*This article was written by Guest Writer D.M. Levin
There is always that one guy (or girl). The one who looks great, has all the potential in the world and for some reason, they cannot get over with either the fans of management. WWE is full of them. Guys with a certain look, or a skill set who is stuck in a purgatory they cannot seem to get out of. Dolph Ziggler might know this all too well. It seems the former World Champion is getting more time as a serious player on Total Divas than he is on Raw or any other WWE sanctioned program. For the guy who was once thought to be the next coming of Shawn Michaels, the road has been long, twisted and full of potholes. And every turn he makes, the fans are left seeing the same results. Ziggler is left in mid-card hell. A friend of mine brought up WWE’s problems with booking and pushing stars or holding them back. For so long, Ziggler stood on the edge of what could have been company gold. His work with Vickie Guerrero, his feuds with Alberto Del Rio and later John Cena. He looked the part, acted the part, sold for everyone in sight and BOOM! Nothing he has done of late screams WWE champion or success for that matter. The same can be said for the likes of Cody Rhodes, Titus O’Neill and even Heath Slater. WWE has a problem establishing stars who have worked and worked and gotten nothing in return. Ziggler is just the biggest example. My friend also told me I had better give up the ghost and realize that Ziggler will never amount to what I want him to be or what he should be. Right now, Ziggler is a jobber and although it is the same path the likes of Sheamus. Wade Barrett and Rusev were on just two months ago, it does not seem Vince McMahon is going to change the path of the company’s one and only Romeo. What I wouldn’t give to see a program with AJ Styles or Kevin Owens. Fans would literally drool at the possibilities. But once again, there is a bit of amnesia in the minds of creative. Whether it is going back to John Cena too often or letting NXT’s rising talents jump over established stars, Ziggler is never going to be a main event star. Maybe a trip to TNA or ROH would create a buzz as he tangled with new talent and new programming. For now, we are stuck with the way things are. We are stuck with one of the best performers in the company not being shown the respect for his talent that he deserves. Ric Flair once said WCW made its biggest mistake when the company let “Stunning” Steve Austin leave for WWE. Austin, as we all know, became one of the biggest stars in company history. Austin was a star in WCW, but not to the degree of fame he reached once he moved on. Maybe that has to happen to Ziggler, who could become another success story outside WWE with another promotion or even in Japan. Sometimes, things like that have to happen. Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Maybe Ziggler has to leave like other superstars (Shelton Benjamin, Drew Galloway, Ken Anderson) to everyone to see just how good they can be. Not the fans, mind you, but the management that continues to hold him back.
*Kayfabe Kickout (2012 - 2020) has since rebranded in July, 2020 and is now known as 'Pro Wrestling Slam!'
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