WWE Rumors: 2-Time World Champion takes a break from WWE; mystery over return
What's the story?
Dolph Ziggler has not been seen on WWE TV ever since his Royal Rumble appearance and it's only obvious that the fans wonder what's happening with The Showoff.
As revealed by Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Radio, Ziggler is on a hiatus and is not expected to be back anytime soon.
In case you didn't know...
For a man who has been with the WWE since 2004, Ziggler's career leaves a lot to be desired. Despite being a Triple Crown Champion, he has mostly found success as a mid-card talent.
The 2-time World Heavyweight Champion is often seen as the gatekeeper of the main roster as new additions are put in a feud with The Showoff to get a feel of the big leagues. Ziggler, though, has managed to stay relevant despite the ups and downs and is coming off a relatively solid run as a team with Drew McIntyre, who he later on feuded with.
He would enter the 2019 Royal Rumble match at #28 and eliminate the Scottish superstar before being dumped out of the match by Braun Strowman. The Showoff hasn't shown up ever since.
The heart of the matter
Ziggler is currently on his stand-up comedy tour and thus, requested for some time off from his pro wrestling commitments. WWE had previously offered Ziggler the role of a backstage agent but he politely turned them down as he was more focused on his stand-up gig.
As of this writing, there is no update on his return date or WWE's plans for his return. He is expected to be on tour all through March and could be missing this year's WrestleMania as well. For what's worth, he has dates booked until August. While Ziggler has previously juggled both wrestling and stand-up simultaneously, he seems to be putting in the extra effort on comedy this time around.
What's next?
There is a certain degree of ambiguity surrounding Ziggler's future as his priorities seem to be shifting. It also depends on what WWE has in store for the 6-time Intercontinental Champion, however, we hope he enjoys making people laugh while he's away from the squared circle.