Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz: Why IC Title Feud Remains WWE SmackDown's Best Story

Dolph Ziggler and The Miz's battle over the Intercontinental Championship on WWE SmackDown shouldn't be this good.

On paper, it's a tired midcard rivalry. Fans had seen Ziggler vs. The Miz 13 times on pay-per-view and TV before this year, per CageMatch.net. It was a clash of a Superstar many had given up on in Ziggler and a perennially underappreciated showman in The Miz. 

But superior storytelling and put-it-all-out-there performances have transformed this feud into a blueprint for what wrestling rivalries should look like. 

It's surreal how much of a hit this has been for SmackDown. PWSteam tweeted, "Continues to blow my mind how WWE have managed to make a Miz-Ziggler feud in 2016 absolutely unmissable."

WWE has achieved that surprise result by sticking to booking basics, finding ways to up the stakes and leaning on hungry, talented stars.

Ziggler and The Miz stole the show at No Mercy on Oct. 9, creating the night's most compelling bout. The enemies delivered a strong match at the Backlash PPV in September before that.

And Ziggler and The Miz's bad blood has been the best thing going on SmackDown for weeks. 

There is no mystery why this has all clicked so much. Unraveling the narrative reveals how WWE laid Ziggler vs. The Miz atop a foundation of fundamentals. 

High Stakes

Matches matter more when there is something to fight for other than pride. And with as many championships as WWE has, a title on the line often isn't enough to drum up interest in a showdown.

WWE teased a potential retirement for Ziggler to elevate the power of his quest to become IC champ.

A desperate, unhinged Ziggler put his career on the line in order to secure one last shot at The Miz's crown. Suddenly, the audience's curiosity rose. We see champions lose all the time, but it's rare to see one wrestler oust another from the ring for good.

That led to their No Mercy battle being the show's most engaging from the onset. Adam Pacitti of WhatCulture tweeted, "If you want to talk about emotional investment then Miz vs Ziggler is the real main event."

WWE can't go this route all the time because it will overexpose the angle, but creative means to add stakes are a must. 

Simplicity, Spotlight on the Intercontinental Championship

The Miz is an arrogant loudmouth. Ziggler is a never-say-die babyface whose greatest strength is his heart.

The Miz rubbed his triumphs in Ziggler's face. The Showoff's failures threatened to devour him.  

That dynamic has been key to the feud's success. The rivals are opposites, they have clear motivations and it's evident who the audience should root for.

After Ziggler bested The Miz at No Mercy, the new champ was grateful during his celebration on SmackDown. He is now motivated to prove that he belongs on the mountain he climbed. The heel has been predictably whiny in defeat, dismissing his loss as a fluke.

If all of this sounds familiar, it's because this is a narrative wrestling has produced time and time again.

Ziggler vs. The Miz is a reminder that WWE doesn't need to reinvent the wheel with this feud. In addition, it pays to make a clear distinction between bad guy and good guy, even if one believes that approach is old-fashioned. 

And unlike Roman Reigns and Rusev's clashes over the United States Championship, Ziggler vs. The Miz has remained keyed into the gold at the heart of the rivalry.

Ziggler's impetus to risk his career was in large part to be champion again. The Miz carried around the title with beaming pride, promising to hold on to it until the end of time. The story has never lost sight of its championship-centric core.

That both gives the rivalry a base to build on and helps the prestige of the championship.

Top-Flight Performances

WWE can set up the pins perfectly, but someone needs to throw strikes. Ziggler and The Miz have done just that.

The Miz has been on a tear of late—one the WWE world was forced to take notice of starting with his fiery promo on Talking Smack in August. He has embraced his villainous character wholeheartedly. He's been stellar at antagonizing everyone not named The Miz.

And a guy not known for his in-ring acumen has put on a string of excellent matches, most notably the thriller at No Mercy.

Ziggler has been hot as well.

Given a high-profile opportunity, a strong storyline and a talented foil, Ziggler has thrived. He has made WWE look smart in giving him another shot in the limelight.

The Miz has noticed. On SportsCenter's "Off the Top Rope" segment with Jonathan Coachman, The Miz praised his rival: "There is no denying Dolph Ziggler's talent—in the ring, on the mic, his heart, his dedication. We all saw that in the ring at No Mercy."

Both Ziggler and The Miz have made it clear that WWE needs to keep focusing on them, even when this feud dissipates.

Projections

Ziggler vs. The Miz is bound to run out of steam.

The career-risking part of the angle is over. So is The Showoff's chase for the championship. Those elements fueled the rivalry's fire, and without them, the story is poised to cool off.

The Miz is sure to get a crack at reclaiming the IC title, and then both men will move on, prepping for Survivor Series in November and finding new foils.

WWE will continue to showcase Ziggler on SmackDown and make the IC crown a big part of the show. The formula has worked so far, and with the champ's momentum on the rise, the company will want to take advantage of that.

The Miz will move to the main event before long.

His performances of late suggest he's ready to headline once again. The brand split has made the top tier less crowded as well. Expect WWE to slide The Miz upward in the coming months, inserting him into the world-title scene.

With the right story at that level, The Miz is destined to remain a hot commodity for the blue brand.