10 Radical Ideas To Save Dolph Ziggler

People have been saying for years that Ziggler’s Zig Zag looks stupid: a nothing finishing move that doesn’t look like it’d hurt a fly. Of course, taken out of that context of constant criticism, there’s nothing wrong with the move itself. It’s a jumping reverse bulldog, not a bearhug: it shouldn’t take a year of patient building to get the move over, and it’s perfect for Ziggler, who relies on leaping into the air to make anything happen.

But that’s a moot point now. The move’s credibility is shot to hell - it’s become part of the Dolph Ziggler conversation. Start a group of WWE fans talking about Ziggler, and it’ll be taken as a given that his finish sucks. At some point, someone will suggest replacing Ziggler’s superkick with the Heartbreak Kid’s own specific variety, and everyone will roll their eyes: you know the drill, you’ve seen it play out in wrestling fora and comments sections for a few years now.

Personally, I don’t think that the WWE crowd is ready for Shawn Michaels to make a gift of Sweet Chin Music to any current performer, and Ziggler’s too long in the tooth to fit the role of ‘promising rookie’. People still have bad memories of Ric Flair’s temporary adoption of a badly-cast babyface Miz, and his car crash attempts at the figure four (and let’s not forget that Flair wanted to mentor Ziggler and was shut down).

However, a submission move would come completely out of left field. Ziggler’s used the sleeper before, but never really as more than a rest hold. My vote is for the kata-ha jime - it’s a judo hold most famously co-opted by Taz(z) as the Tazzmission. It’s got drama and legitimacy, and can be ramped up by grapevining the body to prevent movement to the ropes.