Dolph Ziggler and 7 Wrestlers Who Need to Step Up Their Game

When Hulk Hogan defeated the Iron Sheik to win his first WWE Heavyweight Championship, he carried an organization on his back for years and thrived as the "Hulkamania" train ripped through the conscience of wrestling and mainstream entertainment.

When Ric Flair won his first NWA Heavyweight Championship, nine members of the NWA committee met and decided who would be champion by a 5-4 vote.

Today, those meetings are a thing of the past.

Hogan and Flair now take on an advisory role in TNA IMPACT, and the WWE has moved on to newer stars and newer concepts in an effort to make the brand more exciting and more theatrical.

And in this new era of wrestling and the need to find the right look, the right athlete and the right challenger, some wrestlers either get caught in a numbers game, lose their "spot" or don't draw once they become champion.

This is a look at eight wrestlers in the business today who should be doing more to gain championship gold.

Evan Bourne

A great look and tremendous high flying skills, Bourne is a cruiserweight who should be doing more with his character.

He and Kofi Kingston would be a great feud the fans would love, but the two are both faces. Bourne has a great following from the independent circuit but has been a mid-card draw in the WWE.

Jack Swagger

I don't know where to stand on this one. Swagger has been a champion and a great worker, but has fallen off the map lately.

His connection to the Jerry Lawler/Michael Cole feud took away from his time on the mat. His look is undeniable, but his gimmick is suspect.

Maybe the WWE should re-brand him and see if they can revive a great persona if all things are put into place.

Eric Young

His schtick wears on you like raw leather.

At times, he is as entertaining as anyone, and at times, he is as annoying as the little kid in third grade. When he was clean cut and well spoken, he was one of the best in TNA. Now, he appears to be a sideshow at best.

Kofi Kingston

He is a great entertainer, but his persona is getting stale.

The happy-go-lucky West African should be stepping his game up to challenge for the top tier titles. His feuds with Randy Orton and Sheamus prove he can handle the spotlight. He just needs more of a push.

Matt Morgan

He could own this business if he wanted to, much like Hogan did in the 1980s.

Big, powerful and talented. He has not made the move yet to super stardom. Much of that has to do with writing and others in the business, but Morgan's talent alone should place him in higher air. He could be the next Kevin Nash.

Dolph Ziggler

His blonde locks and charisma were cut and changed back to their original color.

Ziggler could be the best wrestler on the WWE roster, but his connection to Vickie Guerrero has both helped and hurt him recently. Feuds with Edge, Randy Orton and John Cena prove he can carry the weight of champion.

Only time will tell if he can fulfill his destiny.

Drew McIntrye

He is the chosen one, but we are still wondering what he was chosen to do.

McIntyre is another one of those wrestlers who could dominate if he could have everything fall into place.

He needs a steady stream of challengers to prove he is worthy of such distinction.

Mason Ryan

He could be the baddest man on the planet, much like Batista was when he became a face.

Ryan must break away from The Nexxus to have a chance at individual stardom. His look and size already tell us he is going to be great if given a chance.