Show Me What You Got
Dean thinks no one really gets him. Some come close like Roman, once upon a time like Scumbag Seth, but that's fine if he's maybe a bit more observant, more keen, he may understand more than what everyone likes to walk around and think.
He's not doing this because he's suddenly 'The Man', suddenly the Kingpin of Smackdown. He's not doing this to make an example of the other or to flaunt what he has. He's never felt the need to prove anything to anyone and that hasn't changed. He doesn't hate Dolph nor look down on the man. He doesn't envy him or want to put him in his place or whatever else people use as a reason to knock someone upside the head around here. He actually respects him. He sees the man's struggles and all the years he's been trying his hardest. They say you can see a person's soul in their eyes. Dean thinks it's a load of bull, something you'd put in a fortune cookie. But he can kind of make sense of the mumbo-jumbo with Dolph and he gets what the guy's about. He can see the want and desire, see the fire in his blue eyes. And he's got potential, got the heart and determination.
And Dean knows he can ignore all of that. He can ignore it and beat him one, two, three in one match then be done with it entirely. That's not how he's going to do it, though. No, he's not going to be like any other opponent Ziggler has faced. He's not going to brush this wrestler off, not because he's a nice guy from the bottom of his heart, but because he knows he can build Ziggler up into something greater. Now Dolph, he's a project, one might say a hot mess some days. He's too worried about how he presents himself. He's one of those pretty boys too often and the thing is he doesn't need to be. He's got the spark, but it's raw and most of it's untapped. He needs someone to bring out the better possibilities in him, to push him. Luckily, Dean knows he can do just that. He can see how to get him, where to hit with words and insults. He knows he's doing it perfectly when he's got the man screaming and steaming in his face tuesday night live. He tries not to smile as the shorter male pours out more of his soul and puffs out his chest.
The fact he managed to catch Dean off guard later the same night only proved to the champ he was right about the Show Off. What he had said to Dolph must had gotten to the kid from Cleveland like he wanted it to, but he never expected the man to put his opportunity for the title on the line. When he heard the news he knew he had to see it first hand. He wasn't disappointed at what he saw either. The kid really did have heart, and that's not something a person can measure. He's got resilience, got heart, and nobody can touch that.
He knows he's looking forward to facing Dolph Ziggler even before the Show Off pins Wyatt. When the match is over and Dolph stands tall, Dean watches as Erick Rowan attacks, coming out of nowhere, like he manifested into thin air. He doesn't really know what possessed him to run into the ring, it was like his legs moved on their own. He blinks, one minute he's standing on the commentary table, the next he's in the mix of the fighting, pulling Rowan from Dolph.
When his back is slam hard against the floor of the ring, Dean wonders how the hell he gets himself into situations like this.
.