Dolph Ziggler's WWE Career Will Leave Fans with a Number of What-Ifs

The narrative that runs through Dolph Ziggler's WWE career is one of missed opportunities and untapped potential.

He is the rocket ground control never launched out of the fear it might not fly as well as other rockets. He is the star many fans have pined to see get moved to center stage, only to watch him run off to the side of the spotlight.

Being a Ziggler fan has always been a frustrating experience. Just as it seems he's going to be properly showcased, WWE pulls back on the reins and slows things down.

That's why it's so easy to believe the rumors that he may not re-sign with WWE. Former WWE writer Court Bauer got those rumblings cooking. On MLW Radio, Bauer said: "Dolph's deal is up in a few months and he has indicated informally that unless he gets a big push, he may leave like Mundo."

That alone may not get fans talking all that much, but it's coupled with cryptic statements Ziggler tweeted earlier this year:

Those comments seem to confirm the commonly held idea that Ziggler is frustrated with WWE management. After all, while newcomers such as Roman Reigns get fast-tracked to WrestleMania's marquee bout, his hard work doesn't seem to be granting him any career advancement.

Should he leave WWE in a few months, he will leave behind a collection of engrossing performances, a succession of images of him kissing WWE's women and a handful of what-ifs to sort through.

The first of which concerns how he began his run with the company.

What If WWE Hadn't Wasted Ziggler's Early Years?

When Seth Rollins first entered WWE, he did so as the speedy, cunning member of the Shield. Kevin Owens debuted by smashing John Cena to the mat and stepping on his championship belt in a show of disrespect.

Ziggler's early chapters aren't nearly as memorable.

He first came up as Kerwin White's caddy. The White character was an ill-advised golfer gimmick given to Chavo Guerrero. Ziggler stood by White's side, carrying his bag, limping onto the WWE scene.

When WWE scrapped that idea, it soon asked Ziggler to play Nicky, a male cheerleader and member of the Spirit Squad.

Both gimmicks were silly, ineffective and a better fit for a more cartoony era. They didn't allow Ziggler to get noticed or be at his best. How does one simultaneously be a formidable wrestler and a guy who does cheer routines in matching outfits with his pals?

Had WWE made sure to better introduce Ziggler, he could have made a much bigger impact early on. The company wasted three years of his career with these gimmicks. 

What if WWE had treated him like a big deal, as it has done Owens, and had him face Shawn Michaels in his first match? Ziggler's trajectory would have reached a higher point much faster. Perhaps his popularity would have caught fire during that span.

Perhaps Ziggler would have gone on the type of journey to the top Rollins has taken.

What If He Never Had That Concussion?

A concussion derailed Ziggler's first real shot at being world champ. He briefly held the belt during an angle with Edge in 2011, but this was different. 

The Showoff had just yanked the big gold belt from Alberto Del Rio in front on an arena full of screaming fans. He had the popular AJ Lee at his side. It seemed to be the time that all of Ziggler's in-ring prowess was about to get moved to a bigger stage.

Then a botched kick from Jack Swagger sent him home with knee-buckling headaches. 

WWE booked Alberto Del Rio to take the World Heavyweight Championship from him at Payback 2013, and Ziggler never returned to that spot on the card.

Credit: WWE.com

Had that injury not spooked WWE officials, he could have been world champ heading into that year's SummerSlam and had a much more high-profile match at the event. Del Rio would go on to feud with Rob Van Dam, Christian and John Cena, while Ziggler was lucky to make it onto a pay-per-view at all.

That world title run could have catapulted Ziggler into top-tier stardom.

It could have had the same boosting effect of Edge's first championship reigns and Chris Jericho's time as champ in 2008. Facing top competition and aided by the high stakes associated with championship bouts, Ziggler would have surely added some masterpieces to his resume.

What if WWE Had Taken Advantage of Ziggler's Big Survivor Series Moment?

Sting's WWE arrival was the talk of Survivor Series 2014. It was Ziggler, though, who was the main event's hero.

He was the one who survived a clash with Rollins, interference from Triple H and being outnumbered. Sting gave him a hand, but the Showoff was the one who got the pin and ousted the Authority.

Credit: WWE.com

The conversation among many fans at that point was how this had to be a launchpad for Ziggler. He looked tremendous in one of the best matches of the year and was that bout's most vital gladiator.

WWE did little with that momentum.

Ziggler won back his Intercontinental Championship from Luke Harper in a hard-hitting ladder match at TLC. He was relegated to pre-show duty at Fastlane and was one of six men battling for the IC title at WrestleMania. WWE brought back the Authority just weeks after the group had been pushed out of power.

The Survivor Series moment didn't propel him as much as it maintained his current status.

Had WWE used that win more effectively, it would have had Ziggler be the center of the storyline after Survivor Series instead of Cena. It would have had him build toward a collision with Triple H or something equally high profile.

That was the ideal chance to fire Ziggler toward the top, but like so many times throughout his career, that flight never came regardless of how many fans wanted to see it.

What if WWE Had Given Ziggler a Real Chance to be a Headliner?

Ziggler has been IC champ four times, tying him with Kofi Kingston in terms of number of reigns. In many ways, WWE has often treated the Showoff as if he was on Kingston's level.

He has yet to be treated like a priority. He has not had sustained stays in a headlining role. Had he been given chances to be WWE's centerpiece and flopped, it would make sense to keep him out of that spot. But he's never been afforded that opportunity, leaving fans to wonder what he could have done in WWE's throne.

Ziggler never got a run with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Nor was he allowed to tell a story of endurance and heart by winning the Royal Rumble after a lengthy stay in that match. WWE never gave him a real feud going into WrestleMania.

Batista, Triple H, Brock Lesnar and Undertaker have all faced other stars at the Show of Shows, leading to career-defining moments. Ziggler never got a crack at guys of that caliber at that event.

Had WWE gone that route, his penchant for making matches dramatic and passionate, breakneck approach to the mat game would surely have led to something special.

There's still a chance for that to happen if Ziggler sticks around. There's no guarantee he will, though.

After a tenure with the company that has been riddled with head-scratching decisions about Ziggler's utilizing, the what-ifs about his career shift their focus. 

What if he leaves WWE? What if he follows AJ Styles' path and makes his living tearing it up for Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling? What if he stops waiting around for a chance from where he stands and goes journeying elsewhere?