For the first time in over three and a half years, Dolph Ziggler turned heel on the Jan. 3 edition of SmackDown Live, in a character transformation that was long overdue. He had been stale as a babyface for so many years that there was hope among fans that going rogue would revitalise his career.
While turning him heel was definitely the smartest booking decision, the follow-up has been relatively poor since then. He has been stuck in a lousy mid card feud with Apollo Crews and Kalisto, most recently squaring off against them in a Handicap match at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.
Thankfully, there is still time for WWE to right the wrongs they have made with the former World Heavyweight champion. These are the five best ways WWE can fully maximise his heel turn.
#5 Incorporating aggression into his character
The biggest knock against Dolph Ziggler at the moment is that he virtually isn't any different as a heel than he was as a babyface. He still struts down to the ring with a smile on his face and only snaps when he loses matches in the matter of a minute.
Sure, having him batter babyfaces such as Apollo Crews and Kalisto with chairs constantly makes him out to be a badass, but the buck stops there. He needs to do much more than that in order to convince fans that he's a changed man, and incorporating more aggression into his in-ring arsenal would be a step in the right direction.
Also read: 5 Reasons Dolph Ziggler's heel turn is good for SmackDown Live
The fire Ziggler showed in his heated confrontation with Jerry Lawler last month on SmackDown was wonderful, and that's what we need from him more often. Even in the past as a heel, he has been all about bragging and boasting, but adopting an edge this time around will ensure this heel run isn't the same as his last.
#4 Giving him a heavy
Some of the best bad guys in WWE history benefited from having a “heavy,” or a bodyguard. Look no further than Shawn Michaels, who shined as a villain throughout the mid-1990s because he had Diesel doing most of his dirty work for him.
Dolph Ziggler takes after the Heartbreak Kid in more ways than one, and thus he should follow in his footsteps by getting an insurance policy of his own. His character is tailor-made for having a heavy, and there are a few names on the current roster that would fit the role well.
Kevin Nash's name has been brought up in the past, and that could be an excellent use of the WWE Hall of Famer considering how much Ziggler idolises his body of work. Even if it was someone such as Baron Corbin or Braun Strowman, adding a more intimidating presence to the Showoff's act would do wonders for him.
#3 Switching up his in-ring attire
I will give credit where credit is due that Dolph Ziggler has done a decent job of changing up his look over the years, from growing his hair out to sporting longer tights starting in 2015. However, his current image is atrocious, and the “I wish this were the '80s” vibe he gives off hardly makes him look like a credible threat.
The trunks he used to wear were a better look for Ziggler, as well as the bleached-blonde hair that helped him stand out and look like someone you would want to see get beat up. The first step in coming across differently as a character is dressing differently, which he has yet to do.
The Usos' heel turn late last year was so refreshing because they went above and beyond in ditching everything that had made them likeable. Ziggler must do the same in order for his heel turn to be successful.
#2 Putting him in a notable program
It's great that Dolph Ziggler has had some sense of direction over the past month in this feud (?) with Apollo Crews and Kalisto, but admittedly, it has been badly booked and no one involved has benefited from being a part of it.
Moreover, Crews and Kalisto just don't have anything going for them at the moment, and few fans care about them. As a result, Ziggler beating them means next to nothing, which is why he must be put in a program with a more notable name.
The main issue is that Ziggler has been here for so long and he has gone up against almost everyone on the SmackDown side from John Cena to Randy Orton to Dean Ambrose to The Miz on countless occasions. Turning AJ Styles babyface and pairing those two together would be fun, though.
#1 Debuting new entrance music
Far and away the most glaring flaw with Dolph Ziggler's heel turn up to this point has been how he has yet to ditch the tired “Here to Show the World” entrance theme. He's had it for over five years, and even as a babyface, the music didn't fit him tremendously well; people just associated it with him after a while.
Neville would have likely flopped as a heel had he not changed up his entrance theme. Granted, it's merely a slowed-down version of his previous song, but it simply sounds evil, and even going back to using “Perfection” would be better for Ziggler at this stage.
The song a Superstar uses sets the tone for what fans should expect when they make their entrance. That said, fans will not buy into Ziggler as a credible heel until he undergoes a complete character makeover, starting with the debut of a new entrance theme to reflect his heel persona.
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