Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 09/29

#1 Randy Orton [--] (51-20-6)
The cliché of slightly pointless multi-man tag matches has reached a level even Teddy Long would have to blush at. I didn't imagine the 11-on-3 handicap match would be revisited, let alone followed through upon, but I suppose it's the penance The Shield must pay. While Bryan Danielson occupies himself with this long running, soft hitting feud -- Randy Orton remains at arms length. The Miz' occupation as Orton's B-feud chills me to the bone for being at such close proximity to the WWE Championship, but I'm comforted by the fact he's here to be destroyed, and will hopefully never again sully the record of the once prestigious belt.

#2 [--] Bryan Danielson (46-24-2)
#3 [--] Alberto Del Rio (45-15-5) [World Champion]
#4 [--] Sheamus (36-14-2)
#5 [--] Roman Reigns (28-11-3) [Tag Team Champion]
#6 [--] Seth Rollins (28-15-2) [Tag Team Champion]
#7 [+1] Dean Ambrose (27-19-2) [United States Champion]
#8 [-1] Kane (27-21-0)
#9 [--] The Miz (26-12-2)
#10 [--] Ryback (25-16-1)

#1 [--] Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins (27-10-2) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [--] Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns (21-9-1)
#3 [--] Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins (21-9-1)
#4 [--] Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso (20-13-1)
#5 [--] Kane & Bryan Danielson (14-9-0)
#6 [--] Sheamus & Randy Orton (11-3-0)
#7 [--] Brodus Clay & Sweet Tea Tensai (9-11-1)
#8 [+1] Naomi & Cameron (7-3-0)
#9 [-1] Titus O'Neil & Darren Young (7-17-0)
#10 [--] Luke Harper & Erick Rowan (6-0-0)

Superstar Spotlight:
#12 Dolph Ziggler (23-33-2)
These days it's a given that when there's a glimmer of hope in WWE, there's an equally dark shadow cast elsewhere on the card. None is more engulfed by obscuring darkness than former World Heavyweight Champion: Dolph Ziggler.

It's almost unfathomable to think Ziggler was a World Champion as recently as June. Alberto Del Rio may not be setting the world on fire with his time killing nostalgia feuds [Christian, Rob Van Dam] -- but I'll gladly recognize his weight as a legitimate contender. Ziggler -- now competing for the United States Championship -- seems to have lost any of that top tier lustre he briefly had on the back of a babyface concussion and face turn.

Ziggler seems at home competing for the US title. I don't for a second believe he's there to win the belt, but the second tier title feels awfully like the position he really belongs in. A pet favourite for a certain type of fan -- I don't think he's ever been completely convincing a "future of the industry" that will ever eventuate. His workrate is genuine, but his presence in-ring is fundamentally lacking something more than his unwillingness to engage in hardcore chain wrestling. Something is missing and I'm not sure it's something Ziggler can acquire -- even if that's more about the product around him than his own willingness to develop. I suppose time will tell.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records. Tallied results only include matches broadcast during WWE 2013 programming. At present, this includes RAW (Mondays), Main Event (Wednesdays), Smackdown (Friday), and monthly Pay-Per-View events.

Wrestling: The Kayfabe Countdown - 04/14

#1 Sheamus [--] (21-7-1)
A wacky week took us out of Wrestlemania and into the real meat of the coming year. So far, 2013 is turning into a three-horse race in terms of wins as Sheamus, Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio trade places in the Kayfabe Countdown Top 3! Not only have these three managed to break away from the pack on the Road to Wrestlemania, but also seem to have plenty of momentum moving forward, while other storylines and superstars meander to a halt.

With the Money in the Bank cash-in earning Del Rio his third loss for the year. he's back in the chase stakes. Meanwhile, the question looms -- now that he's World Heavyweight Champion, will Dolph Ziggler actually start winning matches? If he doesn't get shuffled sideways for the likes of Jack Swagger (whose position remains unclear after a DUI), maybe this is actually a dent in the Del Rio win count. It isn't all doom and gloom for the Countdown's #3. There's still the long teased break-up of Kane & Bryan Danielson to put some space between the unwashed masses and the elites. Maybe...

#2 [+1] Randy Orton (21-8-1)
#3 [-1] Alberto Del Rio (20-3-1)
#4 [+1] Kane (16-9-0) [Tag Team Champion]
#5 [-1] Bryan Danielson (16-10-0) [Tag Team Champion]
#6 [+1] Jack Swagger (14-2-1)
#7 [-1] Ryback (14-5-0)
#8 [--] Mark Henry (13-3-0)
#9 [--] Big Show (12-11-1)
#10 [--] The Miz (11-7-1)

#1 [--] Kane & Bryan Danielson (11-3-0) [Tag Team Champions]
#2 [--] Sheamus & Randy Orton (8-1-0)
#3 [--] Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns (5-0-0)
#4 [--] Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins (5-0-0)
#5 [--] Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins (5-0-0)
#6 [--] Brodus Clay & Tensai (5-2-1)
#7 [--] Sheamus & Big Show (3-1-0)
#8 [--] Randy Orton & Big Show (3-1-0)
#9 [new] Brie Bella & Nikki Bella (3-1-0)
#10 [-1] Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso (3-2-0)

Superstar Spotlight:
#12 Dolph Ziggler (10-16-0)
[World Heavyweight Champion]
For a while there, the guy couldn't buy a win, but after months of speculation, the Money in the Bank contract was finally cashed in on a beleaguered Alberto Del Rio. To my mind, it's a pathetic way to crown a champion. Made only worse by multiple instances of title reigns measured in minutes by way of a post-win cash-in. At least Dolph Ziggler gets away without being responsible that indignity, as well. He does, however, still have a lot to prove.

I'm assured Ziggler has been a darling of the so-called "Internet Wrestling Community" for quite some time. I want to support the notion of a new guy coming through, but I can't escape the obvious sense of something missing in young Ziggler, even after all these years. For all intents and purposes it feels like the beginning of a genuine push, but he needs to develop something mighty quick to make it stick. A great place to start might be his work style, which is sorely lacking offensive manoeuvres. He's got a lot of energy and natural talent, but like so much of the modern WWE product, there's a level of competitiveness and grounding that's lacking in the psychology.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records. Tallied results only include matches broadcast during WWE 2013 programming. At present, this includes RAW (Mondays), Main Event (Wednesdays), Smackdown (Friday), and monthly Pay-Per-View events.