10 Most Must-See Matches, Moments, And Segments From WWE This Week
1. Renaissance Times Three For Miz, Ziggler, And The Intercontinental Championship
The week's top story was the outstanding follow-up to the Backlash match for the Intercontinental Championship between Dolph Ziggler and The Miz. A month ago, nobody would have cared about yet another IC Title match between members of the underwhelming mid-2000s class of main-event underachievers, but among the many things that SmackDown has done well since the split has been the rejuvenation of careers long thought (by some) to have been irreparably damaged.
Rewind the clock two months and Ziggler was an afterthought stuck in an endless feud that few cared about and Miz was an entertaining, valuable mid-carder who had been offered listless storylines with Zack Ryder and Darren Young as rewards for a job reasonably well done.
Talking Smack, an integral part of SmackDown's resurgence, gave Miz an outlet to greater relevance and he did not waste the opportunity; his on-going saga with Daniel Bryan has had a trickle down effect that has favored Ziggler's career since SummerSlam as well.
Tuesday's SmackDown featured their rematch for the Intercontinental Title and, though it may not have captured the same magic in the first half as their PPV bout, by the climax they were again firing on all cylinders. Maryse's involvement was perfect, as was the manner in which Miz won the match and Ziggler lost it; the door is wide open for another return match that fans would seem ready and willing to invest in.
The Miz is suddenly the best heel in the business and Ziggler's on-screen losing streak in big matches, reflective of his behind-the-scenes struggles in WWE over the years, has given him an interesting arc to drive his character's narrative. It is a win-win for both the wrestlers and the fans.
This was the Match of the Week in WWE.