10 Big Mistakes WWE Can't Afford To Make At TLC 2016
4. The Miz's Second Premature Loss
As strong as the Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler feud has been, it felt like WWE pulled the rug from under Miz’s Intercontinental Title reign by giving Dolph the belt at No Mercy. Miz had caught fire in the aftermath of his Talking Smack rant, but just when it looked like he was set for a long, controversial Honky Tonk Man style run, a title change completed Dolph’s redemption arc.
Miz’s cronies helped him regain the title a few weeks ago, and he and Ziggler will complete in another rematch this Sunday evening. Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan have explicitly stated that for now, this will be the final chapter in the long-running rivalry. Miz and Ziggler will be forced to go their separate ways, and given the strength of their recent work, at least one will soon find himself thrust towards the main event.
The wisest possible move here is to have The Miz retain, and hold the belt at least until WrestleMania. He’s one of the most detestable characters in the company, and he works brilliantly as a scheming, cheating IC Champ who can’t retain his belt without getting his hands dirty. It’s classic heel fodder, and while the loss may devalue Ziggler somewhat, he’s strong enough to recover. There’s little value in having Miz lose the belt so soon after regaining it, and Ziggler will be just fine in the long-run.