10 Radical Ideas To Save Dolph Ziggler
7. Have Him Join The Authority
It's the last gasp of the Authority, from what we've been told. According to now-vanished WWE insider ‘falconarrow’ on Reddit’s Squared Circle board, if they’ve not already been taken off RAW then it's likely that when Seth Rollins returns, it will be as a babyface and that he will be instrumental in the end of the faction, taking Triple H and Stephanie off television for a while.
If that’s definitely the plan, then turn have Ziggler play the role of figurehead for the Authority: have him play a corporate shill. Cut his hair, have him wear suits to cut promos, limit his over-the-top selling and bumping. Ziggler’s not really changed his personality or his style that much since he debuted under that name, and look how far it’s got him.
Utilise that new submission finisher we were talking about, and Nick Nemeth’s legitimate (and incredible) amateur wrestling background. Ground the man - no more leaping around. Have him take Rollins out of the sky: cut him off every time he tries to go large, slow down his game, wrestle him into a Crossfit-loving puddle of sweat on the canvas.
It’s the way that Jericho got over as a miserable, no-nonsense heel a few years ago: take out all the things that made him a fan favourite, and tap into a different skill set. No more catchphrases, none of that fiery never-say-die high-flying horse puckey.
Recast him as a wrestling machine, a tough-as-nails villain who can stretch the toughest people on the roster. Even when he fails and Rollins succeeds in removing the Authority, he can still retain the character to go it alone afterwards. The new approach would open up all kinds of storyline possibilities, even with people he’s worked many times before.