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The Dudley Boyz and Dolph Ziggler - the shocking amplification of timidity in a WWE performer.

3K views 25 replies 19 participants last post by  Lodi Lawless 
#1 · (Edited)
This monday night, amidst all the emotion surrounding Daniel Bryan's retirement speech, one of the great moments in the near history of the tag team division virtually went unnoticed - The Dudley Boyz' heel turn. The thing that fascinated me wasn't actually the beat down and the stiff table slams, it was the genuine PRIDE AND ATTITUDE exhibited by the Dudley Boyz after the event. " DO YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE? ", shouted Bubba Ray thumping the table to the Uso lying motionless after the assault. WE'RE THE DUDLEY BOYZ, THE BADDEST TAG TEAM ON THE PLANET! ". This, despite the fact that these guys have been constantly jobbed out and haven't won any match of significance since their return. Just the incredible sense of selling their character and experience in a matter of seconds at the most opportune time has ensured that these guys have washed away most of their losses from everybody's memory and all the attention is now on what happens next.

And, then there is Dolph Ziggler. Last Thursday, Kalisto Vs Owens, Ziggler on commentary.

Mauro Ranallo: And joining us, coming off a huge win against Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler, Dolph.. you exacted a modicum of revenge against Kevin Owens

Ziggler: Uhh yeah.. long time.. Uhh.. what is it like.. 10.. 15 times in a row? Finally I did it. fpalm.

Now, what, in the hell is that supposed to convey? A face, 10 year veteran of the organization, former MITB, former WHC.. saying something as atrocious as that? What does he even mean? Is this another cheap shot at the booking on air about him losing 15 times to Owens before? Or it is the fact that a modern performer, a former WHC.. has to shamelessly admit on air that he lost 15 times to a guy who hasn't even completed one year on the main roster. Disgraceful. And it underlines just how much an average WWE performer has fallen with regards to protecting his character.

It's not about ring skills, mic skills, charisma, presence etc etc.. it's THESE SMALL CRITICAL MOMENTS that make or break the entire aura of legitimacy surrounding your character.

So my question is - What exactly has brought about this change? It's not even about PG or TV 14 or any other parental guidelines. Just the total lack of competence at protecting your character and legitimacy will ensure that the current roster despite being overflowing with talent never reaches it's full potential, disappointing stuff.
 
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#3 ·
Ziggler needs to remember what he has achieved and act like he's a really big deal, instead he just tries to be funny too often, he just doesn't care any more
 
#4 ·
About time the Dudleyz turned and started showing what they're really about, tbh it made me cringe seeing Bubba Ray do the '1 2 3 get the tables' play to the crowd because it isn't a real reflection of his character. Hopefully now we will see Dudleyz get the title shot at FastLane because they are overdue it.
As for Ziggler, he's given up on his character ME prospects and is mulling over his remaining career in midcard while tweeting every chance he can of his disgruntled state in WWE.
 
#12 ·
it made me cringe seeing Bubba Ray do the '1 2 3 get the tables' play to the crowd because it isn't a real reflection of his character.
Yeah, I get what you're saying. But from a nostalgia standpoint, it's always awesome to hear that pop. The first time he did it, that was arguably the loudest pop in several episodes of RAW. I don't know how it would work now that they are heels.
 
#8 ·
Ziggler wants to be higher on the card and I don't blame him. He has been treading mid-card waters his entire career with almost no advancement, and what little there was was taken away from him very quickly. Wouldn't you be fed up? Look how long he has been there.
 
#9 ·
But look at what the guy is spouting on air now. His cheap shots at the booking have transcended the boundaries of social media now and if that is acceptable, then we might as well dump the remaining crumbs of kayfabe into the dustbin as well.

Maybe what he needs to realize is that the Dolph Ziggler of 2016 is basically the Dolph Ziggler of 2010. He hasn't improved one bit at anything and feels entitled to enough to be main eventing WM or something.
 
#11 ·
Dolph has been a broken man since February 2015. Was arguably the most over guy on either roster heading into the Rumble. He was so over that people actually believed he had a shot at winning. For his efforts, he was taken off television, lost the IC title, and was discarded like an afterthought in the Rumble.


He was literally dumped over the top rope like a garbage bag. :lol It wasn't even as if he entered early and went out with no bullets in the chamber. He came in like at 27 (?) and was in for all of 3 - 5 minutes. His biggest moment was a superkick. :lmao


They broke him after that and he hasn't really been the same since. His enthusiasm from his IC title run vz Miz in mid '14 leading up to his lone survival at SvS, in comparison to his enthusiasm from January '15 to the present is night and day.
 
#15 ·
HHH and Vince view him as an unoriginal HBK/Perfect clone.

Dolph's had his moments but his popularity never cracked that glass ceiling that Jeff Hardy, Punk, and Bryan all did at one point in their careers. He's turned the volume up to 10 but he needs to hit 11.

If Vince didn't have Cena and Reigns - Ziggler would probably be in the HBK role instead he's in Mr. Perfects spot.
 
#16 ·
A lot of Ziggler detractors fail to contextualize the setting of real problems.

Complaining about Ziggler's short comings is like complaining about flies when the house plumbing pipes exploded.

There is a pattern in wwe's booking. Its not a coincidence Ziggler is on the long long LONG list of wasted superstar potential.
 
#17 · (Edited)
That isn't the point though. There must be a long line of people unhappy with their booking and the direction of the company, but being unprofessional to the degree Ziggler has been certainly isn't the solution. It doesn't make you a brave rebel, it just makes you an idiot and a sympathy monger.

The conversation is about Ziggler and Owens. Ziggler - a former MITB, WHC, multi time IC champion and for someone who has main evented PPVs, someone who has achieved more than 99.9% of people who take up professional wrestling as a career, to be unprofessional enough to take a cheap dig at the booking ON THE FREAKING SHOW has to be a new low. That's why I even refuse to believe it and rather question the timidity that has creeped in on many performers on the roster.

Look at the Dudleyz instead, proud AE guys, the fact that even after jobbing for months.. they had their pride intact and sold their heel turn like a million bucks. That's what true professionals should be like, regardless of anything.
 
#19 ·
Well he realized that it doesn't matter anymore how good you are or how over you get, you won't be treated as a main event player unless they pick you to be one. Dolph is one of the best wrestlers in the world and has been for years, and sadly that's his weakness, because he's able to make the other wrestlers look good in the ring. The guy sells like nobody I've seen in many years, possibly ever, so he could take a referee and work a match with them to make Earl Hebner look like prime Goldberg. WWE doesn't have many good sellers anymore so Dolphs unfortunate job is and will be putting over guys with less than half his ability
 
#20 ·
Dolph probably mixed up his stand-up special with an episode of SmackDown. Can't blame him tho, both are comedy shows at the end of the day. :draper2
 
#21 ·
Yeah, I get what you're saying. But from a nostalgia standpoint, it's always awesome to hear that pop. The first time he did it, that was arguably the loudest pop in several episodes of RAW. I don't know how it would work now that they are heels.
Am all for the Dudleyz saying 'Get the tables' because it is as much a part of them as the 'Wassuup' & the 3D deathdrop but what ruined it for me was them turning it into a pantomine call by oddly going '1 2 3..' before it. They never did it before and seeing Bubba do it now looks weird.
 
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