2016 Ongoing MOTY List: Styles vs. Ziggler

28. AJ Styles v. Dolph Ziggler WWE Smackdown 8/23

ER: Well I'm not sure what I expected, but I really wasn't expecting to like this. Ziggler was a guy I used to enjoy but I can't think of many people I've soured more on over the last two years. But I've really liked AJ's WWE run so thought I would check this out, and came away quite impressed. This was a sadistic Styles performance, and a match where Ziggler's bumps actually came off appropriate instead of just athletic. And while Styles was dishing out some nasty stuff, he was very giving in making some of Ziggler's less than nasty stuff appear nasty. But damn I love Styles the asskicker, and there was extra mustard on all his shots, all his front and back elbows, dropkicks, and most importantly the way he carried himself. Styles really acted like, and came off like, "The Man". Ziggler did his thing, took a crazy chest first bump into the buckles, picked some nice times to make comebacks, and this thing built into a satisfying The Man performance. I loved the surprise dropkick on Styles, loved him booting his way out of the first Clash attempt with his heel to Styles dome, loved the way both men actually made the Zig Zag look like a devastating move that could end a match, loved the way Styles whipped his head into the mat taking the famouser. But Styles as asskicker, it's really something I never thought I would see in WWE. I always thought he would just become Dolph Ziggler 2.0, but here he really looked the part of ace.

PAS: I also really dig Styles as a guy slowing down a match, rather then a guy speeding it up. Dolph has some nice amateur scrambling, and I loved him coming out and taking Styles down, and Styles responding by popping him in the mouth. Ziggler had some rough moments, his punch flurry looked pretty stinky, but mainly was fine, and I did love his Zig Zag and his athletic bumping. Styles has such good looking offense, he spends some time working an overhand wristlock and I thought "man what a nasty overhand wristlock, he should use that as a finisher." Styles as Johnny Valentine is way better then Styles working "this is awesome" matches with Cena.


2016 ONGOING MOTY LIST