Dolph Ziggler has it all – looks, athletic ability and an amazing move-set. He has also considerably improved his promo delivery as was illustrated by his gem of a segment with Dean Ambrose a few months ago. Only thing missing is a proper push for him from the company.
In 2012, Ziggler had that as well. Ziggler was seemingly groomed as the next breakout star and he would end up winning the Money in the Bank Contract. He was put into a feud with John Cena that made him look like a million bucks.
In addition to all this, he would form an alliance with the best female performer of the decade – AJ Lee. It would be at the TLC PPV on 17 December 2012 that their on-screen relationship started, with AJ betraying Cena in favour of the Show-off!
#1 Dolph Ziggler & AJ pull one over John Cena – December 17th, 2012
WWE TLC 2012 saw Dolph Ziggler headlining the event against John Cena in a ladder match. The bout was for Ziggler’s Money in the Bank Championship contract and Cena had AJ Lee alongside him with the WWE teasing a romantic relationship between the duo.
The match was spectacular and Ziggler was in the midst of the biggest push of his WWE career. Coupled with Vickie Guerrero, Ziggler had played his heel persona to perfection and was groomed to be the next World Champion.
The match ended with a heel turn by AJ Lee who pushed Cena off the top of the ladder which led to Ziggler grounding him with a Superkick. Ziggler would retain his briefcase and him and AJ would begin an onscreen relationship which would ultimately lead to Ziggler becoming the World Heavyweight Champion.
#2 The Shield make their in-ring debut – December 17th, 2012
TLC 2012 would also see the in-ring debut of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose. The Shield had interfered in multiple matches and had cost Ryback the WWE Championship.
While Ryback was supposed to meet WWE Champion CM Punk at TLC, a legit knee injury suffered by Punk caused the match to be cancelled. Instead, Ryback would team up with Team Hell No (Kane & Daniel Bryan) - who also had beef with the Shield - in a six-man tag team match against Rollins, Reigns and Ambrose.
The Shield would dominate the match and an assisted powerbomb executed by Reigns and Ambrose on Bryan gave the debutants the victory.
#3 London & Kendrick underline their credentials – December 17th, 2006
The last time SmackDown’s tag team division was exciting, was when it featured Paul London and Brain Kendrick as the WWE tag team champions. Towards the end of 2006, they would enter into a rivalry with MNM (John Morrison and Joey Mercury) as well as the newly reunited Hardy Boyz.
The matches involving the three teams were sure to be feature bell to bell excitement and they were joined by Dave Taylor and William Regal in a fatal four-way ladder match for the WWE tag team titles at Armageddon.
The Hardys would come close to winning the Championship, with Jeff Hardy’s use of the ladder as a weapon leaving Joey Mercury with a broken nose that would ultimately lead to the dissolution of MNM.
But it would be London and Kendrick who would ultimately prevail – The duo seemed to be a reincarnation of the Hardys with their daredevil move set and seemed destined for a long reign at the top. However, WWE would release London, and Kendrick would have a short but memorable singles run as “The Brian Kendrick” before departing as well.
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