How WWE Are Quietly Building Their Next Main Event Megastar

Teaming with Drew McIntyre has worked wonders for Ziggler, who hasn't felt this interesting or exciting since scoring victory in a riveting Career Vs. Intercontinental Title match with The Miz at No Mercy 2016. The hard-working, hard-bumping 'Show-Off' is now a credit to Raw, and one of its most consistent performers inside the ring and out, delivering the goods in his rivalry with Seth Rollins, and his and Drew's tag wars with 'The Kingslayer' and his former Shield brother Dean Ambrose.

Though still ostensibly an upper-midcarder, Ziggler is being allowed to deliver at a level he hasn't come close to touching in a long, long time.

But it's about to collapse on top of him.

Dolph wasn't paired with his Scottish sidekick to slingshot himself to the top; in fact, it's the other way around. This union has always been about McIntyre. He's the guy WWE see money in, and while those early Diesel/Shawn Michaels comparisons seemed lazy and far-fetched, they look more appropriate with every passing week.

We're already seeing the tag team falling apart before our eyes, with Braun Strowman the first to suggest Ziggler is the weak link on-air. This isn't an entirely new idea, though. It's the first time anyone has expressed it explicitly, but WWE have been quietly telling us that McIntyre is the double-act's breakout star from the moment they first arrived, utilising subtle techniques we don't usually associate with their rigid storytelling framework.

CONT'd...