WWE Royal Rumble 2012: Why Dolph Ziggler Isn't Ready to Be WWE Champion

On January 29, 2012, one of the most exciting WWE pay-per-views of the year will take place: the Royal Rumble. Aside from the classic 30-man Royal Rumble main event match, there are a few other matches on the card. Most notably, Dolph Ziggler will challenge for CM Punk’s WWE Championship.

In my opinion as a fan, Dolph Ziggler isn’t ready to become the WWE Champion. Yes, he is a viable contender for the title, but he still has a while to go until he is ready to carry the WWE’s top championship.

Ziggler has come quite a ways from his days as Nicky in the Spirit Squad. Over the last year or so, Ziggler has been one of the best reasons to watch WWE. From his wrestling to his mic work, he has been the best thing going on in the WWE for a while now.

At the Tables, Ladders and Chairs PPV, Ziggler lost the United States Championship to Zack Ryder. Many, including myself, seem to believe that Ziggler will move on to becoming a serious contender for the WWE Championship. This process is already underway, as evidenced by him being No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.

The problem is that Dolph Ziggler is not a serious threat to the WWE Championship.

Ziggler can certainly hold his own against Punk, both in the ring and on the mic. That much is true. But the fact that Ziggler became No. 1 contender because of outside assistance from John Laurinaitis makes it hard to see Ziggler as a legitimate threat to Punk’s championship reign.

Laurinaitis as the guest referee of the match adds a dynamic to the match that makes it easier to believe that Ziggler could possibly win the title.

Being established as a legitimate contender for a world championship is not an overnight process. I’m not saying that Dolph Ziggler never will be a legitimate threat for the WWE Championship.

Rather, I’m saying that there is a lot more that needs to be done before Ziggler is in a position where the casual fan can see him dethroning someone like CM Punk. Given that this is his first shot at the WWE Championship at a major PPV show, it’s understandable that Ziggler has yet to be built as a legitimate contender.

At the Royal Rumble, Dolph Ziggler and CM Punk will clash in what is sure to be a great match that will help kick off the Road to WrestleMania. The inclusion of John Laurinaitis in the match is wise in that it does make Ziggler walking away with the title plausible to the casual fan.

As far as I’m concerned, Ziggler winning the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble would be a mistake. Being that this is his first shot in a high-caliber PPV match, it is very unnecessary to have him win the title this soon. Establishing him further would be the best way to ensure that if and when he wins the championship, his reign will be a successful one.

So while I do not believe that Dolph Ziggler is ready to win the WWE Championship at the 2012 Royal Rumble, I do see him becoming a major player in the WWE. As it is, it’s only a matter of time before Ziggler captures that coveted title. It would be best to take time establishing Ziggler as a main-eventer so as to make sure he is a mainstay. 

Thanks for reading. As always, I appreciate any feedback on my writing. Feel free to spark a conversation with me regarding what was discussed in this column by commenting or reaching out to me on Twitter @MikePW247. Also be sure to tune in to This Very Ring every Sunday night at 11:00 p.m. ET to listen to myself and Stan Grubb discuss all things pro wrestling.