Report On Ziggler Not Being Pushed

[Jack-Hammer]

An article from PWInsider.com reveals a POSSIBLE reason as to why WWE isn't pushing Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler is viewed as one of the top in-ring talents in the company and has been for a long time but, allegedly, the main reason he isn't being pushed is due to his history of injuries and concussions.

The article compares him to Christian in that sense as Christian is someone that's become prone to injury and concussions within the past couple of years. Somewhat ironic in the sense that Christian was viewed as being extremely lucky as he's not really endured significant trauma in his career until the past few years. WWE officials feel that Ziggler is injury prone and, as a result, has had a history of taking time off due to said injuries. As a result, they're not pushing him to be a top guy. This is something that applies to some other talent as well, though who they are isn't mentioned, and the company feels that some guys are just "snakebit" when it comes to this situation.

IF this is legit, I can say that it doesn't surprise me. Since Ziggler suffered a concussion last year not long before Extreme Rules, came back, had something of a relapse due to post concussion syndrome and suffered another concussion early this year in a match with Ryback; WWE has very much shied away from pushing him.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Somewhat Made Up Dolph Ziggler Excuse #325

While injury concern exists with Ziggler, it is just one of many reasons he is not being pushed. Granted he still gets a lot of ring time and a decent amount of time to show personality, but he is clearly not being given feuds with Cena, titles, relationships, and body guards any longer. But that stuff is gone because he has not been that talented of a professional wrestler and maybe because he has been a shithead somewhat more than his injury exposure. Throw in the fact that there are new guys that are succeeding and even newer guys that are getting a look and it is easy to understand why Dolph is so limited in his usage and especially in his ability to pick up wins.

But he got a huge pop the night after WM29!!!!!!

That's nice, good for you.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

And his name is Dolph Ziggler...

The biggest concern about concussions is that once you get one, it's so much easier to get more afterward. Look at Trent Green (ex NFL QB). I don't exactly disagree with them doing that to anyone really. One concussion might be a fluke, but once you get that 2nd one it becomes very sketchy as to whether WWE would be willing to rely on you.

But as GSB pointed out, this is just another random excuse. Most people just can't admit that outside of his athleticism, he just isn't very good elsewhere.

 

[Mustang Sally]

.... and the company feels that some guys are just "snakebit" when it comes to this situation.

It's sad, yet understandable. We can criticize the company all we want ("Hey, man! It's not a wrestler's fault he gets hurt").....yet even if so, it's frustrating and counterproductive for management to invest time and money in a guy's push if he winds up undoing the effort while healing on the sidelines. When they have to pay him while he's producing nothing, he's draining company assets, whether his fault or not. This is true in any industry in which a person is hired to fill an important function but sits incapacitated at home.

I don't know how true this theory is, anyway. Personally, I believe he's a mid-card performer who didn't belong in the main event. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but WWE featured Dolph in many matches over a long period of time and must have been disappointed he couldn't make it at the top. IMO, that might sooner be the reason he's not being pushed today than his injuries.

 

[Chicago1989]

I don't care how bad Ziggler wants to be at the top or how much he complains about the lack of push he gets. The bottom line is, he had his opportunities and regardless if it's his fault or not, WWE is going to invest on someone else who can stay healthy and work safely.

Ziggler's been around what? 6-7 years and he's still struggling to be a permanent main event player? He had his time and now that NXT guys are coming up to take over, you'll know that Ziggler is going to be the last priority on WWE's list of guys to invest in.

I really believe that Ziggler just wasn't meant to be a main event guy. He should just stick with being a top mid-carder or a tag team specialist. And seriously, he NEEDS to change his gimmick. He needs a serious overhaul if he wants to get noticed again.

 

[Softcore Holly]

He should just stick with being a top mid-carder or a tag team specialist. And seriously, he NEEDS to change his gimmick. He needs a serious overhaul if he wants to get noticed again.

To be fair none of that is really his call. At this point he would probably kill for a "top mid-carder" spot instead of his current make bigger or upcoming stars look better position, and maybe he would rather be in the tag division as well. He also can't change his gimmick or do any sort of overhaul without backstage approval, which I really doubt they'll give him since they're most likely content with what he's doing now.Like I would happily welcome a change for him since the whole "show-off" thing clearly isn't getting him anywhere but even if he wanted a change too he's not going to get it.

As for the injuries, yeah that 2nd concussion really sucks and the 1st one was just incredibly unlucky timing. If he can finish 2014 without any more injuries maybe they'll have some more faith in him again. Maybe not as a main event talent but hopefully more than his current glorified jobber role

 

[kadroan]

I guess the best he can do is stay healthy, keep his mouth closed and keep putting on good matches.

I hope he alters his wrestling style where he don't oversell so much so he can stay healthy. I'd love for him to turn heel.

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

It's a load of rubbish - it's not long ago Randy Orton kept popping his shoulder and missing months, yet he's still pushed.

Fact is, Ziggler IS good at what he does, and when he's allowed to be, he's good on the mic too. Not amazing, but underrated. He's also very popular with the fans. In the 1980s and 90s he would be a solid upper-mid carder, but modern WWE doesn't really have an 'upper mid-card' as such. IF they refocused and made the mid card and it's belts worth more, then Ziggler would be a shoo-in for that role, with the odd world title match thrown in for good measure (a bit like Jericho/Benoit in 2000)

 

[ABMorales787]

That is the stupidest thing I've ever read. Well, not really. But as I read that I ask myself: Where the fuck were the snakebites for Edge, Randy Orton and Batista? Yeah, they're big time money makers in WWE but they were injury-prone long before.

To me this is just an excuse for WWE's lack of commitment to push anyone. Is Damien Sandow injury prone? I mean, his push did just die off randomly. Did Big E get hurt recently?

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

I really don't care at this point why Ziggler isn't being pushed. It's just obvious that he's not. So what? He joins a litany of other wrestlers who never broke to the next level in the WWE despite whatever talents they had.

You wanna know the biggest reason he hasn't been pushed? He's got the dumbest name on the planet.

As good a reason as any other.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

This smacked of bullshit to me. He really hasn't had THAT much of an injury history, especially for a guy who has probably worked twice the amount of matched everyone else on the roster has (he appears on NXT and all the lower level shows, as well as the main shows, and for a couple years, routinely worked double shots often)

Feels like story mongering from WZ.

 

[joduke41]

im getting tired of hearing Vince bitch about not having enough stars.He has stars he just doesn't know how to use them.He pushes a certain type of wrestler and that's it.The one who were the most successful made their own character or did something the people liked.Ziggler gets cheers,he has good matches,he sells bumps.Thats why he gets hurt,unlike Sheamus who doesn't sell a clothsline,but doesn't get hurt.He puts the belts on 5 different people,thats why that have up-teen time champs.but that don't mean shit.

 

[hisfirewithin]

I think he is absolutely main event material...in TNA.

He's done in WWE. They just don't have any vision for him. If this was the territories it would be time for him to move on. I think he needs a change of scenery and going to TNA, working a lighter schedule, and being given the opportunity to really shine would benefit him a lot.

 

[FlairFan2003]

Bottom like, if Vince thinks you can make money you get pushed. Scott Hall drug addict ? Still got another chance ? Bad blood of epic proportions between Vince & Brett Hart and Vince & Hogan ? They were brought back and pushed as well. Injury concerns are serious but Vince still trots Cena out and features him prominently story wise despite multiple serious injuries, same with Randy Orton who has bounced between injuries, drug issues, and alleged poor conduct in the locker room.

Bottom line though the reason isnt clear, WWE must not see much earning potential in Ziggler or he would get more quality screen time.

 

[milkman12]

LOL Dolph Ziggler might be the most overrated/talked about person lately. Who really cares about every tiny reason he isn't being pushed. He's simply not, deal with it and move on. Not everyone can be pushed even if they are decent, and thats that. Injury prone or not Dolph would never be an elite WWE performer as thats simply not his pedigree. I would possibly enjoy him in a mid card feud or program but that is about it. He is not as great as all the internet peeps make him out to be and thats that so I almost root against him just to make all you guys constantly talking about him angry.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

This is an "acceptable" reason that can be out there for Ziggler's treatment. WWE can, if pushed, point to 2 concussions in a year and blame that.

The reality is though it's a culmination of things that have basically come from Zig himself consistantly screwing up.

1) The Movie - Signing up to a movie without clearing it is bad news, even if you can legally do it... Letting the director tweet a pic of you with the cast announcing it is even worse... Vince likes the exec producer credit if it's a non WWE pictures film, he wants to be the one "letting you do it" rather than being told... so Zig painted a massive bullseye there.

2) Safety - Over time the apologists have dissipated and it's becoming accepted that Zig is not the safest of workers... The Barrett injury was 100% down to Dolph trying to be clever in mid air, to make it look like his head hit the barrier. Reality was it WAS going to hit and he was going to die unless Wade "took the hit" he did, snapped his elbow completely doing so and nearly lost his career... but even the night before, he was taking stupid bumps in the Chamber. Good selling is not insane bumps... its the right bump for the right situation and Dolph doesn't always pick the right bump.

3) He talks A LOT... his stand up is clearly important and most likely where he will find success. But he has been quoted bashing Cena and the E a few times, once you do that you're gonna struggle.

4) His brother majorly screwed up for him... Look a the NXT and Roster guys who were released recently and you see one thing... all are publicly "philosophical" about it. No rants, no drama. When Brierley Pierce and his group got released, they accused the head of NXT at the time of some pretty bad stuff... even if it was true, you don't TALK about it... Brierley Pierce (Zig's bro) did, stood up for the guy making the accusations all while Dolph was getting his big World title push... #awkward. Perhaps Dolph DIDN'T talk him out of it or agreed, or perhaps he just declined to get involved... One thing Vince in particular will do is carry sins of the family onto others, we saw it with Owen, Randy being depushed when Bob bled over Taker and Bob Jr. being frozen out when his brother was making accusations.

Any one of these or the OP's reason could be THE reason, 1 of these faux pas might get looked over or after a suitable period of "punishment" see you "serve your time" and be back... it's held true for a lot of guys over the years like Miz, Triple H, Orton and even Ziggler to an extent that to err is human, but to repeatedly fuck up in McMahon land will see you staring at the lights for Hornswoggle before you can say "Huh?" This level of heat is impossible to come back from. The best thing that COULD have happened and may still is Zig get released as the "highest profile" release... they let Kennedy and Morrison go...

 

[milkman12]

Also, if it takes you 5 plus points to defend Dolph Ziggler. (cough ,cough). You are most likely a mark and are pretty damn biased like many internet types are into praising Ziggler like he is the second coming of Hulk Hogan (have actually heard that said). Injuries are a legitimate concern and that is why the WWE would rather pair Ric Flair with the Miz who is much less of liability then Ziggler and will have a ten times better career when it is said and done. I do think Ziggler will make a great TNA champion within the next year or so before they go bankrupt (they are poor).