The modern day equivalent to Mr. Perfect, Ziggler has proven himself as one of the best workers in the industry for the better part of six years. A great bumper who makes any opponent he steps in the ring with look like a million bucks, Ziggler even looks like Perfect as he flies through the air and smacks off the canvas. Unfortunately, his career has taken a path similar to that of the 2007 Hall of Famer as he has regularly been held down and kept from achieving any kind of legitimate main event push, despite winning the one prize Perfect was never able to. In 2013, Ziggler cashed in Money in the Bank and became World Heavyweight Champion. It look as though all of his hard work and dedication, not to mention his show-stealing ability, would be rewarded with a sustained main event push that he so passionately chased for nearly a decade. Then Jack Swagger kicked him square in the face and effectively ended his dream. A concussion sidelined Ziggler for nearly two months. In his first match back, he dropped the title to Alberto Del Rio and turned babyface. The turn looked like the perfect opportunity for the company to continue to push a Superstar that fans had been cheering for months anyway. In reality, it was merely a way to appease fans. By SummerSlam, Ziggler would return to the midcard. A month later, he would begin losing matches, a trend that continued throughout the remainder of the year. By January 2014, he was left for dead, doing little of importance while watching lesser-talented performers succeed at a level he should have been at. A series of radio interviews in which Ziggler was open and honest about his feelings on the same crop of guys getting all of the chances to succeed may have proven to be his downfall. In particular, he repeatedly mentioned Randy Orton, who was in the middle of his latest run with the WWE Championship as the "Face of WWE." While his comments were in reference to the current storyline at the time, there was a hint of honest that shone through. That honesty got him in trouble, as he referenced on social media, and he was punished accordingly. Lately, Ziggler has seen his role expanded and has received more television time, mixing it up with Batista on several occasions. Whether the company believes that the former champion has done his penance remains to be seen but it is highly unlikely Ziggler returns to the main event scene anytime soon.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
