Does Dolph Zigger deserve better?

[The Rick Jericho]

He was a healthy scratch at the Rumble last month. He bounced back and forth between NXT and WWE last year. He hasn't won a real world title since 2013. Was a red hot act after Survivor Series 2014 and WWE didn't capitalize on him.

He has never had a 1 on 1 Wrestlemania match in front of a crowd. As we are now entering year 15 of the Dolph Ziggler gimmick. Is this where he should be or can they do him better?

[XIII]

Nah, Dolph is a good hand and at one point may have been able to move up a bit but he’s hit his ceiling and isn’t on the same level of others. A tag team with someone similar would probably be about all that I would do with him.

Besides dude is like 800 years old in TV years at this point.

[BorneAgain]

The thing with Dolph is that if he keeps finding himself in the same position and booking rotation he was 8 years ago, then on some level he probably should have left the company for a while to build up his value like Lashley, McIntyre, & Cody did. I'm not saying its his fault he's poorly booked, but after a time its hard not to think of him as someone that's passively accepted his role, even if he has been prone to voicing his unhappiness about it from time to time. WWE could have done more to make Ziggler important... however I can the same thing about Dolph himself.

[Chiral]

In 2015-16 yes, now it's just like well here's Dolph

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

I think he's used exactly how a 43 year old who has been in the company for fifteen years straight should be. He's still in really good shape and he can still go so he can be useful to put guys over and give them a good match. However I don't really see any reason why he should be a featured player at this point. The fact that they even gave him an NXT title run last year came off like a questionable decision and did imo did more harm then help to Bron.

[tirtefaa]

Considering how long he's been employed without being an established main eventer, he's fortunate he still has a job.

[Deleted]

Years ago, yes.

He should've left the company years ago and by now he probably would have been back as a credible main eventer.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

He just hasn't shown much interest in reinventing himself over the past few years. He seems content to just come in and collect a paycheck which is cool but he wouldn't expect to get a big push or anything. He probably could use a change of scenery but he might just be content to be here making whatever he does.

[The Rick Jericho]

[David-Arquette was in WCW 2000]

Feb 18, 2023 15:27:02 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

The thing with Dolph is that if he keeps finding himself in the same position and booking rotation he was 8 years ago, then on some level he probably should have left the company for a while to build up his value like Lashley, McIntyre, & Cody did. I'm not saying its his fault he's poorly booked, but after a time its hard not to think of him as someone that's passively accepted his role, even if he has been prone to voicing his unhappiness about it from time to time. WWE could have done more to make Ziggler important... however I can the same thing about Dolph himself.

Absolutely, Dolph could have done some great stuff on the indy circuit, in Impact, ROH, etc and he could have really built himself up for a big return to WWE.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

No

I think if he wanted something more he would left a long time ago. I think his passion has been the comedy stuff and he has made enough money to just be happy with his life which is good for him. He's almost got a job for life and he's still only in his early 40's but how they are using him is fine unless he makes rapid changes

[yokohamacpfc]

I think his concussion history might be a factor in why he hasn't shown interest in Japan or AEW despite his last major main roster push being 6 or 7 years ago.

[Some Guy]

They've completely stomped out his heat so much multiple times that I don't think there's anything left for him to latch onto. He was SO hot in 2014/early 2015 and at that point he was completely buried to oblivion/it's hard to not say he didn't at that point.

[DZ: WF Legacy]

Dolph Ziggler (a name that always hurt him) needed WCW.

[Bo Rida]

His main attribute is being a 6ft guy that is able to bump like crazy and is credible enough to make others look good.

There's been times he could have gone further and that role has held him back but it's also given him job security few can dream of.

Which is a long way of saying I disagree with the idea he should have gone elsewhere. He's not the same as Cody, Drew and Lashley who were all hand-picked for top roles before they were ready, he's closer to a Cardona. Maybe he'd have had a similar reinvention but why risk it? Especially as he'd probably end up in his old role if he came back anyway. I'm also not convinced he'd have succeeded in Japan either.

He really needed AEW to exist a few years earlier, arguably NXT too, they all came too late for him to benefit from.

[Red Mage Riot]

Feb 18, 2023 15:27:24 GMT -5 Chiral said:

In 2015-16 yes, now it's just like well here's Dolph

More or less what I was gonna say. Ask me 7-8 years ago, and the answer's yes. Now? Nah, Dolph knows what his role is, and he's clearly not gonna leave and try to branch out at this point. He doesn't seem like the guy where the "Matt Cardona Path" for want of a better term, is gonna appeal.

[Deleted]

he deserved better but he did it to himself

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

I'm at the point where I feel like Ryan Nemeth deserves more

[BlackoutCreature]

Now? No. Like ten years ago? Absolutely. He's one of the many guys who got screwed because he got really over while at the same time not fitting into any of Vince's grand plans for the main event picture. Now though he's just a worn out relic of another era.

[canceled4truth]

I've always seen him as a midcarder, idk. The most notable thing about him is that he's an incredible seller, which is a genuinely impressive skill to have, but not exactly conducive to being a main eventer