I don’t know why, but I love crossovers. In comics, shows, video games, and of course, wresting. I casually learned that Dolph Ziggler had been appearing in NXT(2.0), and thinking hmmmm now that’s interesting; contrary to my general lack of impression from the whole branding and breaking of Triple H’s baby promotion.
Considering the circumstances of his cameos, I figured Ziggler would go down to make a talented but green horn like Bron Breakker look good and give him some instant credibility working and inevitably succeeding against a reputable name like Dolph Ziggler. And Ziggler, being the consummate company guy would do his job, and march on raking in fan empathy that he should be a bigger star than he is, to which I agree.
Which is why I’m of course surprised, but also pleased and happy with the company’s decision to actually have Ziggler go over Steiner Jr, and win the NXT Championship. Now I’m pretty out of touch and I can’t really predict or fathom the long game booking like I used to, and Ziggler may very well be used as a transitional guy to move the belt to someone else.
But much like the Miz’s short world championship reign a year ago, I’m still pleased to see a known company guy who has a lot of respect from fans and peers, actually be publicly rewarded and have a major title put on them.
Ziggler is and has always been a fantastic worker, company guy and regardless of his endless heel status, a pretty chill personality that I have a lot of respect for as an entertainer, so I’m very happy to see him get a little bit of a championship run, with the NXT Championship.
Who knows if this reign will last a month or go as long as Mandy Rose’s title reign, but I like the general idea of slapping the main NXT titles on underutilized main roster talents, and let them be the ones to pass some torches onto the future stars that 2.0 is trying to usher in.
If anything at all, we’ll have the memory of Dolph Ziggler getting to celebrate a major title win, that wasn’t practically a decade ago.
