he was not impressed by Montana’s accomplishments prior to arriving in WWE.
The approach fits Waller’s on-screen persona. As champion, he has used arrogance and antagonism to present himself as a standard above the rest of the NXT roster. Montana’s background gives Waller another angle to exploit: he can question whether success elsewhere should automatically command respect in WWE.
Nemeth sees that as effective fuel for a character-driven wrestling promo, even if he disagrees with the premise when it is taken beyond storyline. Waller’s role is to antagonize potential opponents and cast doubt on their credentials. But Nemeth’s answer underscores why wrestlers with significant experience outside WWE can view those credentials very differently.
For a performer such as Nemeth, championships and headline positions in other major organizations are not consolation prizes or lesser accomplishments. They are part of a career built through different promotions, different audiences, and different opportunities. His current place atop TNA gives him added reason to reject the implication that its championship should be treated as inherently below WWE’s developmental brand.
Championship Stakes on Both Sides
Waller became NXT Champion by pinning Tony D’Angelo in the Fatal Four-Way main event at NXT Heatwave. Montana and Zilla Fatu were also involved in that championship bout, placing Montana directly in the match where Waller secured the biggest victory of his NXT run.
That result gives Waller a clear storyline basis for his confidence. He defeated D’Angelo to win the championship in a high-pressure multi-man match and can point to having overcome several dangerous opponents on his way to the title. Montana, meanwhile, is still a relevant part of that moment because he was one of the competitors Waller had to survive to leave Heatwave as champion.
Nemeth’s remarks add another layer to the conversation. Waller may be able to call himself the NXT Champion and use Montana’s former TNA status as material, but Nemeth is the current TNA World Champion. Any direct confrontation between the two would therefore carry a promotion-versus-promotion edge, particularly if the companies chose to acknowledge Waller’s comments on television.
Nemeth did not demand that match, nor did he indicate that it is planned. Instead, he laid out a conditional position: if TNA wants him to answer Waller and create more discussion around the situation, he is ready. Otherwise, he has no interest in treating the NXT Champion’s remarks as a priority.
“I don’t want to punch down to Grayson Waller, who’s fighting to save his job, but he’s very capable as a champion,” Nemeth said. “It’s just the NXT Champion, and that’s being really good at being in the minor leagues.”
That closing line ensured Nemeth did not let Waller’s insult go entirely unanswered. It also maintained the central contrast between the two champions: Waller is using NXT’s platform to diminish TNA, while Nemeth is using his standing as TNA World Champion to argue that wrestling success cannot be reduced to one company’s hierarchy.
Whether the exchange remains a war of words or develops into something more will depend on what WWE and TNA choose to do next. For now, Nemeth’s message is clear: he understands Waller’s tactic, respects his ability, and remains proud to represent TNA—but he will not chase an NXT promo unless there is a meaningful reason to do it.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.