Heading into RAW, Mustafa Ali really wanted a chance to compete for the WWE United States Championship. He cut a filmed promo for Twitter where he detailed just how much the title would mean for him, including allusions to his time in High School during 9/11 and his time as a police officer in Chicago, his own insecurities, and ultimately, his desire to feel like he fit in within the WWE Universe; a Universe he asked to be released from earlier this very year.

Unsurprisingly, given how liberal WWE is with their title shots, Ali didn't have to wait long to get a shot at the straps he so desperately desires, as he gave the current title holder, Austin Theory, a hard time after a backstage segment and was granted a chance to test his mettle in the first televised defensive of the US Championship under the current reign.

Unfortunately for Ali, he didn't get a chance to truly see who was the better worker, as in the middle of a match that only went about eight minutes, who but Dolph Ziggler appeared out of seemingly nowhere to attack Theory, forced a DQ, and, in a fit of irony, closed out the match with the former leader of Retribution laid out on the outside of the ring after a brutal turnbuckle toss from the current title holder.

So what gives? Why did Ziggler break up the match between Ali and Theory, especially when the match could have gone either way? Was it purely to get back at Theory, who beat him the last time they shared the ring? Does Ziggler have some sort of issue with Ali, too, that led to RAW‘s favorite on-screen punching bag getting the umpteenth chance to show off his selling to the fans at home? Fortunately, between breaking up a massive fight between Bobby Lashley and Seth Rollins that saw “The Allmighty” absolutely demolish poor Petey Williams – the Impact legend and inventor of the Canadian Destroyer – with a spear, and telling the former focal point of The Hurt Business that he would call off his number one contender match if he fought with “The Architect” any more, Adam Pearce sent a camera crew to the backstage to find out.

Dolph Ziggler attempts to set the record straight after WWE RAW.

After costing Ali his championship opportunity in a match with Theory, Byron Saxton caught up with Ziggler in the backstage area of RAW to find out why he interrupted the match and what his continued issues are with Theory.

“You know, a lot of crazy stuff happens around here, in the 19 years I’ve been doing this, sometimes you have to do it on your own,” Ziggler said. “Not everyone has a helping hand, not everyone has someone back here watching their back, helping them out, I’m on my own here; 19 years straight, for the most part, I’m on my own, I’ve got to make things happen, I’ve gotta make something right. Theory has beaten me before,  I’m a man, I own up to it, totally get it. He went above and beyond and put me out of action. That has happened two times in 19 years. So, of course, the chip on my shoulder, the giant chip on my shoulder that’s a 2×4 was even bigger and I wanted to make an impact. I wanted to do something different. I wanted to catch that kid from behind, kick his face off and just remind him who the h*ll I am.”

After a moment’s pause, Ziggler’s aggressive body language softened along with his tone.

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Mustafa Ali with a text bubble reading “I'm the hottest free agent in the world right now” with the WWE logo as the background.

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“I cost Ali the match, I’m sorry,” Ziggler said. “That happens, nothing personal; I’m here to make money and be the best. Nothing personal about that mattered and all that matters to me right now is getting justification not just for the last couple of weeks, not just for the last couple of months but for people like Theory who get handed things, for people like Theory who are the teacher’s pet and say all of the right moves and have got everyone watching their backs. It’s people like Theory who need to get cracked in the mouth. Theory’s got a h*ll of a future and he’s a d*mn good wrestler (but) I’m Dolph Ziggler, and he’s not.”

Will Ziggler make it right with Ali? Will Ali take his revenge on Ziggler? Either way, only time will tell; fortunately for Ali, even if he isn't the United States Champion, he'll at least be featured in RAW‘s storytelling moving forward, which is a solid consolation prize for a performer who wants nothing more than to belong.