Dolph Ziggler spent 19 years of his pro wrestling career in WWE. The “Show Off” entertained millions of fans around the world with his charisma and in-ring skills. Moreover, his selling inside a WWE ring was second to none, although he himself has critiqued it as a major downside to his illustrious career.
The real-life Nick Nemeth worked through the OVW developmental system to get to the main roster in 2004. He spent the next two years as Kenny Dykstra’s hype man. The gimmick was replaced with Dolph Ziggler (a name Freddie Prinze Jr. thought was crap) in 2008.
Ziggler would prove himself to be a reliable performer within the first few years of his repackaging, with star-making performances on both televised shows and pay-per-view events. Moreover, his feuds against the likes of John Cena and The Miz put his career on a high pedestal.
These are Dolph Ziggler’s five best feuds in WWE.
Dolph Ziggler won his first world title at Edge’s expense
Dolph Ziggler’s feud with Edge was an extension of the Rated R Superstar’s feud with Vickie Guerrero. He earned a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship by winning a fatal four-way match on the January 4, 2011, episode of SmackDown. The Show Off failed to win the title at the Royal Rumble.
However, their match on SmackDown in February saw Guerrero declare Ziggler the new World Heavyweight Champion because of a stipulation that had banned Edge from using his spear finisher. Ziggler would drop the title back to Edge in their next meeting on SmackDown, losing his job in the process.
Though this feud lasted only for a month, it helped Ziggler solidify his status as a credible heel on the WWE roster at the time.
Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder’s brilliant use of social media in 2011 skyrocketed his popularity. Even The Rock was forced to acknowledge the Long Island native during one of his appearances on Monday Night RAW. Ryder’s appeal with the WWE Universe prompted Vince McMahon to put him in a United States Championship program with Dolph Ziggler.
The program turned out to be a huge success for WWE. Ryder was the determined babyface who had worked hard to make a name for himself on the roster. Ziggler was the polar opposite, who had been handed opportunity after opportunity by his girlfriend Vickie Guerrero. The feud also led to a cameo from Hugh Jackman on WWE RAW.
Ryder would defeat Ziggler for the title in a fun match at WWE TLC in 2011.
Alberto Del Rio
Dolph Ziggler’s feud against Alberto Del Rio may have been the best and worst thing to happen to his career. Ziggler won his second World Heavyweight Championship at the expense of Del Rio in one of the most iconic cash-ins in WWE history. Fans were firmly behind the Show Off as he planted Del Rio with a Zig Zag for the win.
The two briefly feuded until Ziggler suffered a legitimate concussion at a SmackDown taping, forcing WWE to rule out his involvement from the planned three-way ladder against Del Rio and Jack Swagger at Extreme Rules. Ziggler would ultimately defend his title at the inaugural Payback event, but dropped it to Del Rio after he targeted his head with repeated superkicks.
Had Ziggler not suffered the concussion, he likely would’ve gotten a lengthy world title reign and feuded with established challengers such as Randy Orton.
John Cena
John Cena’s feud with Dolph Ziggler allowed WWE to create a first-ever moment. The duo began their feud after Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero accused Cena of having a romantic relationship with AJ Lee. The duo met for Ziggler’s briefcase at the 2012 TLC PPV event. Cena lost the match, becoming the first person to challenge for the briefcase and lose it.
Cena avenged his loss by preventing Ziggler from cashing-in his Money in the Bank contract on The Big Show for the world title. The feud between Cena and Ziggler also saw the main roster debut of Big E Langston, who aligned with AJ Lee and the Show Off by attacking the Cenation leader on the December 17, 2012, episode of RAW.
The Miz and Dolph Ziggler had feud of the year in 2016
The Miz’s Intercontinental Championship reign in 2016 helped WWE’s midcard division in a big way. The A-Lister brought back the title’s long-lost prestige by working an exceptional program with Dolph Ziggler.
The mid-2016 draft brought the title and its holder, The Miz, to SmackDown. Ziggler entered into a feud with him following a WWE title number one contender’s match loss to Bray Wyatt.
Ziggler failed to win the title at Backlash. He was goaded into putting his career on the line in a confrontation with The Miz on the September 27, 2016, episode of SmackDown Live. The two collided at No Mercy, which resulted in one of the best matches in the event’s history.
The feud really brought out the best in both men and set the record straight that they were two of the best sports entertainers in the world at any given day.
Also read: The Miz: Dolph Ziggler Brought The Best Out Of Me, I’m Excited To See What’s Next For Him
