I just want to talk about Dolph Ziggler for a bit.
 

I am really digging what appears to be his direction currently. The more aggressive theme song...the amped up intensity...the extreme arrogance...

He just really seems like an actual threat now. I've been a fan for a while, but I never really thought he'd break through to the main event. Now? I'm thinking he has a shot at it. He's not really doing anything that we haven't seen before, but he's doing it so fucking well that it feels like his own.

Also, "FOLLOW THAT!" is gonna catch on. Mark my words.

Your thoughts?

He's really coming into his own I feel but seriously if they wanna make him seem like a legit contender they need to change his freaking name.

Ehh, you might be right, but if they're going to do something like that, it's going to have to be soon. The transformation is ALMOST complete.

Been high on Ziggler since his re-debut with Batista on Raw a few years back. Always thought he had all the tools, and since then he has had some show stealing matches. I'm really glad that they dropped his character overhaul they gave him earlier this year, and allowed him to go back to what he was good at with a little more edge to him. I can easily see him making much bigger strides in the next few months, and go on to have a few more World Title wins under his belt.

So in the record books, he's officially a former World Champion? I'm asking because I seriously don't know.

They've mentioned that he's a former World champion on commentary, so I'm assuming so.

I guess it's kinda like what Miz said to Swagger, though...

"If you win a World championship and nobody remembers it, did it really happen?"

He held it for like five minutes.

Anyways, I love that he has legitimized the sleeper hold as one of his finishers.

He was better in the spirit squad fo sho

I was a Spirit Squad fan, honestly.

I'm not high on him but that may be because he is with Vicky. Can't stand that women and ever since she was Smackdown's GM she's been a channel changer.

She didn't do anything on this past Raw but stand at ringside.

"I DARE just ONE PERSON to follow that! ONE PERSON!"

Love it

the shorter and dark haired ziggler looked like even bournes big brother

i was very glad they let him go back to his prior look atleast, but agree with most that he has all the tools and hopefully will be main eventing very soon

I'm digging him but I'd like to see him get involved with a fued that doesn't involve Kofi. A Ziggler-Bourne series could be gold. Something with Swagger perhaps?

Bourne would make sense, since he just "won" his feud with Swagger. Seems like he should be in line for a US title shot.

And now that we can tell Ziggler and Bourne apart again. :shifty:

They should give him corporal kirchner's old gimmick.

That's too bad as I just can't get over her even being on my tv.

Ziggler keeps getting better and better. His match with Bryan at Night of Champions got my attention, and ever since he's been the "go to" guy when it comes to solid in-ring performances.

He might not be the best on the mic, but that's why they paired him with Guerrero.

What if you just took an old friend's word for it and checked the match out on YouTube or something?

As long as WWE focuses more on guys like Ziggler, Morrison, Kofi, Dibiase, Rhodes, Bourne etc then it will continue to get better as it has since the beginning of July. Dolph Ziggler is one of the best things going in WWE and I see him going up with the revamped theme and who would have ever thought that Nicky of the Spirit Squad would become as big a star as he has. I am glad it wasn't Kenny Dykstra. I thought him and Mitch were the only two that were bad in the Spirit Squad. I am not a fan of Miz, Riley or Del Rio, but if they are seen as the future as well you have to make as many younger stars as you can for the next generation. Del Rio is great to watch in the ring, but I don't think hes good with any of the other aspects which is fine, because his ring skills are good and will get better. Him becoming champion wouldn't be the worst thing, but honestly Miz's title reign was my least favorite of all time and I really don't think he should have won it to begin with. Riley has all the potential and a great theme, but I am not a fan and still have yet to see a good match with him. I didn't think his matches with Miz were good at all.

Am I seriously the only fan here that thinks Dolph Ziggler isn't anything special? I admit his in ring work is good enough, but for the most part his matches haven't been exciting. It could be him and Kofi have been fueding for a year or so now, but his matches bore me. It seems like the guy is more of a mark for himself than the fans are. I dare someone to follow that??? As far as that goes, the Cena/Mysterio match that same night was far better.

And his mic skills aren't even vaguely interesting. In his fued with Edge, he had a chance to step up and prove himself, but again failed to impress. It's a pretty good indication of how much confidence WWE has in him when Vickie Guerrero is his manager. I mean, she gets heat b/c ppl hate her being annoying, but she doesn't scream personality. To me, him having her as a manager makes him look weak. I thought the night Austin was GM, we might see the end of that, but they totally overlooked that stipulation. So much for him being solo to see if he can develop better mic skills.

Overall, I haven't see that much in Ziggler. He's not a phenominal worker or entertainer, and hasn't even been improving on a consistent level. And what an abomination of a name. Of course, I never thought the guy would amount to much in the Spirit Squad, and even now doesn't convince me...

Ziggler has been allowed to talk more on his own. He seems to be doing well.

I agree about how in the past, especially during the World Title feud, he allowed Vickie to do most of the talking. He really needed to start taking control and transfer some of Vickie's massive heat towards himself.

Now I notice that Vickie's role seems to be minimized, while Dolph himself gets to shine a bit more.

Agreed. I hated when he changed hair color. He looked like everyone else. With the bleach blond hair, he stands out, I notice him more.

I've liked how he's treating the US title as being the only prestigious title on RAW or the WWE especially during the time when the WWE title was in a crisis when there was thoughts of Punk taking away the title when he left. He could even make reference that the US title is stable enough that it doesn't need any sort of reunification like the WWE title needs due to its mess.

If WWE was quick enough, they could have Ziggler mock Cena saying his is only a replica or not prestigious since Ziggler hasn't let his title been taken hostage by someone who was willing to leave the company. He could even mock Punk saying a true champion doesn't run away or make threats trying to take a belt away from a company.

I'd be more surprised if you ever didn't like the direction Ziggles was going in.

I'm pretty sure he could OD and be found bloated and naked in his bathtub and you'd post "I like where this is going."

Yes

No, the difference being I'm one of the few here with the balls to form an opinion that doesn't mean jumping on the bandwagon.

And it's ignorant of you to say I'd like him if he OD'ed. If that happened, it would be a shame, but his work is what it is. Theoretically, if he sucked when he was alive, he would suck if he was found dead in a hotel.

If ppl here like him, sing his praises, but I disagree. I'm not gonna call a mediocre at best wrestler great. At this point in his career, he hasn't shown anything special. The fact that Vickie Guerrero is his manager means he sucks as an entertainer. He hasn't used her in any apparent way to get over as a big time heel. Asking someone to follow your match is laughable too if you aren't having a 5 star classic. It sure as hell isn't a standard to judge other matches with...

Maybe it was the fact I was only guy here would didn't like Ziggler. That and his lame attempt to make fun of my "RAW is headed in the right direction" thread. Seems to narrow things down...

He's been one of WWE's top workers for quite a while. I think he's got all the confidence in the world when it comes to his in-ring performance, as he should. I really like his new "Follow that" thing, because he more than likely truly believes it and it shows.

It's obvious that his strength is putting on good matches, and he seems to realize that his character should revolve around his ability to put on a show better than anyone else. Because quite frankly, any scripted promo that I've seen from him comes off way too forced (like most scripted promos do, but him more than others).

Don't know why everyone is acting like him saying "Follow That" is a "thing" when he has only said it once. If he starts saying it some more, then it becomes a "thing".

His match against Bryan Danielson at Bragging Rights was BOSS!

Solid worker, but i agree with captaincharismark here. Don't find anything special in him, except when he used to do his hair flick (that was awesome). Sure, he'll go places, probably be a legit world champ one day, but he doesn't make me care about him. I think Vicky was his crutch, and they seem to be giving Ziggler more room nowadays to stand out on his own, so that's a step in the right direction.

Ziggler is moving up in my rankings every time I see him. Guy's got the potential and the look and I think if he keeps on this path he'll be a top contender in no time. As for a name change I really don't think it's nessasary, but it couldn't hurt and might speed the process of pushing him up a bit so I definatly am not opposed.

Well, being a solid worker and being great aren't the same thing. He doesn't quite stand out from other guys who are in the mid card currently. While giving him more space to shine without Vickie is a step in the right direction, it hardly makes him deserving of a major title. The main issue I have with Ziggler is he is so boring and bland. Sometimes I wonder if the sleeper hold he uses isn't a symbolic gesture of his character. Cause his matches and his character are in desperate need of vast improvement before I'd be convinced he's as good as he claims. Not exactly screaming standard bearer, and certainly not the best matches or most entertaining segments on RAW.

lol man

I love Dolph Ziggler. He's one of the best guys in the ring that they have, and he's got a good look and interesting persona. He works amazingly well with bigger guys, too. The guy's already a success (formerly a World Heavyweight Champion), but I expect bigger things from him. I'd like to see him start up a feud with Alex Riley.