Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre take out the Big Dog, but the Build is still in Progress
By Matthew Klink (@klinkmatt)
7/5/2018
(We’re back!)
While Brock continues to skip Raw, Kevin Owens and Braun Strowman continue to give us all a lesson on how to do a non-title feud, Roman Reigns continues to bury Bobby Lashley and the Revival in promos…Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre continue to KILL IT!
Coming out and attacking the main eventers has become a habit for ‘The Show’ as Ziggler and McIntyre decided to shut Roman Reigns up. As sick as I am of hearing Roman’s character question how anyone could get a win over him, I can only imagine how stomach turning it was for Ziggler and McIntyre. Their non-losing streak (because of some DQ’s) has hit quite a lengthy streak and I can’t pick out anyone on the roster, besides Braun Strowman, who has been more dominant since the Superstar Shake Up. So…why the heck should they let Roman run his mouth?
They strut to the ring with (finally) believable confidence. Being heels, they do what they do best and bury the face (unlike Roman’s confusing character). What followed was a beat down of Roman, Seth’s involvement and an eventual match with the former members of the Shield. It all ended with Dolph and Drew walking away from their slain competitors.
In this long run for two of the most talented wrestlers on the roster, this was another great step for two dominant heels. The dominant heel character is rare, only because it usually turns the fans to their favor. Its only for so long we can watch someone win all the time and look so cool doing it (Adam Cole BAY-BAY!)
This week Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins got the news that they’ll be facing off at Extreme Rules in a 30-minute Iron Man match. Nothing has been a stronger nod to the efforts and high level of talent of both superstars as this match type has always been saved for the best of the best. In what will probably steal the show, the 30-minute match should be the next step in pushing Ziggler and McIntyre even higher.
While Seth definitely has earned the right to call his shots with WWE creative and take his IC strap back (I’d give him permission to strip Lesnar of the Universal Title), Ziggler and McIntyre need this. I know that I’ve been begging for more victories for these two every week, but it can’t stop now. I feel like they’ve hit major points giving them ‘permission’ to move up the roster, they still haven’t had the defining victory to put them on the level of Strowman, Rollins, and Reigns. I dare say, even a victory over Rollins wouldn’t be that defining moment for Ziggler, but a loss would be enough to undo everything that has been done so far.
We, ‘Ziggler and McIntyre fans’, are waiting for the big victory. The one that makes McIntyre a formidable opponent for Roman Reigns…or possibly Brock Lesnar. It’s a lot to give to two guys. Two guys, one could argue, who have already been given their shot, but it’s worth it to bolster this roster. Move past guys like John Cena, the Undertaker, Triple H, and Brock Lesnar, and give us legitimate battles going into the fall, next year’s WrestleMania, and the Mania after that.
The roster, as I’ve argued before, is over stuffed with amazing wrestlers, but not a ton of opponents for Brock Lesnar. Hopefully we won’t need too many guys to fight Lesnar (because he’ll just go away forever), but someone has to look believable in beating the next guy. Let’s make two more guys main event worthy (even though I’m really talking about Drew McIntyre) and continue the build of Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre!
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