[PushemVnce]

I guess most of us can agree that we had high hopes of DZ turning heel again at the beginning of the year, seeing as it would potentially rejuvenate his character. It started off hot the first few weeks. But after the Lawler segment, bad booking once again fucked it all up. If you had the chance to redo his heel turn, how would you have booked it?

 

[Tombstoned]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

Step 1: Have him spend the first 3 months after turning engaged in feuds with people the crowd might actually give a shit about.
Step 2: Have him appear to be gaining something from the turn by winning singles matches at the PPV's. Heck, even HAVING a singles match would probably be a start.
Step 3: If you really must have him be the intro jobber for Nakamura, at least let him appear somewhat credible instead of coming across like a prize idiot every week.

 

[JafarMustDie]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

I think he's doing pretty good right now, his feud with Nakamura is interesting.. I mean it's Nakamura, of course it's gonna be interesting. But yeah I'm enjoying what Ziggler is doing currently.

His feud with Apollo/Kalisto was garbage tho.

 

[The Wood]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

Step 1: Have him spend the first 3 months after turning engaged in feuds with people the crowd might actually give a shit about.
Step 2: Have him appear to be gaining something from the turn by winning singles matches at the PPV's. Heck, even HAVING a singles match would probably be a start.
Step 3: If you really must have him be the intro jobber for Nakamura, at least let him appear somewhat credible instead of coming across like a prize idiot every week.

Hmm...it's so crazy, it might just work!

 

[The Wood]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

Ziggler vs. Nakamura has got some potential to it. I think after that match, we're all going to be gushing. I don't know where you go with Ziggler in the meantime, but for whatever reason, I've just got this feeling that he's going to gain importance in the next year. Even if it's just manufactured significance and good taste rejects it. I think he's going to be inserted into some big matches that get a fair bit of attention, and that he'll hover around just because of that (even if he wins none of them). I can actually see him being in the WWE Title match at WrestleMania.

Looking at the current roster, who is the most obvious choice to win Money in the Bank? One has to say either Kevin Owens or Baron Corbin right? I mean, the gimmick works better with a heel, and those are the two heels they seem most interested in pushing. Yeah, they could also do Jinder, but he'll likely be coming off a loss to Orton, so why give him a guaranteed title shot after that?

So you get either Owens or Corbin with the briefcase. It honestly just seems smarter to put it on Owens. He's just leaps and bounds ahead. Owens would then be stalking Orton. It would make sense Owens to cash-in when Orton has his guard down fighting another heel. This could be someone like Baron Corbin, Rusev, Mahal or...Dolph Ziggler. Now, assuming that Orton would have issues with Kevin Owens and that heel, if this cash-in happened around WrestleMania time, a Triple Threat makes perfect sense. Owens vs. Orton vs. Ziggler thus becomes a possibility. It doesn't seem like the "hottest" match on Planet Earth, but since when is the secondary title program?

 

[Griselda]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

It was great in the beginning, he was fucking people up and winning. Sadly, no one gives a shit about Apollo and Kallisto. It's good he's going against Nakamura and I know this entire forum is going to shit their pants and cry burial but I really think Ziggler should squeak out the win at Backlash instead of obviously being cannon fodder.

 

[DGenerationMC]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

I didn't like him losing the IC Title back to Miz right before SSeries. So, let's have him retain against Sami Zayn at SSeries instead with Miz's unwanted interference. Then, Dolph drops the belt back to Miz at TLC.

From there, Ziggler can just start losing like crazy. He gets left out of the WWE Title Elimination Chamber match, so he issues an open challenge for the PPV which is answered by either Kalisto or Crews, who upsets Ziggler clean. Dolph considers not shaking hands but begrudgingly shows respect to the younger star. Mania season comes around and he lasts to the very end of the ATGMB until Braun Strowman tosses his ass into the 10th row.

Nakamura debuts after WM and defeats Miz at Backlash for the IC Title. Miz moves on to the WWE Title picture while Ziggler notes that he never got a rematch for the IC Title, so that sets up Nakamura-Ziggler at MITB. Ziggler comes up short again in an absolute barnburner and finally turns heel after the match by attacking Shinsuke. And hopefully, we can re-visit this issue down the line.

From there, I'd get him some wins over underneath guys like Kalisto, Crews, Dillinger and Mojo to establish his dislike for newer guys "passing him by" before feuding with Sami Zayn in a competitive upper mid-card rivalry. With the Superstar Shakeup, Ziggler would be a credible, established heel Smackdown needs for the likes of Orton, Styles and Nakamura.

 

[blackholeson]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

I can't believe he is a heel. Ziggler should be a face. His role as a face should have been pushed by a kayfabe injury that would convince fans he was going to retire. The heel he should be feuding with is named Kevin Owens. Owens would be the one to put Ziggler on the shelf and considering retirement. I'm talking neck brace and wheel chair type injury.

 

[Gn1212]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

First off Ziggler is the closest thing they could get to a guy with the looks and with heavy support of the crowd. His work in the ring and mic as a face is amazing. He knows how to get you engaged.
Still, a heel turn would have been best on Cena. The heat with them two seems to be real and there's a girl in the middle too.

 

[The_Workout_Buddy]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

Eventually he would be on the same spot he is now, it doesn't matter who he faces.

He has feuded John Cena, Edge, CM Punk, The Authority, Dean Ambrose and The Miz but he always ends up being on the same spot, sadly for him that's his glass ceiling.

 

[BigDaveBatista]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

he should have won something with it, the ic title in a feud with ambrose would have been just fine, just change the layout of the dud they had at summerslam

he should still be champion now and about to face aj styles
owens should be facing nak, hes more credible so its a higher profile debut win

 

[PushemVnce]

Great responses. Here's how I would have done it:

- Have him drop the IC title to Miz at TLC
- Keep the heel turning superkick to Kalisto the same, except instead of having him feud with Kalisto and Apollo Crews, just have him have different matches with different mid card faces each week (and WIN) and have him find his stride as a heel being cocky and disrespectful (like an updated version of the "I Am Perfection" Dolph, not the "frustrated because I can't win" Dolph). Keep this going up to the Royal Rumble, where he makes it to the final four. Keep the Jerry Lawler segment too.
- One thing that stuck out to me was a backstage interview he gave a few months ago after his feud with Crews/Kalisto ended, talking about how he wanted to show the newer guys that they won't replace him. Immediately that made me think of Sami Zayn. Even though he was on Raw at the time, have Ziggler interfere in Zayn's match vs Samoa Joe at Fastlane (chair shots after the match and all). The story behind the feud and the attack can be Dolph trying to convince Zayn that "he reminds him of himself before the turn, that win or lose, giving it your all in every match is all that counts. But being the lovable loser has no happy endings, and as the losses stack up, your fans will give up on you and forget about you, like they did to me." Have Zayn invade the following Smackdown and brawl with Ziggler, follow up with another brawl with Ziggler invading Raw, forcing them to have an inter promotional match at WM33. The match steals the show with Ziggler going over.
- Superstar shake up sends Ziggler to Raw instead of Miz and he is actually in the IC title feud with Dean Ambrose OR he stays on Smackdown and the feud with Nakamura is way bigger and more anticipated. Nakamura still goes over, but it's a close A+ match. Ziggs eventually moves on to feuding with Orton for the WWE title (might not produce perfect matches, but the storyline would be great)

 

[tducey]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

Meh, his heel run so far has been underwhelming. Got to wonder where he goes after the feud with Nakamura.

 

[arch.unleash]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

I wouldn't have turned him in the first place. He was a good face that needed some good booking like the rest of the buried roster. He was so over in 2013 and 2014 and with good booking during 2016 against The Miz he regained his overness. A heel turn isn't always the answer.

 

[Mra22]

Re: How would have done Ziggler's heel turn?

Have him leave and never come back. But that might make him a face.