The "Nature Boy" Dolph Ziggler?

[Cats Pajamas]

As a fan of Mt Killamanjaro, I was worried you'd lost you're mind and started your very own "comparison thread"...don't scare me like that anymore.

As I read your OP, I couldn't help but buy into it more and more. I understand the reservations people have over re-casting the Nature Boy gimmick, but nowadays Super-Superstars aren't built like Legos. Its a highly frustrating, nearly impossible task to build wrestlers like the Rock, Austin, Hogan or Flair. Look how many legends it took to get Orton where he is! I say, if you can get another person anywhere near the star power of Orton or Cena, do it.

Besides, if there's anyone fit for it right now, it'd be Ziggles. He wrestles like it's as natural to him as walking and he's got a lot of respect for wrestling as a fan himself. Maybe not the new Nature Boy by every detail, but something like it given to him specifically by Flair would be no disgrace at all.

 

[Jonny#Gash]

Its a Kool idea and in my opinion Dolph has the tools but i agree with the idea that it would be better if Dolph did it his way.

It could work as a story in the future in a sorta legend killer kind of way maybe?

I also want to say i don't get the problem with the name? It was the first thing that drew me to Dolph when i got back into watching wrestling a few years ago, my thoughts were "if a guy has that flamboyant a name i wana see what he can do". When i seen him i thought Mr Perfect which was a very good thing for me and then his ring skills were decent too. Since then i have watched Dolph mature into a fantastic performer in the ring and he is gettin better and better on the mic as the weeks roll in.

Nick Nemeth doesn't sound like a main event it sounds like any dude on the street, ask Dwain Johnson, Steven Williams, Randy Poffo, Jean Paul Levesque, Chris Irvine and Michael Shawn Hickenbottom

 

[TechnicalMessiah]

Ziggler? Hell no! Jericho should have taken up the nature boy name a long time ago, He'd walk in wearing his expensive suits, and tell the WWE universe that he' the best in the world and that it wasnt up for debate. Jericho is one of the all time greatest heels WWE ever had, he got so much hate out of the fans, and he can get just as much love without even saying anything (looking back at the past few RAWs)

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

I don't think Dolph Ziggler is anything like Ric Flair in his day, except for his hair.

Plus, Ric Flair is still around. When he adopted the "Nature Boy" name, it was during a time when nobody had access to every wrestling promotion in the country. The people who knew Ric Flair didn't know Buddy Rogers and vice versa. But not only does everyone know who Ric Flair is, he's nearly a household name, and giving "Nature Boy" to Dolph Ziggler would just confuse everyone, and diminish everything Ziggs has accomplished thus far.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Ziggler? Hell no! Jericho should have taken up the nature boy name a long time ago, He'd walk in wearing his expensive suits, and tell the WWE universe that he' the best in the world and that it wasnt up for debate. Jericho is one of the all time greatest heels WWE ever had, he got so much hate out of the fans, and he can get just as much love without even saying anything (looking back at the past few RAWs)

As likely the biggest Jericho mark on these forums, I'm going to go ahead and say "no" to the idea of "Nature Boy" Chris Jericho. The character is more than just the expensive suits, it's the playboy attitude, ability to wear sunglasses indoors, fine women, stretch limos... It's more than just being the best in the world, it's the cocky attitude that comes along with it. After the 2008 turn, Jericho's heel character wasn't necessary "cocky", it was extremely confident and slightly sadistic. It wasn't about showing off for him at that point, or flaunting his career, it was about making people pay and proving he is the best.

Could Jericho pull off the "Nature Boy" gimmick? Fuck yeah, he could! Jericho could package himself as the "sexiest woman in the world" and you'd have no choice but to get off to his picture in Maxim... Just because he COULD do it, doesn't mean he SHOULD do it. Personally, I'd like to keep my Y2J-rections to a minimum.

 

[TheGamea]

let me start off by saying I HATE DZ, however...THIS IS THE BEST IDEA of the YEAR...im serious...there only two things 1. TNA will steal your idea have ric joining with Austin Aries and it will now be the "Nature Boy" Austin Aries.

2. How will WWE give Ric a contract and state were pretty much doing this to give a no mic skill having heel a shoot at immortailitly and have him say yes...

and three, I know I only said two but IF Ric did this DZ would have to drop vickie

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

let me start off by saying I HATE DZ,

Then allow me to start off by informing you that your opinion means very little to me.

THIS IS THE BEST IDEA of the YEAR...im serious...

I'm flattered. And if my aforementioned statement wasn't true, I would probably take you more seriously.

there only two things

Ok, but I'm going to hold you to this...

1. TNA will steal your idea have ric joining with Austin Aries and it will now be the "Nature Boy" Austin Aries.

Then I'll take them to court for infringement of creative property. But first I'm going to need all the title belts in TNA on my side. Because apparently that matters in Impact's court setting. Honestly, this isn't THAT terrible of an idea. I'm not hugely into AA as a future main event player in pro wrestling, but I'm willing to give him a shot. The "Nature Boy" as his gimmick? Probably not. But if TNA wants to take a chance on him, and Flair is behind it, why the hell not? Go for it. WWE's going to keep doing their thing regardless...

2. How will WWE give Ric a contract and state were pretty much doing this to give a no mic skill having heel a shoot at immortailitly and have him say yes...

I see words. They're all spread about on my page in a strange order, but I'm having trouble piecing them together into an intelligent thought process. All I caught was "no mic skill" and immediately assumed we were talking about Zack Ryder. Because I KNOW you're not seriously trying to tell me that my boy Dee Zizzle has no mic skillz!

and three

Sorry. You only reserved my attention for two comments today.

 

[Cats Pajamas]

Sorry dude but you can't compare a nothing move like the Angle Slam being used by Orton as a comparison to something as massive as passing the torch for someone's career. It's not comparible.

I don't think it's a nothing move, I think Kurt Angle is one of the most recognized wrestlers still active today and his star power overflows TNA's brim. The Angle Slam is his deal closer; the same as I wouldn't approve of someone in a different company blasting someone with a Pedigree. Frick, I need to stay on topic, my apologies.

I think "The Natural" Nick Nemeth or "Nature Boy" Nick Nemeth actually has a pretty good ring to it. "Dolph Ziggler" however... well... it's just that... uhhh... well they're BOTH really crappy names. It's like being named "Seth Milhouse" or "Constantine Smirnoff". It sounds like what a 5th grade class names a hamster, not what a well-to-do, self-worshipping, "better-than-you" superstar athlete should be named.

Ziggler doesn't need Flair I don't think. He's shown over the past few months that he's mounting in confidence and clearly has the ability. It's definitely getting to the point where he should possibly break away from Vic and get on with it.

I absolutely agree that Ziggles doesn't NEED Flair... but he's been dancing around the World Title almoooooost making it there kindaaaaa...... then no (disappointing Price is Right trombone). He's still young, I wish they'd hurry up and get this guy over already. We deserve his quality of matches in our main events! Orton would have made it eventually too, but they sped that up by having him run through an ass load of legends; all we want is one for Ziggles.

 

[flawd101]

ziggler is so close but i think at this point he has to get himself over by hitting some crazy spot. wwe did replace the perfection angle and changed it to the show off. i assume to not have the mr perfect comparison. i looks like ziggler is in for a good 2012 im excited to see if he can get over.

 

[Daniel]

"Nature Boy" sounds like it should be used for a Tarzan-like gimmick.

Anyway, that's besides the point. Dolph Ziggler needs to focus on being original and contemporary when it comes to his character. The "Nature Boy" gimmick is neither of those things. I'm willing to bet that the character would not get over in modern WWE, because with the robe, mannerisms, etc. - it feels incredibly antiquated.

Just let Ziggler be Ziggler. History has shown that wrestlers are almost always better when they do what feels natural to them.

 

[BK Styles]

Definitely not, though not because I don't think Ziggler should be the one to do it, but because it's something that just shouldn't be done. Whilst he's not the original Nature Boy, Flair became and is synonimous to that name, and to give it to someone else just wouldn't be...right. Ziggler has made great strides in recent times to become a main player, and is nearly there. Adding something as expectation-heavy as the Nature Boy name would weigh him down and undo a lot of the good work that he has done.

Not only that, but whilst he has earnt the right to call the gimmick his own through the years, Flair did it as a tribute to Rodgers (the gimmick, the strut, the leglock that Rodgers innovated). Would Ziggler adopt all of that? Would he literally become Flair 2.0 with improvements? I think the gimmick should be retired with Flair personally.

Besides, we've seen this attempted in TNA with AJ Styles, and while Styles is not a wise choice for such a thing, to me that proved that this should not be done. It just didn't work, not even slightly. That said, I don't think Ziggler would be a terrible choice if one day, Flair returns to WWE, hangs his boots up FOR GOOD, and passes the monicker on. I just think it'd be a terrible choice to do it at all.

Not to say it's a bad idea; it isn't. But in this day and age, the way that wrestling is, the monicker of 'Nature Boy' shouldn't be passed on in my view. It brings with it far too much expectation and the likelyhood of failure. It just wouldn't work.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Doesn't really fit him. Flair could use Roger's moniker because it wasn't as widespread. If you call Dolph that, you may as well say "COMPARE HIM TO FLAIR" which people will always do negatively because Flair is amazing.

I like the "showoff" thing because it's somewhat like "show stopper" and really Dolph reminds me more of HBK than anyone. Cocky, big sells, has a moderately attractive valet, etc. He's added sort of a Flair/Jarrett looking strut but that's about it.

Also, you guys who say "Dolph Ziggler" is a crappy name....it's memorable. "Nick Nameth" yea, that's something you remember. "did you see that one guy on wrestling the other day?" "No what was his name" "well it was....it was something really normal sounding" Yea, good fuckin idea. "CM Punk" is a pretty weird name, but you remember it. shit man "nature boy" is weird, what the hell even is that? You guys don't understand marketing, which, because that's all wrestling is, means you don't understand (this particular aspect) of wrestling.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

While Dolph would be the ideal candidate to become the next "Nature Boy" I don't think that we ever need another one. Obviously Ric Flair didn't invent the gimmick but he perfected it, and anyone else to try and use it will fail because of the enormously high standards set by Flair. Let Ziggler be awesome on his own, he doesn't need to be the "Nature Boy".