Would You Count Dolph Ziggler As A Former World Heavyweight Champion?

[CM Steel]

Last year on Smackdown with the help of his storyline girlfriend Vickie Guerrero. Dolph Ziggler was awarded the WWE world heavyweight championship after screwing Edge out of the title. But that same night Edge would win back the WWE WHC in a 15-18 minute bout against Ziggler.

Even though Dolph Ziggler received the WHC for a real short period of time, the reign is in the WWE record books as Dolph Ziggler a former world heavyweight champion. Ziggler has a bright future ahead of him with or without Vickie Guerrero as a future world champion in the WWE.

But do you count Dolph Ziggler as a former world champion?

 

[iwinulose]

I do not count Dolph Ziggler as a former world champion. His reign was a joke, it was way to short to really be considered a proper title reign at all. I mean first he came out with Vickie and said that he screwed Edge of the title. Later that night that decision is over turned and they have a rematch (in which Edge won). Now hey you guy's along with the wwe can say whatever you want to say about it, but to me, that wasn't a title run at all. Actually a while back when Daniel Bryan cashed in on Big Show to win his first world title, that shouldn't be counted as a title win for big show cause he was champ for all of a few minutes. But that's just my own take on the situation others may feel differently.

 

[Defekt]

I thought about posting a topic about this.

I wonder if the WWE should downplay Ziggler's world title reign. I've heard Michael Cole mention it a couple times in the last month, and in my opinion, it only makes the World Heavyweight Championship look even weaker.

I guess I acknowledge Ziggler as a former world champion, but only as a matter of semantics. As you said, his reign was only official for about twenty minutes, he was awarded it on a bullshit technicality, and his "reign" meant absolutely nothing.

 

[Madico_Fs]

Yes I do, im a ziggler mark lol but seriously, match stipulations stated if he used the spear he would lose the match and the title as it was a banned move (such as undertakers hells gates were banned). His title reign should have started as soon as Edge used the spear, thats my opinion but yeah i do count it

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

If Andre the Giant is considered a former World Champion due to a screw job finished whose reign lasted shorted than Ziggler then yes I consider Ziggler as a former World Champion regardless how messed that angle was. So yeah if its applicable to Andre we just have to be fair and say its applicable to Dolph.

 

[daddyJ_t]

i was jus thinking andre, but then again. yokozuna is considered a 2 time world champ, o hell ill jus copy and paste some stuff that technically validates why i guess dolph should be considered......

2/5/88: Andre the Giant
The most-watched match in professional wrestling history featured Andre the Giant battling Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship. On that night, millions of people watching the match on NBC saw Andre the Giant defeat the Hulkster due to a corrupt official paid off by the "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. The referee wasn't the only thing that Ted bought that night. Moments after winning the title, Andre the Giant surrendered the title and sold it to Ted DiBiase. While Ted DiBiase's claim to the title was never official, Andre's title victory and relinquishment of the title were

4/4/93: Yokozuna
Yokozuna won the 1993 Royal Rumble to earn a shot at the WWE Championship. With the aid of Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart to win the championship at WrestleMania IX. Following the bout, Hulk Hogan came out to check on Bret Hart and to protest the way that Yokozuna won the title. Mr. Fuji challenged Hulk Hogan to a match right then and there and it took just a few moments before Hulk Hogan became the WWE Champion once again. Yokozuna would go on to regain the title from Hulk Hogan several months later at King of the Ring 1993.

10/7/07: Randy Orton and Triple H
No Mercy 2007 will go down in history as the strangest night in the history of the WWE Championship belt. John Cena was originally scheduled to defend the title against Randy Orton but suffered a torn pectoral a few nights before the show. This event began with Vince McMahon awarding Randy Orton the title via forfeit. After his celebration was interrupted by Triple H, Randy defended the title against him. Triple H won the bout but couldn't celebrate for long because he was still scheduled to fight Umaga later on in the evening. Triple H won that match and in the process became the only wrestler on this list to successfully defend the title despite having such a short title reign. The evening ended with Randy Orton invoking his rematch clause. He defeated Triple H in a Last Man Standing Match to win the title for the second time that evening.

6/7/09: Jeff Hardy
At Extreme Rules 2009, Jeff Hardy challenged Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship in a Ladder Match. Jeff Hardy won the bout but was extremely exhausted after doing so. CM Punk took advantage of this and cashed in his Money in the Bank title shot that he earned at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. After hitting Hardy with the Go to Sleep twice, CM Punk walked out of the ring as the World Heavyweight Champion.

2/21/10: John Cena
At Elimination Chamber 2010, John Cena beat five other men in an Elimination Chamber Match, including WWE Champion Sheamus, to win the title. His celebration was cut short when Vince McMahon announced that Batista was going to challenge Cena for the title right then. Batista hit the spear and Batista Bomb to get the win. Cena would regain the title from Batista at WrestleMania XXVI.

2/18/11: Dolph Ziggler
A week earlier, Edge defended the title against Dolph Ziggler in a match where special guest referee and Acting SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero ruled that if Edge used the spear he would be stripped of the title and it would be given to her boyfriend, Dolph Ziggler. During the bout, Vickie got hurt which led to Clay Matthews of the Green Bay Packers making the thee count. However, Vickie Guerrero saw Edge use the spear on Dolph Ziggler. During the February 18, 2011, edition of Friday Night SmackDown, Vickie stripped Edge of the title, fired him for attacking General Manager Teddy Long, and then gave the title to Dolph Ziggler. During Dolph's celebration party later on in the show, Teddy Long came out and got Vickie to admit that Dolph Ziggler was the man that injured him. He then rehired Edge and gave him a title shot which Edge won. Following the bout, Teddy Long fired Dolph Ziggler.

7/25/11: Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio's night began with him beating the Miz in the tournament final to declare a new WWE Champion. He was able to dodge one bullet when Alberto Del Rio tried to cash in his Money in the Bank title shot. Rey was able to hit Alberto with a high-flying move before the referee rang the bell to make that match official. Alberto then took off with his title shot still in tact. A little over an hour later, Rey Mysterio put the title on the line against John Cena and lost it. Despite winning and losing the title on the same night, Rey was an after thought to the big story of the evening, the return of CM Punk. This historic episode of Monday Night RAW ended with both CM Punk and John Cena raising their WWE Championship belts in the air.

12/18/11: Big Show
At TLC 2011, Mark Henry lost the World heavyweight Championship to the Big Show in a Chairs Match. Immediately following the match, the former champion attacked the Big Show and gave him a DDT on several chairs. Daniel Bryan came out and cashed in his Money in the Bank title shot. All he had to do to win the title was lay on top of the Big Show.
now if all these other bs reigns count, why shouldnt zigglers?

 

[xxxdaniel_ariesxxx]

No. Just like I don't really count Randy Orton's "first" WWE Championship reign at No Mercy '07. He didn't really "win" the title, it was just handed to him, and then lost it as soon as it was handed to him.

At least Andre the Giant actually won the title in a match, regardless of the "screwjob" finish. The title change would have been upheld, but he then tried to "sell" the title and that's why it was vacated leading to the tournament at WrestleMania IV.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

If he was in possession of the championship and was acknowledged as the world heavyweight champion, then yes he is a former world champion. How he got the belt doesn't matter. He had it and lost it.

 

[xxxdaniel_ariesxxx]

2/5/88: Andre the Giant

4/4/93: Yokozuna

10/7/07: Randy Orton and Triple H

6/7/09: Jeff Hardy

2/21/10: John Cena

7/25/11: Rey Mysterio [and John Cena]

12/18/11: Big Show

now if all these other bs reigns count, why shouldnt zigglers?

Because... Andre the Giant won a match. Yokozuna won a match. I already explained why I don't count Randy's first "reign", but Triple H won a match, plus he defended the title against Umaga that night before losing the title to Orton. Jeff Hardy won a match. John Cena won a match. While I personally don't count Misterio's and Cena's "reigns" between Money in the Bank and SummerSlam last year because neither man ever beat CM Punk, but... Misterio won and match, and Cena won a match. Big Show won a match.

Ziggler's match was at best a no contest. there never was a winner. it wasn't until the next week when Edge was "stripped" of the title and "fired". Ziggler was then just handed the title... that's why Ziggler's "reign" shouldn't count

 

[THTRobtaylor]

If Orton's first reign that night don't count, neither does Trips being awarded "The World Heavyweight Title" first time out... If your opponent fails to show, you win by default and the belt if there is one.

Of course Ziggler's reign counts... just as in boxing sometimes people fail to defend their title once, just in wrestling defences are not always months apart. For whatever reason they chose to give Ziggler that honor at that time, I think it might have been to relieve some pressure on him and to be fair, it seems to have worked as he has vastly improved since.

 

[Diet Soda]

It counts.

In the same way that David Arquette was WCW Champion and Harvey Wippleman won the WWF Women's Championship. It happened, it's in the record books, but we don't like it because we don't actually like anything, and thus choose to sweep it under the rug.

 

[theBec2101]

Depends would you count Jeff Hardys, Chavoes(ECW) or Bob Backlunds last title run.

Jeff Hardy-CM Punk cashed case, I know he got it back again but would you honestly count the first one
Chavo- he won then lost it in like 10sec.
Bob Backlund- Nash/Disel beat him in 8sec and it wasnt even on tv when he lost it. Backlund was champ for like a day(would you count that reign)

but yea I would, its in the books

 

[Daniel]

He won a world championship. He lost it. WWE recognised it. He's a former world champion.

Am I missing something here?

 

[TheHeartbreakPunk]

I sort of count it but i sort of dont.

I count it as a title reign, being that he won the title , was handed the title, but then lost it to edge.

However, i dont count it as zigglers first true main event title win, which is still to come. It will be awesome when ziggler wins the wwe championship, and i think that will be known as zigglers first main event title win to everybody.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Bottom line is anyone who has their hand raised after a match or if their opponent forfeits, is announced as champion and either leaves the ring with it or vacates/loses it immediately afterwards is a recognised champion.

Dean Douglas, Yokozuna, Big Show, Ziggler, Backlund, they all count... End of line....

 

[legendkiller1979]

The question is "Do you consider Dolph a former world champion?" DaddyJ_t poster a list to support the fact that he should be, but there's a problem. Everybody on the list had a legitimate title run. The exception being Andre the Giant. But his title happened during the biggest televised wrestling match in history. Everybody remembers that. Every time I hear someone call Zigler a former world champion I have to stop and think about it. It happened on a random episode on Smackdown and he didn't make it to the end of the show. It's completely forgettable.

I will grant that a lot of the reigns on the list could be forgotten. But again, All those men had good title runs and that's why you have no choice but to call them former world champions.

I'm torn with Zigler. He is amazing in the ring, but he can't talk. And let's be honest, the majority of fans want someone who is better on the mic than they are in the ring. Bottom line, while it technically counts, I struggle to remember that Zigler was champion. So for me it doesn't count.

 

[backwardsrko]

Well let me just inform you that WWE itself does state that he is a 1 time world champion. Also there is a Elite Figure(Toy) of Dolph Ziggler with the World Heavy Weight Championship being sold too. So in reality, yes! He is known as a past World Heavy Weight Champion, even though it was short reigned.

 

[Radical]

Because... Andre the Giant won a match. Yokozuna won a match. I already explained why I don't count Randy's first "reign", but Triple H won a match, plus he defended the title against Umaga that night before losing the title to Orton. Jeff Hardy won a match. John Cena won a match. While I personally don't count Misterio's and Cena's "reigns" between Money in the Bank and SummerSlam last year because neither man ever beat CM Punk, but... Misterio won and match, and Cena won a match. Big Show won a match.

Ziggler's match was at best a no contest. there never was a winner. it wasn't until the next week when Edge was "stripped" of the title and "fired". Ziggler was then just handed the title... that's why Ziggler's "reign" shouldn't count

I agree that although a lot of those very short lived title reigns you mentioned by other Superstars are kind of cheap they still should count since those guys at least won a match to earn the title.

Even Kane when he won the WWE title the first time or Christian when he won the World Title, they were pretty short reigns, at least they got a day or two as the Champ while some of these other guys only got an hour or a few minutes but it still counts... however short.

Dolph Ziggler's World Title 'reign' is definitely is the biggest question mark because he didn't win a match. Technically WWE gives him credit for being champion so I guess yes technically he IS former champ... but the title of the thread is would YOU count Ziggler as former world champion and for that I would have to say: NO!

 

[IHW]

He won a world championship. He lost it. WWE recognised it. He's a former world champion.

Am I missing something here?

Yes, he never technically won the a world championship. It was handed to him. It was cheap.

Ziggler became champ because Vickie banned the spear, but Edge ended up spearing Ziggler. No pinfall, no submission, hell no count out or dq(we have seen the title change like this before.) He won the title because he was speared in a match where the spear was banned. Then Edge got fired, Ziggler was crowed champion, and 11 minutes and 23 seconds later, Ziggler was striped and fired. I can not think off this as a world title reign.

 

[The Hardcore Kid]

he never technically won the a world championship. It was handed to him. It was cheap.

Do you recognize Triple H as the first WWE World Heavyweight Champion? It was handed to him.

Do you recognize Mick Foley as the first WWE Hardcore Champion? It was handed to him.

It's wrestling, not boxing. Things like that happen. Plenty of vacated belts handed over to other people, plenty of heelish maneuvers just like the one Dolph pulled.

And the end of the day he officially held the World Heavyweight Championship and is a champion in its lineage. If you don't recognize him as a champion personally, you're defying fact. And that doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[Daniel]

Yes, he never technically won the a world championship. It was handed to him. It was cheap.

Ziggler became champ because Vickie banned the spear, but Edge ended up spearing Ziggler. No pinfall, no submission, hell no count out or dq(we have seen the title change like this before.) He won the title because he was speared in a match where the spear was banned. Then Edge got fired, Ziggler was crowed champion, and 11 minutes and 23 seconds later, Ziggler was striped and fired. I can not think off this as a world title reign.

So you're just going to ignore fact? This is a list of all the World Heavyweight Champions in history. If you look closely, in early 2011, sandwiched between the names Edge and Edge, you can see the words "Dolph Ziggler". So yes, I do count Dolph Ziggler as a former world champion. And so do you. You just don't think of him as one.

And, hey, that's cool. I don't think of Dolph Ziggler as a former world champion. I think of him as an overrated, overhyped midcarder who can hit a nice dropkick.

 

[IHW]

Do you recognize Triple H as the first WWE World Heavyweight Champion? It was handed to him.

Do you recognize Mick Foley as the first WWE Hardcore Champion? It was handed to him.

It's wrestling, not boxing. Things like that happen. Plenty of vacated belts handed over to other people, plenty of heelish maneuvers just like the one Dolph pulled.

And the end of the day he officially held the World Heavyweight Championship and is a champion in its lineage. If you don't recognize him as a champion personally, you're defying fact. And that doesn't make a lot of sense.

It is the reason it was handed to him that I don't count him as a former world champ. He won a title because he was speared. I wouldn't count Dolph Ziggler as a world champion because it is my opinion.

 

[Wrestlemania 20-0]

at the part of this thread the choice of WWE to make Jack Swagger,Alberto Del rio and Dolph ziggler and no forget Daniel Bryan champion is contestable.
I don't think it was credible when you see the Legends of this sport entertainment.

 

[Gore Illa]

It's crazy how much they've lowered the prestige of the World Titles for shock value. It's absolutely astonishing to remember that Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, and The Miz were all once World/WWE Champions, and now, they're fighting for a spot on the Wrestlemania card, 2 of them are in some shitty team, Survivor Series esque match on the biggest show of the year. Shit's crazy man.

To answer your question, technically he is, but then again, technically Ric Flair was supposed to be retired. But things don't always work for the best do they?

 

[Wrestlemania 20-0]

you forget Sid for the worst WWE champion in history with his reign of shorts weeks.
The question is, for 2 years the names of WWE champion is not in accordance with the past champion.
this tittle is become deconsedering and leaves his worst since his creation,it's time to unified the WWE tittle and the heavyweight champion for to have ONE champion in WWE.