By Ryan Frye
During WWE's initial brand extension, it became a theme that Monday Night RAW took the vast majority of the company's star power while SmackDown got a bunch of ragtag misfits. Often, however, SmackDown would become the better show anyway, and RAW would raid them in the following year's draft. Wash, rinse, repeat.
This year, in the first draft since 2011, that cycle began again. Look no further than the blue brand's main event for SummerSlam—WWE Champion Dean Ambrose defending his title against Dolph Ziggler.
This year, in the first draft since 2011, that cycle began again. Look no further than the blue brand's main event for SummerSlam—WWE Champion Dean Ambrose defending his title against Dolph Ziggler.
THE RESILIENT VETERAN
April 8, 2013, the day after WrestleMania 29. The IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Moments after Alberto Del Rio successfully defended his World Heavyweight Championship, the music of "The Show-Off" Dolph Ziggler hit.
Despite his casting as a villain, the capacity crowd of over 16,000 erupted. They'd grown to love the bleach-blonde Cleveland native through his incredible matches and impassioned promos; although, they really weren't supposed to.
After 268 days as Mr. Money In the Bank, Ziggler was ready to cash-in his briefcase and shatter that glass ceiling that hung over his head for years.
After a brief match, Ziggler defeated a hobbled Del Rio and a raucous celebration commenced. Unfortunately, however, the pandemonium didn't last.
Shortly thereafter, Ziggler suffered a serious concussion. He'd be sidelined for over a month, and, on the night of his return, he lost his championship.
The match told a terrific story—with a vicious Alberto Del Rio continuously attacking Ziggler's head, turning them both in the process—but still. Dolph Ziggler's time on top ended just as abruptly as it began, and he'd never regain the title.
This wasn't the only tease of main event stardom for Dolph, either. He was the lone survivor of Team Cena against Team Authority at Survivor Series 2014, ridding the WWE of The Authority with the aid of the debuting Sting... until The Authority returned two weeks later, and Ziggler's push was halted.
Since this time, Ziggler has muddled in obscurity. He's watched others pour onto the main roster from NXT and leap ahead of him on the card while he received little to no opportunity.
When given the chance, we still got gems of matches from him, but the spotlight on The Show-Off generally dwindled. There were many RAWs, many pay-per-views, that came and went without a Ziggler spotting. Even his popularity faded somewhat.
When the new brand extension was announced, we knew that it'd give more talent a chance to shine. While Ziggler was drafted to SmackDown with little fanfare, he'd quickly assert himself as number one contender to the WWE Championship by winning a Six-Pack Challenge on the first show of the brand's New Era.
Now, Dolph Ziggler finds himself in a marquee match at SummerSlam with the most prestigious prize in the wrestling business at stake. This time, it's not about stealing the show. It's not about showing off. It's about seizing what might be his final opportunity to take his place where he believes he belongs—on top.
Despite his casting as a villain, the capacity crowd of over 16,000 erupted. They'd grown to love the bleach-blonde Cleveland native through his incredible matches and impassioned promos; although, they really weren't supposed to.
After 268 days as Mr. Money In the Bank, Ziggler was ready to cash-in his briefcase and shatter that glass ceiling that hung over his head for years.
After a brief match, Ziggler defeated a hobbled Del Rio and a raucous celebration commenced. Unfortunately, however, the pandemonium didn't last.
Shortly thereafter, Ziggler suffered a serious concussion. He'd be sidelined for over a month, and, on the night of his return, he lost his championship.
The match told a terrific story—with a vicious Alberto Del Rio continuously attacking Ziggler's head, turning them both in the process—but still. Dolph Ziggler's time on top ended just as abruptly as it began, and he'd never regain the title.
This wasn't the only tease of main event stardom for Dolph, either. He was the lone survivor of Team Cena against Team Authority at Survivor Series 2014, ridding the WWE of The Authority with the aid of the debuting Sting... until The Authority returned two weeks later, and Ziggler's push was halted.
Since this time, Ziggler has muddled in obscurity. He's watched others pour onto the main roster from NXT and leap ahead of him on the card while he received little to no opportunity.
When given the chance, we still got gems of matches from him, but the spotlight on The Show-Off generally dwindled. There were many RAWs, many pay-per-views, that came and went without a Ziggler spotting. Even his popularity faded somewhat.
When the new brand extension was announced, we knew that it'd give more talent a chance to shine. While Ziggler was drafted to SmackDown with little fanfare, he'd quickly assert himself as number one contender to the WWE Championship by winning a Six-Pack Challenge on the first show of the brand's New Era.
Now, Dolph Ziggler finds himself in a marquee match at SummerSlam with the most prestigious prize in the wrestling business at stake. This time, it's not about stealing the show. It's not about showing off. It's about seizing what might be his final opportunity to take his place where he believes he belongs—on top.
THE UNLIKELY CHAMPION
Dean Ambrose grew up in poverty, and his way out of it was through wrestling. But wrestling certainly wasn't the easy way out.
He wrestled in dingy independent promotions in violent hardcore and death matches. He'd emerge from the matches with ripped and scarred flesh and little money to show for it. Over the course of a couple years, however, he began to gain a reputation.
He gained a reputation of being a unique, eccentric character who cut riveting promos every time he had the opportunity. And after seven long years of destroying his body in high school gyms and rec halls, he was signed by the WWE.
Even after his signing, though, Ambrose felt very underground. When he was in Florida Championship Wrestling—WWE's developmental territory at the time—promos from him leaked onto YouTube, and it created a buzz around his name.
He'd have matches with Seth Rollins and a feud with William Regal that had many internet fans drooling over his potential.
Upon the closure of FCW and beginning of the new NXT, Ambrose disappeared. He was nowhere to be found for months, and speculation was abound. But finally, at Survivor Series 2012, he resurfaced.
He resurfaced alongside his former rival Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns. Together, they'd soon be dubbed The Shield and became one of the greatest stables in professional wrestling history.
Rollins was The Architect, the brains behind the operation. Reigns was the powerhouse, the muscle. And Ambrose was the loose cannon. He was very unpredictable yet incredibly entertaining.
Of the three, you could argue that Ambrose's road to singles stardom was the murkiest. Rollins had a sterling independent resume as a former Ring of Honor World Champion, and Reigns was from the Anoa'i family—a wrestling dynasty that's produced nearly every notable Samoan wrestler. Ambrose had nothing like that.
Thus, upon their split, Seth Rollins was the first to become WWE Champion when he cashed in his Money In the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 31. Months later, following a Rollins injury, Reigns became champion at Survivor Series.
Much like Dolph Ziggler, Dean Ambrose would have moments where he came oh so close, only to fall just short. Money In the Bank 2015 and Fast Lane 2016 serve as just two examples.
June 19, 2016 was the night that Ambrose's fortunes turned, though. He'd win the Money In the Bank ladder match and, at the end of the show, cash-in on newly crowned champion Seth Rollins. And a month later, he defeated both his former Shield brethren in a triple threat match to retain his title.
Dean Ambrose knows the pain that Dolph Ziggler has felt his entire career. Up until recently, Ambrose's career was defined by the same heart-wrenching moments. On August 21, though, he doesn't want to feel the same pain Ziggler did when losing his world title so quickly.
At SummerSlam, two men from the state of lovable losers collide for the WWE Championship. The winner can wash away a career worth of heartache while the loser adds just another moment where they came so close but ultimately ended up so far away.
He wrestled in dingy independent promotions in violent hardcore and death matches. He'd emerge from the matches with ripped and scarred flesh and little money to show for it. Over the course of a couple years, however, he began to gain a reputation.
He gained a reputation of being a unique, eccentric character who cut riveting promos every time he had the opportunity. And after seven long years of destroying his body in high school gyms and rec halls, he was signed by the WWE.
Even after his signing, though, Ambrose felt very underground. When he was in Florida Championship Wrestling—WWE's developmental territory at the time—promos from him leaked onto YouTube, and it created a buzz around his name.
He'd have matches with Seth Rollins and a feud with William Regal that had many internet fans drooling over his potential.
Upon the closure of FCW and beginning of the new NXT, Ambrose disappeared. He was nowhere to be found for months, and speculation was abound. But finally, at Survivor Series 2012, he resurfaced.
He resurfaced alongside his former rival Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns. Together, they'd soon be dubbed The Shield and became one of the greatest stables in professional wrestling history.
Rollins was The Architect, the brains behind the operation. Reigns was the powerhouse, the muscle. And Ambrose was the loose cannon. He was very unpredictable yet incredibly entertaining.
Of the three, you could argue that Ambrose's road to singles stardom was the murkiest. Rollins had a sterling independent resume as a former Ring of Honor World Champion, and Reigns was from the Anoa'i family—a wrestling dynasty that's produced nearly every notable Samoan wrestler. Ambrose had nothing like that.
Thus, upon their split, Seth Rollins was the first to become WWE Champion when he cashed in his Money In the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 31. Months later, following a Rollins injury, Reigns became champion at Survivor Series.
Much like Dolph Ziggler, Dean Ambrose would have moments where he came oh so close, only to fall just short. Money In the Bank 2015 and Fast Lane 2016 serve as just two examples.
June 19, 2016 was the night that Ambrose's fortunes turned, though. He'd win the Money In the Bank ladder match and, at the end of the show, cash-in on newly crowned champion Seth Rollins. And a month later, he defeated both his former Shield brethren in a triple threat match to retain his title.
Dean Ambrose knows the pain that Dolph Ziggler has felt his entire career. Up until recently, Ambrose's career was defined by the same heart-wrenching moments. On August 21, though, he doesn't want to feel the same pain Ziggler did when losing his world title so quickly.
At SummerSlam, two men from the state of lovable losers collide for the WWE Championship. The winner can wash away a career worth of heartache while the loser adds just another moment where they came so close but ultimately ended up so far away.
