Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler: The Good, Bad and Ugly of WWE Feud

Driven by the brand split, there has been a buildup of two unique world championship feuds ahead of SummerSlam for the first time in years. SmackDown's WWE World Championship match on Aug. 21 is all about respect, as Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler battle to be the top man on SmackDown.

Ambrose vs. Ziggler is a matchup we have rarely seen in WWE, and it has never gone down on pay-per-view despite Ziggler being a major performer in the company since Ambrose's debut in 2012. Add to this a crowd-pleasing story about Ziggler struggling to prove his worth, and you have a match worthy of recognition at one of WWE's highest-profile PPVs.

While this contest is between two proven performers, there are still issues plaguing this feud that have not allowed it to feel as big as previous WWE title contests. It all begins with how these two wrestlers have been perceived up to this point.

Can WWE sell us on Ziggler as a WWE Championship contender just a month out from his midcard tenure? Is Ambrose ready to steal the show as a top star alongside John Cena and Brock Lesnar? Will this match even get a reasonable chance to succeed given how stacked the SummerSlam card looks?

Nothing is certain yet, as this match is one of the most important following the brand split, asking fans to reassess how they feel about certain wrestlers. Ambrose and Ziggler have a tough road ahead of them to steal the show and help SmackDown outshine Raw.

The Good

There is no doubt Ambrose and Ziggler are great performers. Both have had great matches every year they've been in WWE. In 2016 alone, Ambrose and Ziggler had a strong match on Raw in a Money in the Bank qualifier. They are also great storytellers, both in the ring and on the mic.

Ziggler won a Six-Pack Challenge on SmackDown to become the No. 1 contender to the WWE World Championship. Since then, Ambrose has told The Showoff to prove himself, with Ziggler demonstrating more aggression and loose attention to the rules in order to defend his right to challenge Ambrose.

The two have sparked together on the mic, and their story has allowed Ziggler to become a more complex character as he begins a potential heel turn. Ambrose has also seemed to edge a bit away from a face role as he taunts Ziggler repeatedly. While the match came up suddenly and surprisingly, it has developed well from the start.

SmackDown has also done a great job of highlighting both men. Commissioner Shane McMahon and general manager Daniel Bryan repeatedly put over Ziggler as a great performer and a wrestler they want representing them. Ambrose has become one of the biggest stars in WWE lately because of his huge win over Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns at Battleground.

Expectations are high for this matchup because of its position as SmackDown's major contest, and the feud has more than lived up to that during its buildup.

The Bad

While Ambrose vs. Ziggler has been solidly built so far, it is still a face vs. face encounter with no real driving tension, making this feel like a one-off match. This would not be a problem for a lesser PPV, but SummerSlam is such a major show on the WWE docket that it makes the lack of build for this WWE World Championship contest stand out.

Much of the story has been fairly one-sided. Ambrose has goaded Ziggler into proving himself and then gotten angry when Ziggler goes after him—even inadvertently. It is an intriguing premise, but both men are fairly new to the main event scene, which makes the interaction feel like it is leaving Ambrose out of the loop.

We still don't see a reason for Ambrose to be provoking Ziggler. Ambrose seems to talk about Ziggler like a fan. He is complimentary but also seems to want more and better things from him. The story feels like it's under the radar despite being SmackDown's supposed selling point for SummerSlam.

It hasn't helped that Bray Wyatt has interjected himself into proceedings, playing the heel go-between. Wyatt is such a powerful presence that he takes away from the wrestlers around him at times. It feels almost necessary for him to be added to the match at SummerSlam because he has been so involved in the build.

As a traditional SummerSlam match, this contest is lacking the momentum necessary to succeed.

The Ugly

It was not that long ago that Ambrose and Ziggler were both in contention for the Intercontinental Championship. In fact, it particularly was not that long ago that Ziggler was losing his fourth straight match in his feud with Baron Corbin.

Battleground 2016 was a fantastic event that ended with Ambrose retaining his title as the top man in WWE. The championship he holds is the same one that has been the top title since Cena first won it back in 2005. This is the title that has been in the main event of PPV after PPV because it was the most important part of WWE.

However, Ambrose and Ziggler are now both fighting an uphill battle to keep the championship relevant, even in competition with their own brand members in Cena and AJ Styles. This is due to the refocus for both rosters that came with the draft. In particular, Ziggler made a surprise leap that WWE never seemed to be setting up beforehand.

As much as Ambrose and Ziggler can outshine their Raw competition in promos, they are fighting a rampant stigma in the business. Credibility is a deep part of a superstar's image, and Ambrose and Ziggler were both left waiting for opportunities for years before SmackDown's rebirth in mid-July.

How far down the ladder will they be at SummerSlam? Will they be allowed to be in the main event over Lesnar vs. Randy Orton and Cena vs. Styles? Will they even get the time to produce a showstopper despite Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor and Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte also needing that spotlight?

Through no fault of either man, they are fighting a battle against their past that is tough to win and could leave them out of the main event picture regardless of how important the title they're battling for is.

Projection

Ambrose and Ziggler will continue to tease the boundaries between face and heel in their feud up to SummerSlam. The champion will take a backseat role while Ziggler throws punches at anyone who doubts him—especially the insistent Wyatt.

SummerSlam will only be the beginning for Ambrose and Ziggler, though. Their first time out probably will not end clean, with Ziggler unsuccessfully trying to cheat when he cannot put Ambrose down. Wyatt will also play some role since he currently has no match at SummerSlam, potentially setting up a future Triple Threat contest.

The real rivalry between these two will begin when one of them snaps, namely Ziggler. While Ziggler is the underdog to Ambrose, he will be the one to turn heel out of frustration. When he cannot earn the WWE World Championship, he'll viciously turn on Ambrose, giving SmackDown another top veteran heel.

The match quality of Ambrose vs. Ziggler will decide the future of SmackDown. If they do not click, both men will likely suffer for it. If they can put on show-stealing matches, they will remain near the top of the card. Given the talent of both men, bet on them succeeding.

Despite this feud having legs, it is unlikely Ziggler ends up dethroning Ambrose. The Lunatic Fringe has been positioned as the top man on SmackDown, and he should get a lengthy reign in order to prove himself. Ziggler will be the first man up, but Wyatt or Styles is more likely to hold the WWE World Championship next.