Why Dolph Ziggler Is the Best Heel in the Business

In the immensely enjoyable opening segment of last week's Monday Night Raw, current WWE Champion CM Punk berated Dolph Ziggler for being “exactly like everyone else” and “fitting the mould” that WWE brass overwhelmingly preferred in their wrestlers.

Punk also insisted that Ziggler had had an easy time of it to the top, unlike guys like he and Mick Foley, who had paid their dues on the tough US indie scene and struggled greatly to get their spots in America's No. 1 wrestling promotion.

The irony was, of course, that the bleached-blond Ziggler actually looks totally different from everyone else in the company. At under 6'0" and 213 pounds, he's also a lot smaller than WWE tends to like in their wrestlers.

And as for the claims that he took the easy route to the top...eh, Punk may want to check out some old footage of Ziggler in the jobbing male cheerleading group Spirit Squad, which still remains one of the promotion's most cringe-worthy gimmicks ever.

Dolph may not have had to go through the indies (he was signed by the promotion shortly after he graduated from at Kent State University after having a very successful stint as an amateur wrestler there), but make no mistake about it: He's worked just as hard to get where he is as Punk and Foley have.

Aside from these rather laughable statements from Punk—who, frankly, since he abandoned his quest to change the wrestling business forever, instead settling on bringing back those all-important ice-cream bars, hasn't been making much sense at all—the opening segment of this week's episode of Raw served to explain why Dolph Ziggler has become the best heel in the business.

Indeed, Ziggler oozed charisma and arrogance as he confronted hardcore legend Mick Foley, viciously berating him for his stupidity  and inability to move with the times.

Foley, you see, has previously announced his intentions—to a rather indifferent crowd in Anaheim, California—to enter this year's Royal Rumble match, citing the fact that his two youngest children desperately wanted to see their beloved dad wrestle on the show.

Accompanied by his villainous manager Vickie Guerrero, Ziggler came out and blasted Foley for his announcement, pointing out sagely that the veteran would be snatching a spot from a younger, hungrier star who had been working extremely hard all year for the shot.

Interestingly, Foley didn't have a decent response for the accusation that he was stealing the spotlight from the younger guys and was determined to hang on long past his prime, meaning we can probably put this in “The Heel is Actually Right” file.

Let's face it: While he may be the heel here, everything Ziggler was saying was technically the truth. At his age and worn-down physical condition, Foley should be nowhere near a wrestling ring these days, as some of his abysmal in-ring efforts in TNA last year fully prove.

Of course, despite having a fairly valid point, Ziggler still displayed suitable heelish traits as he mocked Foley's children and took other personal digs the former TNA star, strongly implying he was out of shape and claiming it would be “a disgrace” to have to defend the WWE title against him after he defeated Punk at their match at the Royal Rumble.

Swinging from glibly humorous to raging anger, the versatile Ziggler was terrific in the opening segment and more than held his own while interacting with immensely talented promo guys like Foley and Punk. His talent shone line a beacon as he demonstrated to Vince McMahon, WWE and everyone why he can be considered the greatest heel in the business right now.