Dolph Ziggler's WWE Stock Is Higher After Win at TLC

Dolph Ziggler recaptured the WWE Intercontinental Championship at TLC on Sunday, December 14.  The win came against Luke Harper in a ladder match, and it was considered by many fans to be perhaps the highlight of the night.

Now that Ziggler is wearing gold once again, the fact is that his career is on a definite upturn.

The man called The Showoff is just that, as he always works hard to entertain and give the fans their money's worth. Indeed, Ziggler's stock is much higher now after his win at TLC.

Ziggler is the kind of guy who's easy to support.

Though his gimmick is loud and obnoxious at times, he can back up every bit of it. He has a swagger about him that is unmatched and a confidence that keeps him above his peers. That's because no matter how good anyone around him claims to be, Ziggler shows it night in and night out.

He is a true workhorse in the ring, one of WWE's finest. Ziggler has taken on all opponents, from Randy Orton to Kane to John Cena, and every time he laces up the boots, he gives everything he has.

Ziggler may not be a blue-collar hero like Daniel Bryan and may not have the wild side of Dean Ambrose, but he is one of the best from bell to bell.

Credit: WWE.com

Ziggler gets it done in the ring and often looks better than anyone else when he does it. That is the mark of a professional, and that is why fans respect him as much as they do.

The fact is that Ziggler's effort shows. Despite whom he's working, he never slows down or changes his game to suit his opponent. He manages to keep his intensity, whether it's a curtain-jerk match or the last match, and he always delivers at the big events.

TLC was one of those events.

Ziggler stepped into the ring against Luke Harper, the crazy-eyed big man who has been steamrolling over opponents since he went solo. Harper is a throwback to the old-school days of the business, to a time when the bruisers ran rampant through promotions and brought the pain with them.

Harper may not look like the perfect match for Ziggler, but at TLC that is exactly what he became.

The two men had great chemistry, as they both fought hard to give a good match. Smashing into ladders and destroying each other outside the ring, Ziggler and Harper gave fans the kind of intensity that is expected of a championship bout.

The Showoff was in top form, but Harper definitely held up his end of the match.

The prospect of facing a big man who is still unproven as a singles wrestler on the main event stage may have been a daunting one for anyone else. After all, it was the first match rather than the last and was not for the company's top title.

But Ziggler did not let any of that stop him. In fact, he appeared to take it as a challenge.

Credit: WWE.com

The best talent always rises up, and that is what Ziggler is arguably better at it than anyone else. He seized the moment at TLC and gave the best effort he possibly could to not only get himself over, but to get the match over as well—and it showed in every way.

Many fans likely paid to see Cena versus Seth Rollins or Dean Ambrose versus Bray Wyatt, but what they got was a guaranteed home run with Ziggler. That's just what he does.

Now that he has overcome Harper and is back in a prime spot on WWE programming, there can be no denying that Ziggler is in a great position.

His win at TLC has come hot on the heels of his win at Survivor Series, where he was the last man standing. He pinned Rollins in the main event, ensuring the victory for Team Cena and solidifying the end of The Authority's reign of power.

That moment by itself should have been an indication to many fans that the company was truly beginning to reinvest in Ziggler, to give him some more spotlight than ever before.

The man who has worked so hard to deliver one great match after another appears to finally be reaping the rewards for his hard work, and it could not come at a better time.

With Bryan still on the shelf with injury, WWE needs another strong babyface to tow the line. Ziggler is the right man for the job, as he has a proven track record of success and connection with the crowd, which is so important as a WWE Superstar.

Ziggler may not be the WWE world heavyweight champion and may not be near that title at this time, but the truth is that he looks as good now as he ever has.

Ziggler is finally being given the spotlight that he deserves by WWE and is finally being recognized as something other than the former top prospect that just couldn't catch a break long-term.

Ziggler has proven that he's in it for the long haul, and it could very well be that WWE is now willing to capitalize on that. He's getting more than he has in a long time and is only getting hotter. Ziggler has the potential to do big things in WWE and many fans have known that from the start.

But now perhaps the company sees it as well. This could surely be considered Ziggler's time, and that is definitely a great thing for WWE to show off.