Dolph Ziggler’s frequent beat-downs at the hands of The Shield presented the hero in a classic power imbalance. Ziggler’s fans were left thinking: “You bullies may have the upper hand when it’s three against one, but Ziggler would surely dominate in a fair fight!”
OK — let’s see what happens when Ziggler gets in the ring with just one member of The Shield — Dean Ambrose.
Dean Ambrose, wearing his usual scary black clothing, easily dominates Dolph in this encounter. He drags the pretty-in-pink hero by the hair and whips him into the corner post. The scene quickly veers across the border when Ambrose gets in Ziggler’s face, their mouths nearly touching.
When they’re close enough to breathe on each other, Ambrose informs his stunned victim: “You will learn to respect the business. You will learn respect.” The dominant male then rolls his tongue around as if he just tasted something he enjoyed and his mouth is watering for more.
So now the feud is on between the creepy, cold-hearted bully and one of the prettiest (and erstwhile cockiest) men ever to put on a pair of spandex boy-shorts. The wrestling fans couldn’t be happier!
The Man in Black has gone on to punish and hurt Ziggler numerous times for our viewing pleasure, including at the recent “Night of Champions” pay per view where he defeated the former Show Off. He always seems to target Ziggler’s hair, which I love to see, dragging the pretty-boy all around the ring by his flowing locks.
Much of the reason the Ambrose-Ziggler matches are so enticing (besides the physical abilities of both men) is the tension between them. I dare say I can’t be the only viewer who has picked up on this.
Ambrose, in the more aggressive role, uses rough, kinky tactics like hair pulling and scratching. He often pauses to get in his boy-toy’s face, dangerously close to actually kissing the other man and really inciting some Gay Panic.
You must admit there is more going on in these steamy matches than just the sport of wrestling. A Heel is supposed to seem scary and threatening, and Dean Ambrose is presented as not only physically dangerous, but sexually dangerous as well. The implication is that he could rape poor Ziggler if he wanted to (and he apparently wants to…)
So now the fans are left wondering what has Ziggler done to deserve this degree of humiliation and torture. Often, the Baby-Face will suffer a few losses to build heat for his eventual come-back, but Ziggler has been whipped, abused, tortured, and degraded for months. Is there any end in sight for his Time Out?
A rumor has been floating around that Ziggler disrespected Randy Orton in the locker room, so his current series of humiliating losses is a form of punishment. We heard a similar story about Alex Riley insulting John Cena and then being buried as a result. Apparently, to chastise an offensive wrestler, he is forced to job, and told, “If you fight back at all, you’re fired.”
This is nice fuel for fantasy, but I don’t know that I believe all these tales of rudeness, hurt feelings, and in-ring humiliation as a punishment.
The truth is that being in the ring is a reward, not a punishment, even if you lose the match. In fact, suffering forces the audience to fall in love with your character, to develop compassion and to cheer for you to overcome your challenges. So I doubt that Ziggler is being punished for rude comments or disrespect. I believe he is being “punished” for another reason.
The true reason Ziggler is being punished is because it has entertainment value — because it’s arousing for the fans. Ziggler used to be the Top Dog, the Big Swinging Dick, absolutely untouchable and dominant. So to see this former king now being degraded, used, and abused is a guaranteed boner.
One of the greatest turn-ons for men to observe is the loss of power, the Big Man being taken down a notch. So pro wrestling builds up its characters, first putting them over and showing them as omnipotent, only to later drag them down, spit on them, and toss them in a mud puddle for the sadistic pleasure of the audience.
They first made Dolph Ziggler into an untouchable king, a Show-Stealer, then they showed him falling from grace, now being pillaged and potentially raped by creepy Dean Ambrose and his two buddies. It’s an old, old formula (create a god and then crucify him) but it still works for me and for many other wrestling fans. THIS is why they’re currently down-grading and humiliating Ziggler, and will continue to do so as long as the fans still feel excited to see it and will pay to watch it.
THIS is what it’s all about.