11 Must-See WWE Matches, Moments & Segments This Week (Oct 14)

1. Dolph Ziggler Wins Intercontinental Title, Saves Career

Dolph Ziggler WWE Intercontinental Title
WWE.com

It must be humbling for The Miz and Dolph Ziggler to step back and observe their current status as two of the hottest acts in the game today when they consider that a mere couple of months ago, they were struggling to maintain their grip on WWE relevancy. What a difference a fresh environment can make; that is perhaps the enduring lesson of the Ziggler vs. Miz rivalry's success.

The long-time veterans surprised many with their classic Intercontinental Championship match at Backlash a month ago, but did not have the luxury of sneaking up on anybody after the build they executed for their high stakes return match at No Mercy. The caliber of promo and character work performed by both in the last four weeks placed the spotlight squarely on them and forced them into a "make or break" scenario.

Had they failed to deliver anything less than a classic this time, it would have been colossally disappointing.

Miz could now very well set his sights on the main-event scene. Ziggler may end up back there again himself after it had seemed, post-SummerSlam, like he had danced his last headlining dance. Miz is the best heel in WWE right now. Ziggler, by focusing his character's attention on winning instead of performing, may have turned the corner in his career. Both have to be on cloud nine right now.

The Career vs. Title match was one of the best of the year.

Contributor
Contributor

"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition. Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.