The new era has begun and the lines have been drawn in the sand. With Smackdown being the self proclaimed “talent first brand” anyone’s star could shine bright. That being said, on the first ever Smackdown Live there was a six pack challenge match to determine a number one contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship! Dolph Ziggler surprisingly picked up the victory. This has lead to a face vs face championship match for SummerSlam. Will there be a heel turn in Dean Ambros or Ziggler’s future?
SummerSlam Preview: Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler for the World Title
Dolph Ziggler
Dolph has seemed to always have the catchphrase that he is “too damn good”. However, his character wasn’t always the confident persona we see today. He started off in the Spirit Squad as “Nicky”. The team of male cheerleaders (Yes, you read that right) took on the likes of DX as Vince McMahon’s lackeys. They literally got crapped on for their efforts. From there he bounced around developmental brands until his eventual return to the main roster in 2009. It was here that the moniker Dolph Ziggler entered the scene.
Since then he has become a pretty decorated wrestler. He is a four time Intercontinental Champion. A one time Tag Team and United States Champion. He is also a two time World Heavyweight Champion, and is the owner of possibly the Money in the Bank cash in with the loudest pop. Even with all of these accolades his career has always seemed to be where he has always fallen short. Fans would call for his push, he would come out week in and week out leaving it all in the ring. That is why it was so surprising to see him beat the likes of AJ Styles and John Cena. The showoff has finally put on that brass ring, and expect him to leave it all in the ring at the biggest party of the summer.
Dean Ambrose
We all know the story of Dean Ambrose, it is one of dominance as a member of The Shield and the longest reigning United States championship run in WWE history. The Shield had one of the most memorable debuts in recent memory. They dominated WWE for the better part of two years. The opened as CM Punk’s goons, worked there way into tearing into the likes of John Cena, The Undertaker and anyone else who got in their way. The real magic came when they feuded with The Wyatt Family and Evolution. The trio put on some of the most entertaining six man tag matches in WWE History.
Fast forward a year and the shield was broken up by cohort Seth Rollins. Both Rollins and Roman Reigns tasted immediate success. While Dean Ambrose (much like Dolph Ziggler) could never get his hands on that brass ring. Fast forward a little more to The Shield triple threat match and Roman Reigns suspension. It looked destine for Rollins to recapture the WWE Championship but Dean surprisingly took the company’s most prestigious prize to “the land of opportunity” in Smackdown Live.
Conclusion
These two performers have a lot of similarities in their upbringings in WWE. However now they not only have their hands on the brass ring, they are wearing that ring. This match is the most intriguing match on the card in my opinion because we don’t see a face vs face match for the WWE Championship very often. The build has been mostly about how Ziggler has always been right there but has never been able to seal the deal. It has also done a good job at making the feud seem even, with each superstar getting their blows in. Ultimately I think Ambrose retains at SummerSlam and once again Dolph is wondering where to go next…it might just lead to a very effective heel turn for the showoff.
