Royal Rumble 2012 Live: Why Dolph Ziggler Must Win the Rumble

Dolph Ziggler is the next great WWE heel and will prove his Main Event worth in the spotlight at the 2012 Royal Rumble against CM Punk for the WWE Championship before winning the Rumble match itself.

This year will prove to be the year of the Ziggler after he puts on a memorable performance Sunday night live on pay-per-view starting at 8 p.m. EST.

WWE is currently void of elite heels that can truly carry the company in and out of the ring. Ziggler has embraced his heel role and is on top of his game at the moment. He has the look, in-ring abilities and charisma to be the next Triple H or Edge overall.

WWE has the perfect opportunity to push him to the moon this year and it must start Sunday.

We all know that no match will be able to live up to the hype of John Cena vs. The Rock, which is why WWE desperately needs to shock the world and let Ziggler win. He could then go on to co-Main Event WrestleMania with Chris Jericho and CM Punk for the WWE Championship, which would truly put him on the mainstream radar. 

In 2011, we witnessed the evolution of a performer. Now, we get the pleasure of seeing him perform as heads into the prime of his career. 

A former World Heavyweight Champion, WWE started to show faith in Ziggler late in 2011 when they had him pulling double duty on pay-per-view, restore credibility to the WWE United States Championship, put over Zack Ryder and showcase his abilities on RAW against the likes of Punk and Randy Orton. 

Fortunately for fans, 2011 was just a taste of what Ziggler has to offer. The man simply oozes greatness and we're going to reap the benefits throughout 2012 and beyond.

His mannerisms inside the ring are second-to-none. He understands what it takes to tell a story inside the ring with his emotions, body language and overall charisma. He knows how and when to sell and more importantly, he has the Shawn Michaels-knack for the big stage. 

His athleticism is off the charts, which allows him to switch his in-ring style to match his opponents, much like Michaels and Edge were able to do to perfection. He can brawl, fly with some of the best in the business and grapple with anybody inside the squared circle. 

Now, finally back in the Main Event against Punk on PPV, Ziggler is going to pull out all of the stops to ensure the WWE brass and fans know he is the next big thing in the WWE. 

As far as his match with Punk, it is difficult to believe that Ziggler will win the Championship after it was announced on RAW that Johnny Ace could be fired.

Still, I expect Zig to pull double duty again and enter the Royal Rumble. If WWE was smart, they would let him win the Rumble after entering No. 2. An iron man-like performance would go a long way to adding to his mystique and overall confidence.

The time for Dolph Ziggler to emerge as the best in the world is now and it starts at the Royal Rumble. 

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