From The Yahoo Contributor Network: Why is Dolph Ziggler so Popular with WWE Fans?

Yahoo! Contributor Network

 By  | Yahoo! Contributor Network

COMMENTARY | On April 8, 2013, one of the greatest crowds in WWE history witnessed Raw the day after Wrestlemania. The fans started the wave, chanted for random superstars, and even started the “Fandangoing” craze. But of all the WWE wrestlers who performed for this incredible crowd, the one who got the loudest cheers was a “heel” (or bad guy) named Dolph Ziggler.

When World Heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio was injured in a match with Jack Swagger, Ziggler cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and defeated Del Rio for the belt. At that moment, the crowd nearly blew off the roof of the arena with their cheers for Ziggler. What has Dolph Ziggler done to earn the respect and admiration of so many WWE fans?

In his first incarnation in the WWE, Dolph Ziggler had one of the worst gimmicks in wrestling history. Ziggler and four other young wrestlers suffered the ignominy of being male cheerleaders. Needless to say, the Spirit Squad failed to catch on with WWE fans and most of the wrestlers were never seen in the WWE again. Only the Red Rooster and Dr. Isaac Yankem probably would have preferred being a male cheerleader to their horrible WWE gimmicks.

The fact that Nicky (Dolph Ziggler) returned to the WWE and rose through the ranks of the roster is quite an accomplishment. WWE fans know how devastating a bad gimmick can be and they respect Ziggler for coming so far. But this begs the question, how did Dolph Ziggler do what so many others have failed to do in the WWE?

Besides being a great technical wrestler, Ziggler possesses one of the most underappreciated traits that a wrestler can have. He “sells” well, meaning that he makes his opponent look good. Too often, wrestlers are only interested in perfecting their own moves and they neglect the importance of making their opponents’ moves look good too. As scripted entertainment, the product is at its best when both wrestlers are working cohesively to deliver a great match.

I can’t even guess at how many times I’ve seen a Dolph Ziggler match and I thought he must have been injured because he made his opponent’s strike look so real. Not only do fans respect Ziggler for this, but his opponents do as well. If a wrestler knows that his opponent has his best interest in the ring, this reduces the likelihood of “stiff” punches (hitting for real) and “sandbagging” (going deadweight when being lifted).

Finally, WWE fans are a lot smarter than they are given credit for and in the final analysis, they will choose their own favorites, not the ones that are handpicked for them by the bookers and creative team. The popularity of Dolph Ziggler is a clear example of WWE fans respecting a wrestler who is supposed to be hated as a bad guy. And he has truly earned this respect.

Patrick Michael lives in New Orleans and has always been a big fan of pro wrestling. Patrick’s favorite wrestling promotion was Mid-South Wrestling back in the 1980s. Patrick’s favorite wrestling angle of all-time was the NWO and his favorite wrestler is Roddy Piper. Follow Patrick Michael on Twitter at patmichael84.

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TNA Recap: May 9 2013

Sting & Kurt Angle came to the ring. Sting talked about being the #1 contender for the World Title at Slammiversary. Sting said he is going to strip Bully Ray of his power by taking the title from him. Sting said he didn’t want to wait so that is why he asked Hogan for the 6 man tag match tonight. Sting said he wanted the best so he went to Kurt Angle. Angle talked about making D’Lo Brown say I quit last week. Angle called out AJ Styles & AJ came to the ring. Angle said him & Sting are ready for war & asked AJ if he is going to join them. AJ didn’t respond. Angle demanded an answer from AJ. Sting tried talking to AJ. Sting said we need AJ Styles & that he knows AJ wants to do the right thing & tag with him & Angle. Angle said to AJ you are either with us or against us. AJ walked away & Angle went after him. Angle & AJ fought on the ramp. Aces & Eights attacked Sting from behind. Bully Ray & Devon laid out Sting with a 3D.

Camera caught up with AJ Styles backstage who was leaving. AJ was asked if he is going to leave Sting & Angle high & dry. AJ stormed out of the building.

Tara & Gail Kim vs Mickie James & Velvet Sky: Velvet & Mickie got the win. After the match Gail argued with Tara. Gail attacked Tara & put Tara in a hanging Figure 4 Leg Lock just like she did to Taryn Terrell last week. ODB had to pull Gail off of Tara.

Backstage Aces & Eights was celebrating the 3D on Sting. D’Lo Brown came in. D’Lo didn’t know about the get together. Bully said they got some club business to take care of in the ring. Aces & Eights walked off leaving D’Lo alone.

Backstage Daniels & Kazarian tried to bribe James Storm by bringing him a 6 pack of beer. They asked Storm to join Bad Influence & told him to think about it & do the right thing.

Aces & Eights came to the ring. Bully Ray talked about him, Devon & Mr. Anderson fighting Sting, Kurt Angle & a mystery partner tonight. Bully said for any wrestler floating around in the back who thinks they’re going to be a hero & be Sting & Angle’s partner don’t do it. Bully said you don’t want no part of Aces & Eights. Bully moved on to club business. Bully said D’Lo Brown disgraced himself, the club & his brothers when he said I quit last week. Bully asked D’Lo to turn in his colors. D’Lo said no. Bully said for D’Lo to do it now. D’Lo said his cut is his life, no. MR. Anderson yelled at D’Lo & said D’Lo said I quit & that this club is not for quitters. Garett Bischoff & Wes Briscoe pulled off D’Lo’s cut(jacket). Bully said Anderson is right we’re all right D’Lo is the one who said I quit. Bully said D’Lo quit on himself, quit on his brothers, quit on his cut & quit on everybody. Bully asked D’Lo what he is going to do to get his colors back. D’Lo said he knows Magnus has a match tonight & that he want to kick Magnus’s *ss for the club so he can get back his cut. Bully said D’Lo is going to go set by the time keeper while DOC kicks Magnus’s *ss. Bully said if D’Lo hopes to ever wear these colors again that DOC gets the job done.

DOC vs Magnus: D’Lo interfered in the match. D’Lo grabbed DOC’s leg by mistake costing him the match. Magnus got the win.

Aces & Eights backstage, Bully yelled at D’Lo & told them to hold him down. Bully was going to hit D’Lo with a hammer. Mr. Anderson said he had a better idea. Anderson why don’t we give D’Lo a job that he can do. Bully gave D’Lo the job of getting them beer, ice & washing the bikes. Bully said D’Lo is nothing more than a prospect & told D’Lo to take off his shirt. Bully said D’Lo is a disgrace to the club. Bully said he should have bashed D’Lo’s skull in.

Backstage Hogan in his office with Sting & Kurt Angle. Hogan said he would be their partner. Angle & Sting said he couldn’t do it because the doctors said Hogan can’t. Hogan said he got a wild card call today & if this guy is really who he says he is he is going to come in here & all you have to do is set back & watch Aces & Eights get destroyed. Angle said Hogan called him a wild card & said AJ Styles is out. Sting said all he heard was if. Sting said it has got to be Magnus as their partner. Hogan said he is good with Magnus.

Booby Roode & Austin Aries backstage approached James Storm. Aries gave Storm a beer & Roode said he was always jealous of Storm because Storm was the man that made Beer Money & that the only reason he beat Storm for the World Title was because he smashed a beer bottle over his head. Storm said the word going around the locker room is when Aries beat Roode that it wasn’t a fluke.

TNA World Tag Team Championship #1 Contender Match with James Storm as the Special Referee: Bobby Roode & Austin Aries vs Bad Influence( Daniels & Kazarian): Late in the match Daniels went for a pin cover on Aries with a hand full of tights & Storm didn’t count. Daniels argued with Storm, Aries got a beer & he took a drink & then spit it in Daniels face. Aries took another drink then held out the beer toward Storm. Storm ripped the beer out from Aries hand & down the beer. Aries shoved Storm. Storm went to deliver a Last Call super kick to Aries but nailed Daniel instead. Aries cover Daniels with one foot. Storm counted to 2 then stopped his count. Storm then nailed Aries with a Last Call super kick. Storm walked off.

Backstage Magnus was assaulted by Aces & Eights. They took Magnus out by smashing a cart into his head up against a fork lift.

A video package was showed of Suicide who is returning soon.

Kenny King came to the ring & said he has been fantastic, spectacular & exceptional. King said he has been so good now he has to beat 2 guys instead of 1. King said he always beats the odds. King introduced Chris Sabin. King wanted Sabin to tell his story. Sabin talked about being out of wrestling. Sabin said he has nothing left to lose. Sabin said for King to enjoy the X-Division Title belt while he can because next week he is becoming the new X-Division Champ. King said Sabin is a champ in his eyes & gave Sabin the belt to hold & said that’s the closest he is going to get to the championship again. King said for Sabin to give the belt back to him. Sabin tossed the belt to King & then punched King a couple of times. King bailed from the ring.

Something was going on in the back. Bad Influence( Daniels & Kazarian) & Bobby Roode & Austin Aries was separated. James Storm was laid out on the floor next to a steel chair.

It was announced that next week 4 former Gut Check winners will compete in a 4 man tournament to earn a spot in the Bound For Glory Series.

Aces & Eights backstage, Bully said what is best for the club is weeding out the weak, nobody says I quit. Bully said D’Lo did so so he is at the bottom of the ladder. Bully said him, Devon & Anderson are going to go take care of Sting, Angle & whoever their mystery partner is. Bully said he isn’t worried we’re going to get the job done. Bully told Knux to tell D’Lo to make sure the beer is cold & the bikes are washed because after they win tonight we’re going looking for women.

Back in Hogan’s office, Hogan is on the phone with someone. Sting & Angle said we got to go. Hogan told the person on the phone it’s now or never I need to know.

Kurt Angle, Sting & a Mystery Partner vs Aces & Eights(Bully Ray, Devon & Mr. Anderson): The match started as a 2 on 3, Sting & Angle was without a 3rd man. In the middle of the match, went to a camera backstage & Aces & Eights was laid out on the floor. Bully & Devon set up & table in the ring. The Monster Abyss came to the ring & took out Bully & Devon. Abyss choked slammed Anderson through the table. Abyss hit the Black Hole Slam on Devon. Abyss, Sting & Angle got the win.

The Monster Abyss Returned To TNA

The Monster Abyss made his return to TNA on Impact Wrestling Thursday night. Abyss was the mystery partner for Sting & Kurt Angle in the 6 man tag match against the Aces & Eights team of Bully Ray, Devon & Mr. Anderson. Abyss came to the ring & took out Bully & Devon & Choked slammed Anderson through a table. Abyss picked up the win for him Sting & Angle after hitting Devon with the Black Hole Slam. The monster Abyss could be the answer to help Hulk Hogan & TNA gain the advantage in their war with the Aces & Eights.

Is The Plug Being Pulled On WWE’s Saturday Morning Slam?

WWE Saturday Morning Slam may air only for a few more weeks. Word was going around a few month ago that the CW Network only purchased a certain number of episodes of the show but this isn’t confirmed. There have been no new matches taped for SMS in two weeks now.

Could CM Punk Return To WWE For Hometown Pay-Per-View?

There is no timetable for CM Punk’s WWE return but there was talk recently that officials want him back in the ring at the June 16th Payback pay-per-view from Chicago.

Ziggler Suffers Concussion – What Happens For Extreme Rules?

WWE.com is reporting that World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler has suffered a concussion at this week’s Smackdown taping. “He [was] having some memory difficulties and a bit of a headache … he definitely has a concussion,” said WWE physician Dr. Michael Sampson. “We’re checking him out, and going to be doing neuropsychological testing and just keep it monitored.”

Also, WrestlingInc.com reported this:

According to a source, there was talk earlier today about seeing if Vince McMahon wanted to pursue other options without Dolph Ziggler as World Heavyweight Champion after Ziggler suffered a legitimate concussion at last night’s SmackDown taping. Vince felt that it would be premature to go down that road today, and there are no plans to alter current storylines based on Ziggler’s concussion.

F4WOnline.com reported this evening that Ziggler has been removed from all in-ring bookings until he has passed an imPACT test indicating that he is healthy enough to perform.

 

Ziggler_hurt

Lawler’s Return Makes Mainstream Media

Source: Yahoo Sports

Jerry Lawler returning to the ring eight months after heart attack

By Marcus Vanderberg | The Turnstile

 

Long live Jerry “The King” Lawler.

On May 25, the 63-year-old wrestling icon and WWE commentator will wrestle in his first match since suffering a near-fatal heart attack last September.

Lawler will team up with 72-year-old WWE Hall of Famer Dory Funk Jr. in a tag team match for the !Bang! wrestling promotion.

(Yes, Dory Funk Jr. is 72 and still wrestling.)

It’s been quite the recovery for Lawler, who collapsed on-air during a live broadcast of WWE Raw in Montreal shortly after wrestling a tag team match with Randy Orton. Fortunately for Lawler, Dr. Michael J. Sampson, the WWE ringside doctor, was sitting feet away from the announcers table and sprung into action, using CPR which ultimately saved his life. Two months after that scary incident, Lawler was back at a WWE announcers table as his heart attack was mocked and re-enacted as part of a storyline segment with wrestler CM Punk.

Getting back in the ring has been on Lawler’s mind since his heart attack. The man even cut back on eating fried chicken five (!!!) times a week in order to get cleared by his doctors. Lawler told WMC-TV in February that his ultimate goal was to eventually wrestle once again:

“The one thing I’ve not done since the heart attack is get back into the ring and wrestle,” he explained. “And, Lauryn says that I’ve been, the one thing that’s different about me since the heart attack, she says, ‘You’re depressed. You’re going through depression.’ Which I don’t feel it. I don’t think it. But, yeah, I certainly do miss the wrestling and I do want to go back and do it some more.”

Paul Bearer set for WWE Hall of Fame

SourceTHE SUN

WWE have confirmed that legendary wrestling manager Paul Bearer will be inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2014.

Bearer, real name William Moody, passed away earlier this year at the age of 58.

During his long and distinguished wrestling career, Moody was pivotal in the creation, delivery and performances of The Undertaker – helping turn his protege into one of the greatest stars in the history of the business.

As well as playing a crucial role in Taker’s career, Bearer also managed his storyline brother Kane, Mick ‘Mankind’ Foley and a number of other wrestlers, both in WWE and on the independent circuit.

His presence at ringside with an urn and his eerie look and vocal delivery were perfect and harked back to the much missed wrestling managers of old.

After leaving the screen, Moody stayed faithful to WWE – working backstage and making media and personal appearances.

The 2014 Hall of Fame event will take place the day before WrestleMania 30.

Speculation is rife as to who will induct Paul Bearer, with many speculating that Undertaker will break character to deliver a heartfelt speech.

Moody’s long-time friend and current WWE creative head honcho Michael Hayes and Vince McMahon himself are also in the running.