Dolph Ziggler-Lana Pairing Will Be Mutually Beneficial for Superstar, Diva

It would not be a stretch to suggest that splitting former United States champion Rusev and his social ambassador, Lana, is a mistake.

After all, Lana was absolutely essential to getting the Bulgarian Brute over with the masses, serving as the mouthpiece that spewed the pro-Russian, anti-American propaganda that allowed the young foreigner to become one of the most hated villains in professional wrestling.

Like Brigitte Nielsen's Ludmilla did for Dolph Lundgren's Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, she convinced audiences to invest emotionally in the man, while Rusev's actions cemented his status as one of the most despicable and vile men on WWE television.

The duo rose through the ranks all the way to WrestleMania 31, where Lana accompanied Rusev to the ring for the biggest match of his career, a U.S. title defense against John Cena.

It looked very much like the Bulgarian star would succeed where others failed, becoming a legitimate breakout star and one of the few foreign-fanatic heels to actually get over and stay relevant the further he moved up the card.

So why make the decision to split the two?

WWE Creative clearly made an impulse booking decision, hearing the cheers for Lana and deciding that the time had arrived to split the duo, sending them on their separate ways. Since WWE took that step, right or wrong, it is imperative that it treads lightly while booking Lana going forward.

Enter Dolph Ziggler.

The kiss the two characters shared on the May 18 episode of Raw started an on-screen relationship between the two that will ultimately prove mutually beneficial.

Lana is in a transitional period. Once an incredibly despised character, she is now poised for a huge babyface push. In order to bridge from one role to the next, WWE Creative made the decision to pair her with Ziggler, who is among the most consistently over babyfaces on the entire roster.

With The Showoff there to help increase her babyface heat, Lana will find it much easier to be accepted by the fanbase at large as a heroine than if she were left to face the unenviable task of navigating those waters on her own.

Conversely, the conclusion of Ziggler's feud with Sheamus threatened to return the former two-time world champion to the muddled mess that is the midcard, where he would be stuck working with stars sharing similar circumstances, including Bad News Barrett and Cody "Stardust" Rhodes.

Instead, the pairing with Lana not only keeps him involved in a high-profile angle but also sets him up for a feud with Rusev. Regardless of how one feels about the way the Bulgarian Superstar was booked during his feud with John Cena, he is still very much considered a pet project by WWE.

Don't believe it? Look no further than his booking at Payback, where he was protected as much as possible while still dropping the contest to the leader of the Cenation.

Credit: WWE.com

Ziggler's opportunity to work with Rusev in a feud similar to his program with Sheamus, one that will earn him ample television time, is the most important and relevant benefit he will enjoy while working with Lana in the coming weeks and, potentially, months.

The decision to split Lana from Rusev and immediately enter her into a program with Ziggler may prove to be a critical mistake when all is said and done. Only time will tell. But it will be a mistake that, in the short term, will prove mutually beneficial to the two babyfaces at a time when that is absolutely necessary.