Business Decisions

*** WARNING: YOU ARE NOW ENTERING A WRESTLING NERD DISCUSSION ZONE *** PLEASE KEEP YOUR -EYES AND EARS INSIDE OF KAYFABE AT ALL TIMES *** There’s so often talk about how Dolph Ziggler isn’t getting the “push” he “deserves” that it’s easy to forget why he hasn’t gotten that push. Because beyond things like a somewhat shaky injury history, middle of the road mic skills and his endlessly dumb hair/Twitter account, Dolph Ziggler has star written all over him.

That’s right, that’s sarcasm you’re hearing. And no, your correspondent isn’t being smarky, he’s American just able to understand the divide between people who think Dolph Ziggler is the greatest wrestler of all and people who think he’s kind of a spaz, which has been Dolph’s biggest issue. He’s never seemed quite comfortable trying to fit into someone else’s definition of cool, or, more accurately, cool as interpreted by the WWE. But, deep down, Dolph Ziggler is a nerd. Sure, he turned into an excellent collegiate wrestler and came up through the ranks with nicknames and gimmicks like “The Natural”, but he’s clearly someone who grew up somewhat obsessed with pop culture — comedy and wrestling in particular — who doesn’t seem to work nearly as well from a place of inherent superiority.

Dolph Ziggler works best when he A) wants to and B) needs to prove he’s better than you, not when it’s presupposed. That’s not quite the same thing as being an underdog, however. Instead, he’s an overachiever, not overmatched as much as the type who has eyes bigger than their stomach. The fleeting bits of brilliance that have gone beyond Dolph’s physical gifts have been him moments like him cashing in the briefcase or nearly getting decapitated by a flurry of Alberto Del Rio (WE MISS YOU) superkicks, where he serves as a kind of everyman — Mick Foley in spandex — that can achieve greatness if we just allow ourselves to achieve our potential.

And it looks like, after last night, he may have finally figured that out. Or, more accurately, the WWE has figured out that instead of making the guy whose entire job is to make everyone else look good act like he’s better than them, they might be better served by letting him make everyone else feel good by representing them. Also, maybe a new theme song would work.  *** WARNING: YOU ARE NOW EXITING A WRESTLING NERD DISCUSSION ZONE *** PLEASE ENJOY YOUR COMPLIMENTARY SONIC CHILI CHEESE PRETZEL DOG ON YOUR WAY OUT ***

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