Projecting Dolph Ziggler's Booking for Remainder of 2014 and Start of 2015

Survivor Series momentum be damned, Dolph Ziggler isn't climbing out of the midcard any time soon.

WWE has shown that it's not ready to strap a jetpack to Ziggler and let him shoot toward the clouds. Ziggler fans are going to have to temper their expectations heading into 2015. Other Superstars crowd the top of the card, a situation that will only worsen when the ailing members of the roster heal up. 

When it Ziggler played Team Cena's hero at Survivor Series, it seemed as if the company was finally recognizing that it has a headliner-in-waiting with him. 

Credit: WWE.com

What has followed him since overcoming a three-on-one disadvantage to oust The Authority (with Sting's help) says otherwise. The spotlight has shined on other men, which points to him staying essentially where he already is on the card. 

The company divvied up its post-Survivor Series feuds and gave other guys spots against bigger names. WWE sent Erick Rowan after Big Show and Ryback after Kane.

And while Ziggler has been in the main event of the last editions of Raw, it has been more as John Cena's wingman. It's Cena who is set to main event the pay-per-view opposite Seth Rollins. To open Monday's Raw, it was Cena who talked up Ziggler, not The Showoff getting actual airtime.

Ziggler has instead battled for the Intercontinental Championship, as he has been doing as either champion or challenger for as far back as last November when Curtis Axel was champion.

This is clearly where WWE is comfortable with Ziggler. 

Expect him to continue his battles with current champ Luke Harper. He owns a count-out victory over the champ, generally a sign of further title opportunities ahead.

He won't win back the gold, though.

Ziggler has already been IC champ twice since August. It's likely time for a lengthy reign for Harper, who is a fresher face the company has been highlighting more as of late.

After what should be a high-quality match against Harper at TLC, WWE will look to set Harper up with new challengers. We haven't seen a sustained IC title feud in a long while. Bad News Barrett, for example, moved on from Big E to Rob Van Dam to Ziggler rather quickly. Ziggler's clashes with The Miz didn't last long either.

That doesn't then mean Ziggler gets moved up to main event status.

Roman Reigns told fans that he's returning to the ring this month. Randy Orton is coming back as well, sure to be wrapping up filming The Condemned 2 before long. Both men were firmly in the main event scene when they left.

That's going to make it tough for Ziggler to make any upward movement, especially with how high the company has been on Rollins and Dean Ambrose.

Instead, look for him to eventually take on Rusev. Once the United States champ is done fending off Jack Swagger again, he's going to need a new midcarder sent his way. 

Credit: WWE.com

Ziggler has been playing the role of challenger who pushes either the IC or U.S. titleholder and leads to them to quality matches ever since he lost the World Heavyweight Championship. And WWE has shown that when it's not sure what to do with a guy, it just switches him over from one midcard belt to the other.

After Cesaro failed to dethrone Sheamus (then the U.S. champ), he moved on to Ziggler in hopes of winning the IC title. The Miz made the opposite move, seeking out Sheamus' belt after losing to Ziggler.

WWE has actually gone that same route with Ziggler.

After losing to then U.S. champ Dean Ambrose in 2013, Ziggler began to move into contention for the IC belt, with a forgettable feud against Fandango in the middle. 

Rusev has already run through much of the roster's big men and patriots. WWE will need a new opponent to throw at him, and if no slot in the main event opens up, Ziggler will be available to fill that void.

It would be a thrilling move to build up that match as a David-versus-Goliath affair and give Ziggler the big rub that would come with ending Rusev's streak of having never been pinned. That's not how things will play out. 

Ziggler's frustrating journey will continue instead. WWE hasn't shown that it's committed to showcasing The Showoff. 

Rollins is main eventing pay-per-views. Reigns has been made to look like the next big thing. Cena hasn't moved from his position as the franchise's centerpiece.

Meanwhile, Ziggler looks to be running in place in the midcard, a sight that's becoming increasingly familiar.